Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko expects closure of Belarusian border to backfire on neighboring countries

MINSK, 25 August (BelTA) – If Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland close their borders with Belarus, they will only make things worse for themselves and their own citizens, BelTA learned from Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “I don’t quite understand Lithuania and Latvia. Most likely they are just getting ahead of themselves. They should make sure they don’t get crushed by it. They want to show off. But the consequences will be unfavorable for them. If they want to close the borders, they should go ahead and do it. We don’t travel to Lithuania and Latvia anyway and we don’t work via them. For whom will they make things worse? They will make things worse only for themselves and their own people. They are afraid that their people have started coming to us and see how we live. About 700,000 people have already visited Belarus since the visa-free travel program was launched.”

The president stressed that Belarus is a peaceful country and has no claims against its western neighbors: “We want to live in our land. We need neither Poland’s nor Lithuania’s nor Latvia’s. But they have political psychosis due to the upcoming elections. Particularly in Poland. This is why they are going to inflate tensions. If they close the borders, they should go ahead. They will make things worse only for themselves. Their people have already been reduced to poverty as it is: they imported firewood from Belarus in winter because they had no other fuel. And we don’t mind it. We will help them. If necessary, we will help them for free so that people would get by,” he stated.

“People over there are not fools. They are strong and seasoned. Just like we are. They will soon knock down these rulers,” Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced.

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