Residents Of Belarusian Village Not Allowed To Go Out To Yard Without Border Guards’ Permission

Residents of Lyntupy, located on the Lithuanian border, have become hostages of the extended border zone.

According to the new decree, locals are no longer allowed to go into the forest from their households. Now they have to report their movements to the border guards an hour in advance. To visit the forest, which is almost everywhere around there, one should buy a pass for Br10, Belsat reports.

The settlement of Lyntupy is located almost on the border with Lithuania. According to Decree 168/3, which entered into force on January 9 this year, the territory of the border zone has significantly increased. Lyntupy and other settlements are not part of the borderland. However, when a one leaves the village, one gets in the border zone. The consequences can be severe – a fine of 6,375 rubles.

"Almost every inhabitant of the borderland has repeatedly violated the rules of the borderland without wishing to do so or even knowing it," – Ihar Pastukhou, a coordinator of the Green Watch movement, says.

At the meeting at the Lyntupy club, representatives of the border committee tried to explain the new rules of life to local residents. Some of the answers did not satisfy them.

"We'll have to make a pass, walk around the house. German fascist invaders did not create such regulations, and here our own authorities do this!" – Aliaksandr Harbul, a Lyntupy resident, is outraged.

Lyntupy residents believe the new rules will make their lives harder. Representatives of the border committee have a different opinion:

"The law, on the contrary, simplified the procedure for staying in the border zone."