Minsk 14:25

Poland, Belarus reopen two border checkpoints for traffic

The first car crosses the border at the Bierastavica checkpoint
(CCTV camera footage, still by Pozirk)

November 17, Pozirk. Poland and Belarus reopened Kuźnica Białostocka–Bruzhi and Bobrowniki–Bierastavica checkpoints for traffic at 2 a.m. (Minsk time) on November 17.

More than 100 trucks and passenger vehicles and three buses registered in the electronic queue to cross the border at these checkpoints, according to the Belarusian State Border Committee.

Meanwhile, Lithuania shut its last two operating border crossings on October 28 in an effort to pressure Minsk to curb cigarette smuggling carried out with helium weather balloons. The move prompted Warsaw to postpone the reopening of two Polish–Belarusian checkpoints originally scheduled for November 1.

On October 29, the Lithuanian government decided to keep the border with Belarus closed until November 30 following repeated airspace violations, warning that the closure could be extended.

Poland reports no irregular border attempts for the first time in eight months

November 17, Pozirk. November 14 was the only day since March 4 that Poland has not reported a single irregular border crossing attempt from Belarus, according to data from the country’s border service. Poland was the primary target of irregular migration via …
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