OSHMYANY DISTRICT, 29 March (BelTA) – The head of the Rhapsody music and choir studio Natalya Barabanshchikova told BelTA what happened to them at the border with Lithuania and how they were treated by the Belarusian side.
“On the one hand, we are very happy, because we have clinched a big victory. We came to Minsk for an amazing event, one of the world’s best international children’s theater competitions Kroki. And we managed to take the Grand Prix leaving behind famous theaters from other countries. We were euphoric. We also had a concert in Brest. On the way back we visited the Brest Fortress," said Natalya Barabanshchikova.
She added that they had to wait at the Polish border for several hours.
“We were waiting in some dark corner for four hours. We did not get any explanations. Four hours later they came and said that we could not leave Belarus through Poland as this was against the law. We didn’t know anything about this law, of course,” she said.
According to Natalya Barabanshchikova, after contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was decided to go to the border with Lithuania.
“We headed to Kamenny Log. We got clearance from the Belarusian customs service very easily: everything was fast and nice. But when we got to the customs place of the other side, and they told us to go to a designated site and kept us there for seven hours. They did not let us go to the toilet, or drink water, nothing. We could not take water from the trunk to give the children something to drink. It was very difficult for the children. They began to cry. When I came out, several people armed with guns rushed towards me. I asked them to let me take the children to the toilet. They told me that they did not understand Russian. I took two more steps, and they cocked the guns, so I turned away. I decided not to argue,” she said.
“Seven hours later they gave us a paper that said that we posed a threat to the national security of Lithuania. Of all the things they could come up with, we expected this one the least. And now they are trying to justify Lithuania’s actions,” said the choir’s supervisor.
Commenting on the reception and actions of the Belarusian side, the woman said: “It was fantastic. We returned to the customs place, the Belarusians hugged the children, helped with everything. It was even better than I could expect.”
“On the one hand, we are very happy, because we have clinched a big victory. We came to Minsk for an amazing event, one of the world’s best international children’s theater competitions Kroki. And we managed to take the Grand Prix leaving behind famous theaters from other countries. We were euphoric. We also had a concert in Brest. On the way back we visited the Brest Fortress," said Natalya Barabanshchikova.
She added that they had to wait at the Polish border for several hours.
“We were waiting in some dark corner for four hours. We did not get any explanations. Four hours later they came and said that we could not leave Belarus through Poland as this was against the law. We didn’t know anything about this law, of course,” she said.
According to Natalya Barabanshchikova, after contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was decided to go to the border with Lithuania.
“We headed to Kamenny Log. We got clearance from the Belarusian customs service very easily: everything was fast and nice. But when we got to the customs place of the other side, and they told us to go to a designated site and kept us there for seven hours. They did not let us go to the toilet, or drink water, nothing. We could not take water from the trunk to give the children something to drink. It was very difficult for the children. They began to cry. When I came out, several people armed with guns rushed towards me. I asked them to let me take the children to the toilet. They told me that they did not understand Russian. I took two more steps, and they cocked the guns, so I turned away. I decided not to argue,” she said.
“Seven hours later they gave us a paper that said that we posed a threat to the national security of Lithuania. Of all the things they could come up with, we expected this one the least. And now they are trying to justify Lithuania’s actions,” said the choir’s supervisor.
Commenting on the reception and actions of the Belarusian side, the woman said: “It was fantastic. We returned to the customs place, the Belarusians hugged the children, helped with everything. It was even better than I could expect.”
