Irena Bernatskaya, political prisoner in the Union of Poles case, now works as an educator in Bialystok

Photo: Viasna-96

She now lives in Bialystok and works as an educator in a kindergarten. MOST spoke with Irena about how difficult it is to find a job in another country at her age and how Polish kindergartens differ from Belarusian ones.

First detained for prayer

Before moving to Poland, Irena lived in Lida and was the head of the Lida branch of the Union of Poles.

— We had a school at the Union of Poles. Children came, learned the language, sang, showed their talents, and engaged in creative activities. Although I'm an engineer by education, I've worked with children my whole life. For some time – with those who have disabilities. I always liked it," she says.

In 2020, Irena was detained for the first time – she, along with other believers, went to the church and prayed for those who suffered from the actions of Belarusian security forces.

— At my age, it was the only thing I could do – help with prayer.

Taken out without documents

In 2021, the school at the Union of Poles, and then Irena's home, were searched. The woman was detained on March 25 as part of a criminal case on the rehabilitation of Nazism. Other representatives of the Union of Poles were also detained under the same article: Anzhelika Borys, Andrzej Poczobut, Maria Tyszkowska, and Hanna Panishava.

That day, Irena was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee in Minsk, and from there transferred to a pre-trial detention center. She spent two months in custody.

On May 25, Bernatskaya was ordered to pack her belongings and leave. She was informed that she would be under house arrest and obliged to report to the Lida district police department and the Investigative Committee. The documents were not handed to her, but to a masked man accompanying her.

Then Irena was put into a car without license plates and taken in an unknown direction. On the way, she feared that she might be taken out of the city and killed. However, the car was directed towards Grodno, and then to the border.

There, she, along with other defendants in the case – Maria Tyszkowska and Hanna Panishava – were handed over to the Polish side. All three were taken out without passports or any other documents.

"It was difficult to find a good job at my age"

Irena recalls her first months in Poland as very difficult. Despite her good knowledge of Polish, finding a stable job was not easy.

— I went around, did odd jobs – cleaning, sweeping. I had many acquaintances, many wanted to help. But finding a good job at my age is difficult.

Over time, she was offered a position in a kindergarten. Irena admits: this was only possible thanks to personal connections.

— I have a Soviet diploma, but the director recognized it. Good people helped me a lot – I probably wouldn't have found this job on my own.

"Children have a lot of freedom"

Although the work requires a lot of energy, Irena says she feels at home in the kindergarten – largely thanks to her relationships with colleagues and parents.

— The routine here is probably like everywhere else. Children arrive as early as 6:30 AM and leave at 4:30 PM. And all day with them: dancing, feeding, and playing. You have to decorate the hall, prepare everything for classes, and change the group's decor depending on the season.

The main difference from the Belarusian system, according to her, is in the approach to children.

— In our country (in Belarus), there was discipline – from oldest to youngest. But here, children are given more love and affection. Children have a lot of freedom: if they want to, they sleep; if they don't, they don't. No one forces them. If you want to, you rest; if you want to, you play. Children don't want to go home.

Irena says her relationships with the children's parents are good.

— With many, we are acquainted personally or through mutual friends. After all, Bialystok is close to the Grodno region. There are many of our people here.

In the kindergarten, Irena works under an employment contract — the employer pays all social contributions, and she has paid leave and sick leave.

— My salary is the minimum in the country – about 4600 zlotys (from January 1, gross 4806 zlotys, which is 1085-1130 euros – NN). But my husband and I live as a couple, our children are already grown, so it's enough for me.

In March, Irena turned 60, and she can already retire. A year ago, she managed to transfer her Belarusian work experience to Poland – it will be taken into account when determining her total work experience.

— I can count on a minimal Polish pension – about 1900 zlotys [450 euros – NN]. In the future, I might switch to an umowę zlecenie (contract for specific work) and only work as a substitute in the kindergarten – on a case-by-case basis.

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