In a sharp statement issued on October 6, 2025, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova strongly criticized Poland’s decision to cancel visas previously granted to representatives of Russian civil society organizations. The move, according to Moscow, marks yet another instance of discriminatory treatment toward Russian nationals by the Polish authorities.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, at least five Russian experts who were scheduled to participate in the “Warsaw Human Dimension Conference,” held under the auspices of the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship from October 6 to 17, had their already-issued visas revoked by Poland. The conference is regarded as an informal substitute for the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM), which traditionally took place annually in Warsaw in accordance with OSCE procedures.
In recent years, Russia and several other OSCE participating States have boycotted the Warsaw conference at the official level, citing violations of the OSCE’s established Rules of Procedure. Zakharova remarked that Poland’s latest actions demonstrate its “utter incompetence” as a host country for OSCE forums. She accused Warsaw of being “mired in Russophobia” and claimed that Poland has become incapable of ensuring the safety of foreign delegations or guaranteeing non-discriminatory access to OSCE events.
Moscow has repeatedly called for the relocation of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), currently based in Warsaw, to another country. Zakharova reiterated this demand, arguing that Poland’s behavior undermines the credibility and neutrality of the OSCE’s human rights mechanisms.
Despite previous boycotts, several Russian NGOs had registered for this year’s conference, seeking to engage in open and constructive dialogue within the OSCE framework. However, Zakharova stated that Poland, driven by “self-serving political motives” and allegedly acting “on someone’s orders,” cancelled their visas to silence Russian voices at the event.
The Foreign Ministry further expressed disappointment that this was not the first instance of Poland taking discriminatory measures against Russian civil society representatives. According to Moscow, such actions contradict the OSCE’s fundamental principles, including the consensus-based decision-making process and the traditional inclusion of public organizations in discussions concerning human rights and democratic governance.
Zakharova accused Poland of “grossly and demonstratively violating its OSCE commitments” and suggested that Warsaw’s actions have severely damaged its credibility within the organization. Citing the Polish satirist Stanisław Jerzy Lec, she remarked, “When we thought Poland had already hit rock bottom – it knocked from below,” highlighting Russia’s view that Poland’s conduct has reached a new low.
The Russian Foreign Ministry concluded by urging OSCE participating States to begin negotiations on relocating the ODIHR headquarters and all major human-dimension events from Poland to another host country. Moscow argued that such a move is essential to restore trust and ensure the OSCE remains a platform for respectful and equitable dialogue on human rights issues.
