Krystsina Tsimanouskaya in Poland. "She is free of any danger"

Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz told TVN24 on Thursday that the decision to fly to Warsaw through Vienna had been made together with Krystsina Tsimanouskaya. "The decision was a result of risk analysis and potential challenges of this trip".

"We are glad it finally turned out to be a good decision. The flight went on without any complications, Ms Tsimanouskaya landed safely in Warsaw and this is the best information," he added.

Asked what kind of security the athlete would be placed under, Przydacz replied that "due to the nature of the situation, it could hardly discuss details regarding the kind of security".

"I can only reassure that Ms Tsimanouskaya is and will be in a safe place, free of any kind of danger, as we're aware that not only Belarusian services, but also those of other countries, may be interested in Ms Tsimanouskaya, just as likely as they are interested in other persons, who for various political reasons had to flee Belarus. We have thousands of them in Poland, and Polish state institutions are doing their best to keep them safe," Przydacz said.

Asked about potential provocations from the Belarusian side, deputy foreign minister said he hoped there would be none. "We take many many preventive measures, but naturally not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but institutions responsible for it," he said.

"We're drawing on the experience of the last 30 years, especially the last year. The leaders of Belarusian opposition, journalists, came to Poland in really great numbers. I have to admit it's a challenge for the Polish state, but in the spirit of values we share together, it's necessary to provide help to such people and ensure their safety," Przydacz stressed. "At this point we may safely say they are safe in Poland and nothing bad will happen to them," he added.

Speaking about the imprisoned head of the Union of Poles in Belarus Andżelika Borys and journalist Andrzej Poczobut, Marcin Przydacz informed that "the Belarusian side refused Poland's consul recent request to meet with those two people". "Nevertheless, we're not ceasing our action, we continue efforts to place them under consular care. Their families also received support, and we also try, using political channels, to take action not only in relations with Minsk, but also by drawing attention of the European Union," he explained.

Deputy foreign minister also pointed out that "many decisions taken at the European Union forum were made thanks to Polish policy". "The whole sanction policy against Alexander Lukashenko was also a result of Poland's decisions," he said.

He added that "Belarus should be viewed in a wider context". "It's not just Belarus, but first and foremost Russia and the Kremlin, which actively supports Alexander Lukashenko. We shouldn't consider those two issues separately," Przydacz stressed.