Poland Displeased About Russia's Treatment of Catholic Church's Representatives

Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek, the Rector of the Krakow Theological academy, said, 'Russia's policies in relation to representatives of the Catholic Church are very strange and unhealthy'. He added that, 'One could think Russia was moving toward normalcy, that is, democracy. However, this is a well-controlled democracy'.

This statement made by the Bishop is connected to one more incident when Catholic Priests were forbidden to cross Russia's border. According to the PAP news agency, yesterday, at a border crossing, priest Edward Mackewic who works in Russia was denied entrance because his parish in Rostov-on-Don had been eliminated.

This is the fifth such incident over the past 6 months involving denial of entrance to Catholic priests and the cancellation of their valid entrance visas after the elimination of their parishes.