Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko: No politics behind decision to close Belarus’ borders

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MINSK, 5 November (BelTA) – The recent decision to close the country's borders is temporary and has no political reasons, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss the measures to counter the spread of viral infections, BelTA has learned.

The head of state noted that the epidemic situation in the world is following one of the most negative scenarios. “I am not referring to record incidence rate in most European countries, and not even to a full lockdown in some countries. It is obvious that the damage to the economy will be great and, perhaps, as many experts say, irreparable. But now is not the time to think about it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

“Effective and reliable drugs for coronavirus have not yet been invented. The virus has already mutated and began to adapt to the methods used to combat it. The new so-called Spanish influenza is taking over Western Europe. Therefore, we could not leave our borders open. Moreover,  we have not overcome the peak in Belarus yet. There is no politics here. The decision is important. This is a temporary solution," the Belarusian leader stressed.

The president noted that other states apply similar methods. "If we have closed our borders to those who are trying to enter out countries from the West (we have no borders with Russia), it is because we see a huge increase in the incidence rate. I am talking not only about the tests that show tens and hundreds of thousands of coronavirus cases but about real patients, especially in neighboring Poland," the head of state added.

"I have ordered the border troops not to let in not only foreign nationals but also those ‘smart' Belarusians who left our country during this difficult time. We don't need them to bring the infection here and it does not matter what passport they carry. They have gone to study or work there, let them. We didn't oppose them going there. Therefore, let them work and get medical treatment there," the head of state said.

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