United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus: February 13, 2023
The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus supports the decision of the Government of the Republic of Poland to close the Bobrowniki-Bierestowica border crossing. This is an adequate response to the lawlessness in Belarus, the growing number of political prisoners and their inhuman treatment in the prisons. We can see from the painful reaction of the illegal regime that this step is taken in the right direction, as it limits the regime’s ability to finance repression.
We call on the governments of Poland, Lithuania and other EU member states, the US, and all states that have declared their commitment to a democratic, sovereign, independent Belarus, to continue to increase pressure on the regime to end the repression and release the political prisoners.
It remains imperative for the Cabinet to target such measures specifically at the Lukashenko regime. It is important that passenger’s border crossings remain open, serving as humanitarian corridors in the face of mass repression in Belarus.
Furthermore, the Cabinet strongly opposes any exclusions from the sanctions regime, including the widely discussed possibility of exclusions for Belarusian potash in the new European Union sanctions package that is being prepared for adoption. This would create new loopholes in the sanctions regime, which would provide the dictatorship with the necessary resources to escalate repression against the Belarusian people and support Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The United Transitional Cabinet advocates the use of all available means of pressure on the Lukashenko regime to release political prisoners. We consider it possible to start any negotiation processes with the Lukashenko regime only after the complete cessation of repression and the release of political prisoners from the humanitarian list as a first step by the regime.
Responsibility for the closure of the border crossings, as well as for any other consequences of the applied sanctions, lies solely with the Lukashenko regime, which continues to illegally hold power, commit mass repression and other crimes against humanity against Belarusians, actions that threaten international peace and security, including hijacking a plane to arrest an opponent, organizing a migration crisis on the borders with the European Union and complicity in the war against Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation.
Ending repressions, releasing all Belarusians illegally convicted for political reasons without exception, ending Belarus' complicity in the war, withdrawing all Russian troops from the territory of Belarus and protecting the sovereignty and independence of our country remain the top priorities of the United Transitional Cabinet.