Poland plans to resume the operation of two border crossings on the border with Belarus starting Monday. Meanwhile, the State Customs Committee of Belarus reported to the BELTA agency that by the end of yesterday, all Lithuanian trucks remaining at the approaches to the Kamenny Log and Benyakoni crossings had been placed in specially prepared parking lots, lrt.lt writes.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration of Poland has prepared a project to open two closed border crossings on the border with Belarus on Monday, November 17, Nashaniva.com reports.
The openings of the Kuznica and Bobrowniki crossings were previously postponed at Lithuania's request. However, there will be restrictions in place when they open.
As Wiesław Szczepański told Polish Radio, the border crossings at Kuznica and Bobrowniki will be opened on Monday. "The main reasons are economic impact. We are observing an increase in traffic at the border, and on the other hand, fewer attempts of aggressive actions and attacks by migrants. Additionally, the border is now thoroughly fortified — both around the perimeter and physically," he said.
Warsaw had previously stated its readiness to open the Kuznica crossing, which has been closed since November 9, 2021, and the Bobrowniki crossing, which has been closed since February 10, 2023, but after Lithuania's decision to close the border with Belarus, Poland decided to postpone these plans.
Interior Minister Marcin Kerwiński will later provide more details on the reasons for the decision to open the border, Szczepański noted.
The explanatory note to the government project states that its goals include, in particular, "resuming the movement of people and goods," aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs and carriers on both sides of the border.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk previously referred to this opening as "test," emphasizing that the border with Belarus is currently one of the safest in Europe and that it can be closed again if a threat arises.
Passenger cars and buses will be allowed to pass through the Bobrowniki crossing. Freight vehicles will only be allowed to pass if they are registered in EU countries, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states that are parties to the European Economic Area agreement, or in Switzerland.
The Kuznica crossing is planned to be opened only for passenger cars.
All trucks moved to parking lots
In turn, "BELTA" noted that a total of 1,243 Lithuanian trucks have been placed in specially guarded customs parking lots: 454 in Berestovica, 193 in Benyakoni, 379 in Kotlovka, 154 in Kamenny Log, and 63 in Smorgon.
The Customs Committee added that drivers are not required to remain in their vehicles.
LRT.lt reminds that, according to Belarusian media, more than 220 Lithuanian trucks, of which 140 were parked on the roads near the border crossings, were threatened with maximum administrative sanctions for drivers who failed to comply with the order to arrive at the specified locations.
