Poland closed the last checkpoint on the border for trucks from Belarus
Poland decided to ban Belarusian trucks from passing through the Kukuriki-Kozlovichi checkpoint, which remained the last for trucks, on the border with the Republic of Belarus. In this way, the Polish authorities responded to similar measures taken by Belarus against Polish carriers.
"In connection with the restrictions introduced by the Belarusian authorities for Polish carriers regarding the possibility of crossing the border at the Belarusian-Lithuanian and Belarusian-Latvian border crossings, Minister Mariusz Kaminsky decided to limit the movement of Belarusian freight transport at the Kukuriki-Kozlovichi checkpoint. The restriction does not apply for passenger transportation at the border crossing in Terespol," the department said in a statement.
The suspension of traffic will be effective from February 21, 2023 at 19:00 until the Belarusian authorities lift the restrictions on Polish carriers.
Let's recall the chronology of events: on February 8, in Belarus, Andrzej Pochobut, a journalist and a representative of the Polish minority, who criticized the Belarusian authorities, was sentenced to eight years in a prison under a strict regime, human rights defenders recognized him as a political prisoner. Already on February 9, the head of the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mariusz Kaminski, announced that Poland would stop the operation of the Bobrovnyki checkpoint - one of the largest checkpoints on the Polish-Belarusian border.
After that, on February 10, official Minsk declares a "protest", but the work of the "Bobrivnyki" checkpoint stops, and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warns that soon Poland may close all the remaining checkpoints on the border with the Republic of Belarus.
On February 16, Lukash commented on the closing of "Bobrovniki".nko: calling Poland's decision an "economic provocation" and promising "adequate" measures in response. On February 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus announced the expulsion of Polish diplomats from the republic and the restriction of entry into the territory of Belarus for trucks and tractors registered in Poland - now their entry can be carried out only through the Belarusian-Polish section of the Belarusian border.
On February 18, the head of the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mariusz Kaminski, promises Belarus a symmetrical response. On February 20, the Ministry of the Interior of Poland announced that from February 21, the movement of Belarusian trucks through the Kozlovichi border crossing, which remained for trucks from Belarus the last checkpoint operating on the border with Poland, would be restricted from February 21.
At the same time, it is noted that the restrictions will not apply to transport registered in Poland, the countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Switzerland.