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Belarus entitled to tit-for-tat measures after Poland’s border checkpoint shutdown

According to the press service, Belarus expressed its protest to Poland over the closing of the border checkpoint

MINSK, February 10. /TASS/. Minsk reserves the right to react to Poland’s closure of the Bobrowniki border checkpoint but remains open to constructive dialogue, the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"The Belarusian side reserves the right to take appropriate response measures and is always open to a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue in the interests of the citizens of Belarus and Poland," its statement said.

According to the press service, Belarus expressed its protest to Poland over the closing of the border checkpoint. "Poland’s Charge d'Affaires ad interim in Belarus Martin Wojciechowski was summoned to the Foreign Ministry. He was given a resolute protest over the plans announced by Poland's current leadership to suspend traffic via the Bobrowniki-Berestovitsa checkpoint beginning at 2 p.m. Belarusian time (same as Moscow time) on February 10, 2023," the statement said.

On Thursday, Poland notified Belarus that it was suspending the operation of the Bobrowniki border checkpoint (adjacent to Berestovitsa on the Belarusian side) from 2 p.m. on February 10. Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said that the decision had been made in light of "vital interests of state security." After the shutdown of Bobrowniki, cargo traffic to Poland will only be available via the Kukuryki checkpoint (Kozlovichi) while vehicle traffic will be open through the Terespol (Brest) border crossing. There are six checkpoints on the Polish-Belarusian border with three of them shut down by the Polish side earlier.

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