Dictator blackmails EU with smuggling and illegal migration

The Belarusian authorities threaten to open borders for criminal  in response to the EU sanctions.

As BelaPAN news agency has learned from a source in the State Border Committee, the Belarusian border agency starts controlling state borders (smuggling, illegal migration and so on) on a principle implemented by the neighbouring countries taking into consideration the current situation and basing on own capabilities.

Priority will be given to securing control over entry to Belarus unlike earlier times, when efforts to control exit from and entry to the country were equal.

A part of personnel and resources of the border guard agencies is reported to be moved to the Ukrainian border from the western and north-western parts of the border for strengthening border control with the aim of preventing smuggling and in view of Euro 2012 football championship.

“It's dangerous to politicize such things as the border, but we have been forced to it. Any sanctions affect the border first of all. We used to do a great work for our western colleagues, who could afford to go on strike. It was not rare when they just received information from us that we had not allowed someone to cross the border or prevented trafficking of something across the border. They got into a trap due to sanctions. We will have to review the issues of border control taking into account our real capabilities and start working in the way they work giving priority to entry to the country. Of course, the border guard agencies will provide the own interests regarding the exit from the country,” the source from Belarusian the border guard agency said.

The source stressed the neighbouring countries created the conditions and possibilities making smuggling from Belarus (for example carriage of fuel and tobacco products) attractive.

He also turned attention to technical aspects of guarding the Polish part of the border. The Soviet-built control system there has become out of date and needs to be changed by a modern one, the source notes. The system requires 3 bn rubles per year. According to the representative of the border guard agency, Poland is satisfied with the echelon system having a “light” guarding system on the Polish side of the border.