"It's not just because we like the Poles, Lithuanians, and Latvians": Lukashenko Explains the Benefits of Belarus’s Unilateral Visa-Free Regime for the EU
During a working visit to the Minsk Region, Belarusian President Lukashenko explained the rationale behind Belarus’s continued extension of its visa-free policy for EU citizens. He emphasized that this policy is not driven solely by goodwill toward neighboring countries, but rather by pure economic considerations. Residents from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and other EU nations traveling to Belarus to purchase goods generate foreign exchange earnings for Belarus while eliminating the logistics costs associated with exporting goods abroad.
"Why do I open our borders to Europeans? It's not just because we like the Poles, Lithuanians, and Latvians. We hold them in goodwill—they are not outsiders, but neighbors bestowed upon us by heaven. They come here to buy what they need… We don’t have to ship goods to them for sale. Customers come to us, and we need to sell our products. That’s it—just to sustain livelihoods and earn foreign currency."
Belarus unilaterally introduced visa-free access for residents of Lithuania and Latvia in 2022, expanded it to Poland the following year, and further extended it to an additional 35 European countries in 2024. The policy has been repeatedly extended, with the latest extension valid until the end of 2026.
Lukashenko also pointed out that global climate change, particularly extreme heatwaves in Europe, has created new opportunities for Belarus. Demand for domestic agricultural products continues to rise, and food prices are steadily increasing.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872928214080648/
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