Diary from Poland: Maria waited for the bus for five years
This diary-style report from the Warsaw Zachodnia bus station describes the emotional reunion of Maria, a Belarusian woman, with her daughter Olga and granddaughter Anja after five years of forced separation. Olga, a journalist, fled Belarus in 2021 after being arrested twice for her work and participation in protests. Maria's attempt to visit Poland in April was thwarted when she was caught in a raid; authorities found she had subscribed to 'extremist' channels on her phone and had condemned violence in a Facebook comment, leading to a search of her apartment. After five years, Maria finally followed her daughter into exile. The article highlights the plight of Belarusian exiles and the severe restrictions on travel, with buses now the only way to cross the border since rail and air links were suspended.
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