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Latvia closes border crossing as part of election campaign — Belarusian diplomat

Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ruslan Varankov noted that the drivers who had already reached the border were recommended to turn back

MINSK, August 3. /TASS/. The equipment failure Latvia cited when closing a border crossing with Belarus was nothing but a cover, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ruslan Varankov told reporters.

"References to a technical failure at the border crossing sound unconvincing," he said.

Varankov noted that the drivers who had already reached the border were recommended to turn back.

"The equipment failure allegations clearly mark another attempt to use the border issue as a political tool," the Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "The fact that the decision on the emergency border closure was made by the interior minister, the leader of one of the country’s political forces, leaves no doubt that the cynical move was driven by election considerations," he added.