Poland on Monday reopened two border crossings with Belarus, which had been closed due to ongoing tensions with its neighbour’s Moscow-allied government, Polish and Belarusian border authorities said.
“Two crossings have been opened” at Kuznica Bialostocka and Bobrowniki, Andrzej Juzwiak, border police spokesperson, told AFP.
“The government is responding to the expectations of residents and entrepreneurs (in the region), including transporters,” who all suffered economic consequences from the closure of the border crossings, the Polish interior ministry stated in a press release.
The crossings had been closed for several years due to an ongoing migration crisis and tensions with the Belarusian government, a close Russia ally.
But the Polish government said reopening was now possible as its eastern border, along with the EU’s border, has been “secured like never before”.
The Bobrowniki checkpoint’s capacity is 900 passenger cars and 500 trucks per day in one direction, while Kuznica Bialostocka can accommodate 1,600 passenger cars and 580 trucks daily, according to the customs authorities in Belarus.
Now, truck drivers can cross the Polish-Belarusian border at three locations: Kuznica Bialostocka, Bobrowniki and Terespol, which Poland had temporarily closed following Russian-Belarusian military exercises held in September near its territory, Juzwiak added.
Belarusian customs authorities added that the crossings have also been modernised, featuring an increase in the number of lanes, separate bus lanes and new equipment for the electronic monitoring system.
In September, 21 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, further deteriorating Warsaw’s relations with Moscow and its ally Minsk – already strained due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Neighbouring Lithuania, which recently closed its last two border crossings with Belarus due to intrusions of balloons used for smuggling, plans to wait until 30 November to reopen them. This measure led to many trucks being stuck on the Belarusian side of the border.
Poland had delayed the opening of its border crossings “out of solidarity” with Lithuania.
The Polish government assured that it is monitoring security at the two checkpoints.”If it deems there are associated risks [with their reopening], it will consider closing them again,” according to the Polish ministry’s press release.
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