Warsaw Finds Soft Spot Of Lukashenka's Regime

China will not be happy.

Warsaw has discovered the Achilles' heel of Lukashenka's regime - this is how independent Belarusian media commented on blocking railway transit from Belarus to Western Europe last week. RMF24 reported that no trains left the major customs terminal in Małaszewicze, Lublin region, for 33 hours last week.

Economists point out that this particular blockade has twofold consequences. In their opinion, the immediate effects are a threat to the Belarusian budget revenues from railway transit.

These effects may not affect the regime officials much, since, as the experts have calculated, such a blockade could cause budget losses at the level of half a per cent of GDP.

Much more painful may be the indirect effects, i.e. infringement of China's trade interests. According to commentators, Minsk is looking for an ally in Beijing, which could balance its dependence on Moscow.

The economic issues are an important indicator of co-operation for China. Without the transit of Chinese goods, Belarus could say goodbye to Chinese investments and loans.

Last week's blockade of railway traffic at the large customs terminal at Małaszewicze on the Belarus border lasted 33 hours, the paper's reporter said.

It was a demonstration of capability and a clear signal to the Lukashenka regime that Polish authorities can legally block railway transit from the east to the European Union, a diplomat unofficially told reporter Krzysztof Zasada.

Officially, customs officials said routine control actions were carried out to protect the EU customs zone from importing dangerous goods or substances.

The contents of containers entering Poland via Belarus - largely from China - were thoroughly checked.

Warsaw gave the dictator a clear signal - a transit blockade is possible. Earlier, Poland conveyed a message through diplomatic channels that it demands from the Belarusian authorities to extradite the murderer of the Polish soldier, to stop the migration pressure on the border, as well as to release political prisoners, including Andrzej Poczobut.

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