Inadequate decision - People waiting in long queues at border, and businesses suffering losses

The Polish authorities abruptly closed the border with Belarus, disregarding the plans and interests of both commerce and ordinary citizens. Those accustomed to crossing via the "Warsaw Bridge" are now seeking alternatives, but options are limited. One such alternative is the Belarus-Lithuania border. Over the weekend, the queue of vehicles stretched around 120 cars, including foreign-registered vehicles.

During the weekend, approximately 40% of the usual number of vehicles crossed into Lithuania, according to the Belarusian State Border Committee. They note that the situation remains under control, with no significant congestion. This is evident at the "Kamenyy Log" checkpoint as well, where the waiting area still has vacant spots. Most vehicles bear foreign plates, though some Belarusian ones are also present. Drivers are patiently waiting their turn to cross into the neighboring country.

The decision by Polish authorities to close the border has forced many to alter their routes, opting not for the "Brest" crossing but instead turning toward the Belarus-Lithuania border. Regarding the queue on the Lithuanian side, there are roughly 100 cars, a number that has remained steady throughout the day—similar to the weekend, with only slight fluctuations. As the weekend ended, the number of those wishing to cross decreased.

"This is an utterly inadequate decision. All of Eastern Poland is outraged and protesting. The Poles are extremely dissatisfied. Since the closure of the crossings in Grodno, the discontent has only grown. Those living in Eastern Poland are deeply disappointed—losing money, losing business," shared one of the drivers in line.

Despite these tensions, the overall mood remains relatively calm. Many drivers are waiting patiently, hopeful that on September 17th, the Polish side may reopen the borders after the conclusion of the "West" military exercises.

Sergey Matveev, Head of the "Kamenyy Log" Customs Post, commented: **"It should be noted that over the past 24 hours, the 'Medininkai' border crossing, adjacent to our 'Kamenyy Log' post, processed only 17% of the standard quota of freight vehicles. Currently, about 400 trucks are queued to enter the European Union. A similar situation exists at the other border checkpoints on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border—Benyakoni and Shalchininkai. We can only advise our colleagues on the neighboring side to prepare accordingly and take all necessary measures to ensure a smooth crossing for all citizens, and to facilitate the steady flow of cargo."

Over the past three years, around 1.2 million Europeans have visited Belarus. This figure eloquently indicates that Europeans are eager to visit, yet many are dissatisfied with the policies of their own governments. Notably, the majority of foreign visitors are our neighbors—residents of Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.

According to Belarusian State Border Committee data, freight trucks from neighboring countries continue to face slow and reluctant processing. Currently, over 900 trucks are waiting to exit into the European Union, approaching the thousand mark.

The most challenging situation is at the Latvian border crossing of "Grigorovshchina," where over the weekend, the number of trucks increased 3.5 times. The Belarusian side is doing everything possible to make the process as smooth as possible for drivers and ordinary citizens, ensuring the swift and efficient processing of freight.