Expert on violence on Belarus’ western borders: Polish and Lithuanian border guards are infected with ideas of chauvinism
The Investigative Committee of Belarus has reported on new facts in the list of crimes against humanity. The department is currently investigating three criminal cases against officials from Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, which were initiated due to acts of cruelty at the border. In the case against Polish officials, almost 170 citizens of foreign countries who were in transit through Belarus to the EU countries have been recognised as victims. In his talk with Alfa Radio, a deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, Director General of the National Library Vadim Gigin, commented on the investigation.
The expert noted that the investigation of these crimes is aimed at ensuring that nothing of the kind would ever repeat in the future, “Therefore, all officials and employees of the law enforcement agencies of these countries should understand what this means for them.”
Mr. Gigin stressed that the investigation should have an international coverage, “After all, our people require this. Let be honest: this is also an assessment of the trends that we are observing in the neighbouring countries. For example, the Kiev regime can be assessed as typically fascist, no matter what they say in the West. In turn, the process of fascisation is developing in Poland and the Baltic States, which – as a rule – is progressing at an accelerated pace precisely within law enforcement agencies. It is no secret that Polish and Lithuanian border guards are infected with chauvinistic ideas. There is Islamophobia and anti-Belarusian sentiments there, which create a full conglomerate of the hell known as ultranationalism. Accordingly, assessments of these processes are needed. It is necessary to voice that this is not just an excess of the performer, but the result of the systemic policy that the ruling regimes in these countries have been pursuing for many years.”
The MP also commented on the situation at the checkpoints, where about 3,000 trucks queue for several days to cross the border with the European Union, “On the part of Poland, this is a tactic of the authorities: border guards deliberately slow down border procedures in order to create queues. Now they are talking about closing border crossings. What is this being done for? Firstly, this step aims to create tension at the border. When queues of trucks stretch for several kilometres, tension embraces not only drivers, but also tourists who cross the border, as well as residents of border areas. This is a very serious moral element of pressure. Secondly, they hope that this will help them negatively affect China's transcontinental trade, and this country will put pressure on us as a result. This is not happening, but tactics are still not changing.”
