Translated material
Poland decided to lure IT companies from Belarus
The Polish authorities have launched a relocation program for Belarusian IT companies and Poland Business Harbor specialists. They promise to help with offices, investors, and relocation of relatives, and even on the official website, the application form for companies is titled: "Poland is a safe harbor."
Several dozen technology companies from all over Poland have already prepared special job offers for Belarusian specialists, the said Polish government in a statement. Individuals with an IT engineer degree or a year of relevant work experience are offered an accelerated visa application.
Belarusian startups The Polish authorities offer offices in the country's best co-working spaces, as well as the opportunity to participate in development programs and grants from 1 to 4 million zlotys (20–80 million rubles).
In general, Poland offers IT companies from Belarus support in registering a business in the country, relocation of employees and their families, as well as legal advice and assistance with obtaining a visa. In addition, the program promises to help Belarusian professionals and companies to establish contact with local governments or special economic zones.
-
The Belarusian IT sector in recent years has been the only one in the country's economy that has been developing at a noticeable pace. In 2017-2019, the export of IT services from Belarus grew by almost 2.5 times, to $2 billion. In 2019, technology companies provided Belarus with almost 50% of GDP growth. To a large extent, the growth of IT was provided by the Hi-Tech Park, created on behalf of Alexander Lukashenko.
-
After the elections on August 9 and the start of protests in Belarus, the technology sector rebelled against the undisputed leader. On August 12, hundreds of executives and thousands of employees of Belarusian IT companies in an open letter demanded to stop police violence and hold new transparent presidential elections. Why the Belarusian technology sector went against Lukashenka, we detailed here .
- In response, the authorities began persecution: just today it became known about the blocking of the accounts of the company PandaDoc, whose founder Mikita Mikado supported the protests. Before that, four company executives were arrested in the case of “large-scale embezzlement.”
- On September 9, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who, according to the Belarusian opposition, won the presidential election, met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The prime minister handed Tikhanovskaya symbolic keys to the new Belarusian center in Warsaw and said that Poland is "an open house for all Belarusians who need help."