28 March 2024, Thursday, 11:27
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‘Poland Hurts Lukashenka Regime’s Shady Business’

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‘Poland Hurts Lukashenka Regime’s Shady Business’
Andrei Sharenda

Closed border crossings indicate the need to act tough.

Poland closes the border for trucks registered in Russia or Belarus. The decision provides that Poland will not allow trucks, road tractors, trailers and semi-trailers registered in Belarus or Russia to pass through Belarus to its territory "until further notice".

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland developed this regulation along with sanctions against 365 Belarusian officials in response to the imprisonment of Andrzej Poczobut, the activist of the Polish minority in Belarus and the Co-Chairman of the Union of Poles in Belarus.

Does it really hurt the regime? Charter97.org spoke with an activist of the European Belarus Civil Campaign Andrei Sharenda, a native of Brest.

– This seriously hurts the Lukashenka regime. The regime’s wallets use the goods traffic with Poland to smuggle goods. It's no secret that the regime and its close businessmen make most of their income on illegal cigarette shipments in Poland. Thus, not only ordinary goods traffic exists there. This is a blow to the shady business.

As a relative of a political prisoner, I know that they are transporting goods that are directly manufactured by Belarusian political prisoners. More than once goods made in Belarusian prisons were noticed in IKEA stores in Poland. This is a clear proof that the European Union is still favouring the regime.

Closed border crossings indicate the need to act tough to stop any attempts by the Belarusian authorities to make money in the European Union.

– How will the decision of Poland affect the border city of Brest?

– You have to understand that only those close to Lukashenka's body could afford to trade with the EU. Only the few. That won’t affect ordinary business so much.

Recently, truck drivers have been forced to stand in lines for several days, many have lost the desire to go to the EU. Their bosses, of course, insisted that someone should do it, the drivers did it but reluctantly. That puts an end, someone will even take this decision with relief.

After all, Brest also suffered from these queues, which prevented people from passing through. I think that Brest residents will gladly accept this fact, because the many-kilometre line will disappear.

– Poland uses this pressure tactic to release the leader of the Union of Poles in Belarus, Andrzej Poczobut. As the husband of a political prisoner, do you support such measures, can they release the prisoners sentenced by the regime?

– This pressure tactic is the only correct option for the release of political prisoners. The tough position of all countries can free the prisoners of the regime. This is possible only when the Lukashenka regime leaves and there is no trace left of it.

Poland's position on the release of Andrzej Poczobut should become an example of how to fight for our citizens and compatriots. True, Andrzej Poczobut have a Belarusian passport, but he is an active member of the Union of Poles and he is an ethnic Pole.

I would like to take this opportunity to call on the Polish authorities (I know that they read the Charter97.org website) to demand not only the release of Andrzej Poczobut, but also all the political prisoners. I’m asking Poland to stand its ground to the end and to demand the complete release of all prisoners of the regime.

– The Polish General Waldemar Skrzypchak says that there will be an uprising in Belarus and that it is necessary to prepare for it, as well as support it. Do you think Lukashenka is afraid of it?

– What is happening in the power structures of Belarus shows that Lukashenka is afraid of this scenario. They’ve trained the special operations forces to counter any sabotage groups. They are training to fight not with an external enemy, but with an internal one. Most of all, the power structures are afraid of an uprising within the country, as well as that it will be supported from outside. All special services are seriously considering that the Kalinouski Regiment and other volunteers may enter the territory of Belarus. This is the real way for us to get freedom.

I know firsthand that many Belarusians in the country are watching our volunteers in Ukraine and pinning their hopes on the fact that they will help our common revolution and enter Belarus at the H-hour. I think that the Belarusian people take the NATO peacekeeping forces or direct military intervention as liberation. The majority in our country are against the regime and are waiting for any opportunity to get rid of it.

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