Editing Białystok (section)

==Politics==
{{main|Politics of Białystok}}
[[File:6418 Podlaski Urząd Wojewódzki w Białymstoku Ulica Mickiewicza 3 August 2019.jpg|thumb|[[Podlaskie Voivodeship]] Office at [[Mickiewicza Street, Białystok|Mickiewicza Street]]]]
[[File:District Court in Białystok (Skłodowskiej-Curie 1).jpg|thumb|Regional Court in Białystok]]

===City government===
{{further|Politics of Białystok}}
Białystok, like other major cities in Poland, is a [[City county (Poland)|city county]] ({{langx|pl|Miasto na prawach powiatu}}).<ref>{{cite web| title = Dz.U. z 1998 r. nr 91, poz. 578 (Sjem of the RP)| url = http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/DetailsServlet?id=WDU19980910578| access-date = 2011-04-15| language = pl| archive-date = 2011-08-07| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110807131629/http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/DetailsServlet?id=WDU19980910578| url-status = live}}</ref> The [[Legislature|Legislative power]] in the city is vested in the [[unicameralism|unicameral]] Białystok [[City Council]] ({{langx|pl|Rada Miasta}}), which has 28 members.<ref name=miasta>{{cite web| title = Statut Miasta Białegostoku| url = http://bipnowy.um.bialystok.pl/253-statut-miasta/lang/pl-PL/default.aspx| access-date = 2011-04-15| language = pl| archive-date = 2011-01-21| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110121061257/http://bipnowy.um.bialystok.pl/253-statut-miasta/lang/pl-PL/default.aspx| url-status = live}}</ref> Council members are elected directly every four years, one of whom is the [[mayor]], or [[President (government title)#Sub-national|President]] of Białystok ({{langx|pl|prezydent}}).<ref name=miasta/> Like most legislative bodies, the City Council divides itself into committees which have the oversight of various functions of the city government.<ref name=miasta/> Bills passed by a [[Plurality (voting)|simple majority]] are sent to the [[mayor]], who may sign them into law.<ref name=miasta/> If the mayor vetoes a bill, the Council has 30 days to override the veto by a [[Supermajority|two-thirds majority]] vote.<ref name=miasta/> The current President of Białystok, elected for his first term in 2006, is [[Tadeusz Truskolaski]] won the elections as the [[Civic Platform]]'s candidate, however, he has no official connection with the party. In the first round of the elections he received 49% of the votes (42,889 votes altogether). In the later runoff he defeated his rival candidate Marek Kozlowski from [[Law and Justice]] ({{langx|pl|Prawo i Sprawiedliwość}}), receiving 67% of the votes cast (53,018 votes).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://wybory2006.pkw.gov.pl/kbw/wynikiWbpKandydatObwody.html?kandydat=8a8a8a840e53afcd010e55a2e6b40122 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930061140/http://wybory2006.pkw.gov.pl/kbw/wynikiWbpKandydatObwody.html?kandydat=8a8a8a840e53afcd010e55a2e6b40122 | archive-date=2011-09-30 | title=Wyniki głosowania na kandydata w obwodach | publisher=pkw.gov.pl | access-date=2011-08-01|language=pl}}</ref>

For the 2010–2011 fiscal year the city received revenue (taxes levied + investments) of 1,409,565,525 zł, expended 1,676,459,102 zł leaving a budget deficit of 266,893,577 zł.<ref name=biabudget>{{cite web| title = 2010–2011 Budget Statement| url = http://bipnowy.um.bialystok.pl/386-budzet-2011/lang/pl-PL/default.aspx| access-date = 2011-04-15| language = pl| archive-date = 2011-01-21| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110121071116/http://bipnowy.um.bialystok.pl/386-budzet-2011/lang/pl-PL/default.aspx| url-status = live}}</ref> The deficit was covered by short-term borrowing of 166,893,577 zł and the issuance of 100 million zł in [[municipal bond]]s.<ref name=biabudget/>

'''Other levels of governmental representation'''<br />
It is also the seat of government for the [[Podlaskie Voivodeship]].<ref>{{cite web
| title = Podlaskie Voivodeship website
| url = http://www.bialystok.uw.gov.pl/
| access-date = 2011-04-15
| language = pl
| archive-date = 2008-08-28
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080828190207/http://www.bialystok.uw.gov.pl/
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The city is represented by several members of both houses of the Polish Parliament ([[Sejm]] and [[Senate of Poland|Senat]]) from the [[Białystok (parliamentary constituency)|Białystok constituency]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Nohlen|first=Dieter|title=Prawo wyborcze i system partyjny. O teorii systemów wyborczych|publisher=Scholar|location=Warszawa|year=2004|page=15|isbn=83-7383-130-4|language=pl}}</ref> Białystok is represented by the [[Podlaskie and Warmian-Masurian (European Parliament constituency)|Podlaskie and Warmian-Masurian constituency]] of the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web
| title = The Act of 23rd January 2004 on Elections to the European Parliament
| url = http://www.pkw.gov.pl/pkw2/index.jsp?place=Lead07&news_cat_id=12&news_id=2355&layout=1&page=text
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716135036/http://www.pkw.gov.pl/pkw2/index.jsp?place=Lead07&news_cat_id=12&news_id=2355&layout=1&page=text
| archive-date = 2011-07-16
| access-date = 2011-04-15|language=pl}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| title = Polish National Election Commission 2004
| url = http://www.pe2004.pkw.gov.pl/komunikaty/komunikatyPKW/obwieszczenie_internet.pdf
| access-date = 2011-04-15| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516025550/http://www.pe2004.pkw.gov.pl/komunikaty/komunikatyPKW/obwieszczenie_internet.pdf| archive-date= 16 May 2011 | url-status= live|language=pl}}</ref>

===International relations===
{{multiple image
| align = right
| caption_align = center
| perrow = 2
| total_width = 290
| image1 = Konsulat Chorwacji w Białymstoku (Zanenhofa 25).jpg
| image2 = Białystok - Willa pod Kariatydami - Lipowa 24 - 2017-02-10 19-41-32.jpg
| footer = Honorary consulates of Croatia and Luxembourg
}}

There are thirteen consulates in Białystok, a [[Consulate General]] of [[Belarus]] and Honorary Consulates of [[Romania]],<ref>{{cite web| url=http://varsovia.mae.ro/node/221| title=Relaţii bilaterale – Scurt istoric| trans-title=Bilateral relations – brief history| publisher=Romanian Foreign Ministry – Romanian Embassy to Poland| access-date=2012-11-21| language=ro| archive-date=2013-10-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004233456/http://varsovia.mae.ro/node/221| url-status=live}}</ref> [[Finland]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pfrr.pl/konsulat-finlandii/|title=Konsulat Finlandii|website=Podlaska Fundacja Rozwoju Regionalnego|language=pl-PL|access-date=2020-01-18|archive-date=2021-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121150017/https://pfrr.pl/konsulat-finlandii/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Croatia]], [[Estonia]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Malta]] and [[Serbia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/dyplomacja/misje-dyplomatyczne-urzedy-konsularne-i-organizacje-miedzynarodowe-w-polsce|title=Misje dyplomatyczne, urzędy konsularne i organizacje międzynarodowe w Polsce|date=2021-01-21|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland|language=pl|access-date=2021-01-21|archive-date=2019-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924100320/https://www.gov.pl/web/dyplomacja/misje-dyplomatyczne-urzedy-konsularne-i-organizacje-miedzynarodowe-w-polsce|url-status=live}}</ref> The City of Białystok is a member of several organizations such as [[Metropolis#Poland|Union of Polish Metropolises]] ({{langx|pl|Unia Metropolii Polskich}}),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.selfgov.gov.pl/ | title=UMP | publisher=UMP | access-date=2013-10-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191108/http://www.selfgov.gov.pl/ | archive-date=2013-10-29 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Euroregion Niemen,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://niemen.org.pl/ | title=Euroregion Niemen | access-date=2011-08-01| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110724165529/http://www.niemen.org.pl/| archive-date= 24 July 2011 | url-status= live|language=pl}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.krs-online.com.pl/stowarzyszenie-euroregion-niemen-krs-57726.html | title=KRS – Podmiot nr: 0000060828, STOWARZYSZENIE EUROREGION NIEMEN | access-date=2011-08-01 | language=pl | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204101341/http://www.krs-online.com.pl/stowarzyszenie-euroregion-niemen-krs-57726.html | archive-date=2012-02-04 }}</ref> Polish Green Lungs Foundation,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fzpp.pl/ | title=Polish Green Lungs Foundation | publisher=Zielone Płuca Polski | access-date=2011-08-01 | language=pl | archive-date=2011-09-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903051451/http://www.fzpp.pl/ | url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Eurocities]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.eurocities.eu/eurocities/members/members_list| title=Eurocities Membership List| publisher=Eurocities| access-date=2013-10-24| archive-date=2015-06-06| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606102103/http://www.eurocities.eu/eurocities/members/members_list| url-status=dead}}</ref>

Białystok is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Współpraca zagraniczna |access-date=2022-03-08 |publisher=Białystok - Oficjalny Portal Miasta |url=https://www.bialystok.pl/pl/dla_mieszkancow/promocja_miasta/wspolpraca-zagraniczna.html |language=pl |archive-date=2022-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303093857/https://www.bialystok.pl/pl/dla_mieszkancow/promocja_miasta/wspolpraca-zagraniczna.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|ETH}} [[Bahir Dar]], Ethiopia
* {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Bochum]], Germany
* {{flagicon|TUR}} [[Bornova]], Turkey
* {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Chongzuo]], China
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Dijon]], France<ref name="Villes partenaires de Dijon">{{cite web |url=http://www.dijon.fr/relations-internationales!0-149-1/dijon-une-politique-renouvelee-a-l-international!1-586/ |title=Ville de Dijon – Dijon, une politique renouvelée à l'international |publisher=Dijon.fr |access-date=2013-10-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002140622/http://www.dijon.fr/relations-internationales%210-149-1/dijon-une-politique-renouvelee-a-l-international%211-586/ |archive-date=2013-10-02 }}</ref><ref name="Dijon Jumelages">{{cite web |url=http://www.dijon.fr/portail-de-lien!0-60/jumelages!10-14/ |title=Ville de Dijon – Jumelages |publisher=Dijon.fr |access-date=2013-10-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602085537/http://www.dijon.fr/portail-de-lien%210-60/jumelages%2110-14/ |archive-date=2013-06-02 }}</ref>
* {{flagicon|BUL}} [[Dobrich]], Bulgaria
* {{flagicon|NED}} [[Eindhoven]], Netherlands
* {{flagicon|LAT}} [[Jelgava]], Latvia
* {{flagicon|LTU}} [[Kaunas]], Lithuania
* {{flagicon|ZMB}} [[Lusaka]], Zambia
* {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Mazara del Vallo]], Italy
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Milwaukee]], United States<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sister-cities.org/interactive-map/Bialystok,%20Poland|title=Sister Cities International|access-date=2013-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193132/http://www.sister-cities.org/interactive-map/Bialystok,%20Poland|archive-date=2013-10-29|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|SEN}} [[Saint-Louis, Senegal]]
* {{flagicon|MLT}} [[Sliema]], Malta
* {{flagicon|UZB}} [[Urgench]], Uzbekistan
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Yehud, Israel|Yehud]], Israel
{{div col end}}

Former twin towns:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Irkutsk]], Russia
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Kaliningrad]], Russia
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Pskov]], Russia
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Tomsk]], Russia
{{div col end}}

On 3 March 2022, Białystok ended its partnership with the Russian cities of Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, Pskov and Tomsk, and also with the Belarusian city of Grodno as a reaction to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bialystok.wyborcza.pl/bialystok/7,35241,28180939,wojna-na-ukrainie-bialystok-zrywa-wspolprace-z-miastami-partnerskimi.html |language=pl |title=Wojna na Ukrainie. Białystok zrywa współpracę z miastami partnerskimi w Rosji i Białorusi |access-date=8 March 2022 |archive-date=3 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303185051/https://bialystok.wyborcza.pl/bialystok/7,35241,28180939,wojna-na-ukrainie-bialystok-zrywa-wspolprace-z-miastami-partnerskimi.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Eastern Partnership]] cities:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{flagicon|UKR}} [[Lutsk]], Ukraine
* {{flagicon|GEO}} [[Gori, Georgia|Gori]], Georgia
* {{flagicon|MDA}} [[Bălți]], Moldova
* {{flagicon|ARM}} [[Gyumri]], Armenia
* {{flagicon|AZE}} [[Sumgait]], Azerbaijan
{{div col end}}

Former partnership:
* {{flagicon|BLR}} [[Grodno]], Belarus

The village of [[Belostok, Tomsk Oblast|Belostok]] ({{langx|pl|Białystok}}) in Russia, founded by Polish settlers, is named after the city.<ref name=ad/>