MINSK, 16 November (BelTA) – It is critically important to defend Belarus and its people and to prevent clashes, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he hosted a meeting to discuss the situation at the state border on 16 November, BelTA has learned.
“Today we will discuss the situation at the state border of Belarus. It is clear that keeping the border secure is a priority in the face of the increasing refugee flows to Belarus. Not only border guards are on duty along the borders of the neighboring states, primarily Poland. We are witnessing a military buildup there – up to 20,000 personnel with aircraft and armored vehicles are accumulating over there. All this is done under the guise of protecting the European Union from the invasion of refugees who are coming from the countries that were bombed and plundered by the Western coalition led by the United States.
“I just don't understand (as the media point out) why they need aircraft, helicopters and tanks against the refugees,” the Belarusian leader added.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that he is bewildered by the reaction of Polish politicians and EU officials: “Instead of searching for solutions together with Belarus, the European Union is curtailing cross-border cooperation projects. They threaten us with new packages of sanctions and the construction of a five-meter wall. They are thinking about shutting down the borders with Belarus completely. For God's sake. If they have nothing else to do, we don't mind.”
The head of state recalled that at the meeting with the government earlier he gave instructions to provide the refugees with essential supplies to help them survive.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also highlighted the openness of Belarus in terms of information coverage of the situation at the border. “We are not muzzling the press. Any mass media outlet, Belarusian or foreign one, can send their journalists to report from any point of the state border,” he said.
“The main thing for us now is to protect our country and our people, to prevent clashes. I know that there have already been attempts to deliver weapons to the makeshift migrant camp. There have been provocations that can lead to a violent conflict. We should not allow this to happen in any case. We should make everything possible to make sure this problem does not turn into a hot confrontation,” the Belarusian leader said.
