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“Many people and organisations from the ‘pro-democratic side of the barricade’ have had dilemmas, or have openly opposed Lyudmyla’s support (…). But it is these very ‘controversies’ around Lyudmyla Kozlovska herself and the ODF that give us a better chance for our test. The solidarity test”.

Is the expulsion of the head of the Open Dialogue Foundation from the EU at the request of Poland a victory for the Russian services, for the ODF having gotten under their skin? That’s what Andrzej Wielowieyski and Marcin Święcicki think.

Before expelling Mrs Kozlovska to Kyiv, the Belgian authorities should have checked first whether this expulsion would not violate her rights to freedom of expression, family life, or effective judicial protection, but certainly her right to residence as a family member of a EU citizen.

The embassy of Poland is upset that the decision of a Polish institution in relation to the non-governmental organization Open Dialogue Foundation is being used against the opposition in Chisinau.

Guy Verhofstadt, the Chair of the Liberal Group at the European Parliament, famous for his bitter criticism of the reforms introduced in Poland by the Law and Justice party incisively commented on the expulsion of Lyudmyla Kozlovska from the EU territory upon request of the Polish government.

On 17 August, having heard about the detention (on the request of the Polish government), and, subsequently, expulsion from the EU territory of the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation Lyudmyla Kozlovska, MEP from the Green faction, Rebecca Harms expressed her shock.

On Tuesday 14 August 2018, Mrs Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) was deported from the EU territory to Kyiv, Ukraine due to an abuse of the Schengen Information System (SIS).

Lyudmyla Kozlovska, the President of the Management Board of The Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF), was prevented by the Polish authorities from entering the EU. We perceive this as another of a long series of their attacks on the Foundation

In the dispute with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since August 2017, the Open Dialogue Foundation once again defended its position: The Regional Court for the capital city of Warsaw decided to dismiss the Minister of Foreign Affairs’s complaint against the previous decision of the court.

Since the end of 2015, we have seen disturbing trends in the actions of the Polish government and the parliamentary majority formed by the populist-nationalist party, Law and Justice (PiS), which harm the activities of human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Poland.

Under the guise of a discussion on ‘financial fraud’, an information attack was launched against the Open Dialogue Foundation in the European Parliament. The smear campaign against our organisation has become a revenge for our activities to protect human rights in the post-Soviet space… (read more)

In the Council of Europe headquarters, the Open Dialogue Foundation organized a debate devoted to the situation of the rule of law and civil society in Poland. The event was attended by Belgian parliamentarian Petra De Sutter who, after the debate, shared her thoughts and reflections on her website.

In the light of the recent developments in Poland, one of the most urgent problems is the attack on civil society by governmental administration bodies. Non-governmental organisations, critical of the state authorities have been subjected to unprecedented pressure.

Following its firm statement in defence of the independence of the judiciary, and thus, against violation of the Constitution and the rule of law in Poland, on 21 July 2017, ODF became the object of unprecedented attacks by the Polish governmental administration and broader right-wing circles.

In the light of the recent developments in Poland, one of the most urgent problems is the attack on civil society by governmental administration bodies. Non-governmental organisations, critical of the state authorities (including Obywatele RP [Citizens of Poland], Fundacja Otwarty Dialog