Polish ex-judge Tomasz Szmydt, who left his country and asked the Belarusian authorities for protection, gave his take on the ban on Belarus-registered passenger cars to enter Lithuania and Latvia and Belarus’ decision to waive visas for citizens from 35 European countries entering Belarus by land.
Today Lithuania closed the border for cars with Belarusian plates. Latvia made a similar decision on 16 July. These governments seek to complicate the free movement of ordinary Belarusians at any cost, This is done in order to further aggravate negative sentiments in Lithuania and Latvia towards Belarusians. As it always happens in such cases, mass media are mobilized to cultivate a false image of Belarus.
What about Poland? The authorities in Warsaw have been busy making entry to Belarus as difficult as possible. As Poles inform me, it takes from 14 to 20 hours to cross the border through the fault of the Polish side. Cars are kept at the border but no action is taken. The main goal is to discourage people from traveling to Belarus.
What is the purpose of these actions? I would like to note that now we are talking only about private cars and buses, carrying passengers, including tourists from Poland.
On the one hand, the Polish government does not want its citizens to see a friendly and well-functioning country. What if they demand the same back home, in Poland. On the other hand, the Polish government seeks to pit the Polish society against Belarusians in order to perpetuate the false and destructive image of Belarus created by the Polish media.
How does Belarus respond to these actions? President Aleksandr Lukashenko upheld a visa waiver for citizens of 35 European countries entering Belarus by land.
Lukashenko is well aware of the intentions of the governments of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia and shows that the people of Belarus can be proud of their homeland. The head of state also emphasizes that Belarus is an open and friendly country. He knows that the governments of these three countries have failed to arouse hostility in ordinary citizens towards Belarusians. After all, peoples, especially neighboring ones, should live in friendship, cooperate, get to know each other and visit each other.
I recommend all Polish citizens to come to Belarus. Despite the obstacles that the Polish government is creating for travelers, come and see with your own eyes what Belarus is like and how people live here. For my part, I can assure you that you will not regret it. Beautiful nature, monuments, culture and, above all, very friendly people.
Today Lithuania closed the border for cars with Belarusian plates. Latvia made a similar decision on 16 July. These governments seek to complicate the free movement of ordinary Belarusians at any cost, This is done in order to further aggravate negative sentiments in Lithuania and Latvia towards Belarusians. As it always happens in such cases, mass media are mobilized to cultivate a false image of Belarus.
What about Poland? The authorities in Warsaw have been busy making entry to Belarus as difficult as possible. As Poles inform me, it takes from 14 to 20 hours to cross the border through the fault of the Polish side. Cars are kept at the border but no action is taken. The main goal is to discourage people from traveling to Belarus.
What is the purpose of these actions? I would like to note that now we are talking only about private cars and buses, carrying passengers, including tourists from Poland.
On the one hand, the Polish government does not want its citizens to see a friendly and well-functioning country. What if they demand the same back home, in Poland. On the other hand, the Polish government seeks to pit the Polish society against Belarusians in order to perpetuate the false and destructive image of Belarus created by the Polish media.
How does Belarus respond to these actions? President Aleksandr Lukashenko upheld a visa waiver for citizens of 35 European countries entering Belarus by land.
Lukashenko is well aware of the intentions of the governments of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia and shows that the people of Belarus can be proud of their homeland. The head of state also emphasizes that Belarus is an open and friendly country. He knows that the governments of these three countries have failed to arouse hostility in ordinary citizens towards Belarusians. After all, peoples, especially neighboring ones, should live in friendship, cooperate, get to know each other and visit each other.
I recommend all Polish citizens to come to Belarus. Despite the obstacles that the Polish government is creating for travelers, come and see with your own eyes what Belarus is like and how people live here. For my part, I can assure you that you will not regret it. Beautiful nature, monuments, culture and, above all, very friendly people.
Follow us on:
