Belarusian teacher battles Poland's pension system in years-long legal fight
A 65-year-old former teacher from Belarus is fighting for her Polish pension after facing fraud allegations. Lyudmila, who moved to Poland and worked briefly as a teacher, has seen her case drag through courts since 2024.
At least 12 other Belarusians are in similar legal battles, with trials set for 2026 in Warsaw, Kraków, and Białystok.
Lyudmila applied for a Polish pension after relocating from Belarus. She had worked in Poland for three months, teaching Belarusian and mathematics once a week on Saturdays. Her application was rejected by ZUS, Poland's social insurance agency, which suspected fraud and collusion with her employer.
In spring 2024, she sued ZUS in the Warsaw District Court. The hearing took place without her knowledge in January 2025. The district court dismissed her claim on formal grounds, ruling that she had not corrected deficiencies in her documents on time.
Lyudmila appealed the decision. In April 2025, the appellate court overturned the ruling, recognising her difficult situation. However, ZUS challenged this decision, leading to a new hearing scheduled for May 2026. If the court rules in her favour, she will receive her pension retroactively from the date of her original application.
Her case is not unique. Human rights groups, including Viasna and Polish NGOs, report at least 12 other Belarusians facing similar accusations. Some have been arrested, while others receive legal aid in Warsaw and Kraków. Two more trials are set for March 2026 in Białystok and Warsaw.
ZUS suspects that some Belarusians may be falsifying employment records to qualify for pensions. The agency alleges that individuals are hiring each other on paper to meet pension requirements.
The outcome of Lyudmila's case could set a precedent for other Belarusians in similar situations. A ruling in her favour would mean backdated pension payments from her first application. Meanwhile, at least a dozen more cases remain unresolved, with hearings planned across Poland in 2026.
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