Poland to reopen two border crossings with Belarus on November 17

Poland announced that it will reopen two border crossings with Belarus on November 17, after closing them in September in response to Russia-led military exercises in the neighbouring country and 21 Russian drones entering Polish airspace.

Earlier, on October 30, Warsaw had indicated that it might delay the reopening until at least mid-November, as a gesture of solidarity with NATO ally Lithuania amid heightened regional security concerns. Lithuania had closed its land border with Belarus in late October due to airspace disruptions caused by smuggling balloons and said it would maintain the closure until the end of November.

According to a draft decision issued by Poland’s interior ministry on Thursday evening, the Bobrowniki crossing will reopen for passenger cars and trucks registered in the European Union, EFTA countries, and Switzerland, while the Kuznica Bialostocka crossing will reopen only for passenger cars.

The ministry said the move is intended to resume the flow of people and goods, responding to the needs of a large group of entrepreneurs, carriers, and individuals commuting from Belarus to Poland for work.

Poland’s relations with Belarus, already strained, have deteriorated further since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

By Tamilla Hasanova