Łukašenka lashes out at Polish politicians on Poland’s Independence Day

November 11, BPN. Alaksandr Łukašenka has send a message of greetings to the Polish people on Independence Day, in which he severely criticizes Polish politicians.

“Unfortunately, ordinary people of your country have to pay for the gross mistakes of odious Polish politicians today,” he said, as quoted by his press office. He urges the Poles to “make the right choice” in the next elections.

“Artificially created false images of enemies in Belarus and Russia have worsened the living standards of all Europeans, undermined confidence in international relations and made millions of people suffer,” the message says.

Belarus wants to “build bridges of friendship, but not border walls with barbed wire,” it says.

The message emphasizes the importance of Belarus’ visa waiver for Polish nationals in effect since July 2022, but does not mention the illegal migration crisis, which forced Poland to build the border wall and beef up its border security.

The message comes at one of the lowest points in relations between Belarus and Poland.

Warsaw was criticized Minsk for alleged human rights abuses, including the imprisonment of Polish minority activists, its role in orchestrating the migrant crisis and involvement in Russia’s assault on Ukraine, as well as the destruction of at least 13 Polish memorial sites.

Belarusian officials have accused Warsaw of toying with plans to invade Belarus to annex its western regions.