Poland’s Diplomats Not Admitted To Russia From Belarus

The diplomats from Poland were denied entry to the territory of Smolensk region from Belarus.

The reason for the denial was absence of the borderline control points for the admission of the citizens of the third countries to the Russian Federation in the place of their crossing the border.

TASS has learnt this from the Borderline Administration of the Federal Security Service in the region.

The Polish citizens were going in two automobiles with the diplomatic numbers. They were stopped at the Belarusian-Russian border at the Moscow-Minsk highway.

"As there are no borderline control points for the admission of the citizens of the third countries to the Russian Federation, the diplomats were denied entry and recommended to cross the border in the neighbouring regions,” — representative of the Russian Borderline Administration Alexander Laznenko has clarified to TASS.

According to him, there are no border-crossing points at the Belarusian-Russian border, but the border patrol unit remains on duty on the highway at the entry to the Russian Federation on a constant basis. In the recent days, the official says, several similar occasions have been recorded.

Diplomats from other countries also tried to enter Russia through the border with Belarus. However, all foreigners were denied entry in the Smolensk region.

The issue of crossing the border in this place by the nationals of different countries, including Poland, has been actively discussed since September last year. Then the Polish Embassy in Moscow even sent a note to Russia. It said that the Russian border guards did not let the Polish citizens cross the Belarusian-Russian border.

The note was sent after the entry was denied to an employee of the Polish embassy. The border guard said that Russia and Belarus agreed to harmonize the regime of entry, exit and stay at the territory of the "union state" for the third-country nationals back in 1995. However, this issue remains unsolved.

The only place where foreigners can cross the border of Russia and Belarus, is located in the Bryansk region at the border with Ukraine, so it has an international status. It is also possible to pass through the checkpoint "Burachki" at the border between Latvia and Russia.