Lukashenko Arrives at Logistics Centre Near Polish Border Hosting Migrants

BRUZGI CHECKPOINT (Sputnik) - Lukashenko was accompanied by the chairman of the State Border Committee, Gen. Anatoly Lappo, and Grodno Region Governor Vladimir Karanik.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday arrived at a migrant-hosting logistics centre near the Bruzgi checkpoint along the Belarusian-Polish border, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Speaking upon arrival, Lukashenko said that Minsk is ready to do everything for the said migrants "even if it is bad for Poles".

"In one word, there are different people here. But you have one big, common problem: you just got into trouble. I'm sure this is temporary. We, Belarusians, including myself, will do everything as you wish, even if it will be bad for Poles, Latvians, or someone else", Lukashenko said, as quoted by the state-run news agency Belta.

The president also told the migrants that if they want to enter the EU it is their decision and they should go "if they can make it".

Lukashenko additionally mentioned that Polish forces had attempted to violently push some 400 people over the border to Belarus over the past 24 hours, according to Belta.

The Belarusian president also revealed that the country hosts from 2,000 to 3,000 migrants in addition to the people who are currently in the logistics center near the Polish border.

"According to our calculations, on the territory of Belarus, in addition to this 2,000 in the camp, there are about 2-3,000 refugees from your countries. But these are very approximate figures," Lukashenko told migrants at the logistics center.

On Thursday, the Belarusian Red Cross Society announced that migrants on the border with Poland had received over 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

Several thousand migrants have gathered on the border between Belarus and Poland over the past few weeks, hoping to get into the European Union. The Polish authorities have strengthened border security and deployed the military to block the illegal crossing attempts, blaming Minsk for the migration crisis.

Belarus has firmly denied the accusation and claimed that Poland is forcibly expelling migrants to its territory. Minsk is currently providing the stranded migrants with medical assistance, food, clothing, and shelter.