Us or Them? How Belarusians Are Perceived in Poland

Positive attitudes towards Belarusians prevail in Poland, although a substantial share of the public has no definite view. Among respondents, 49.8% view Belarusians living in Belarus positively, while 55.7% view those living in Poland positively. Around 17% express negative attitudes in each case.

The study shows that attitudes towards Belarusians cannot be reduced to assessments of the Belarusian state. They are also shaped by views of shared history, personal contact, migration and Belarusians’ contribution to the Polish economy. Critical views of Belarus’s political regime are considerably more widespread than negative attitudes towards Belarusians as people.

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