Alexander Lukashenko

[Khandro]

Is this dictatorial tyrant taking on more than he thinks? My advice to him would be, don't eff with the Poles, dość znaczy dość (it means 'enough is enough')

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1519092/eu-news-Poland-border-Belarus-war-armed-escalation-update

[Peter Pedant]

nothing to do with us guv

[Hopkirk]

It will be to do with us. When they get through, they will head for Calais and the channel.

Behind Lukashenko is a giggling Putin. Between this and the gas situation, he's having a great time.

[Khandro]

PP //nothing to do with us guv//
Really? Too true Hopkirk;

[ichkeria]

Poland thinks Putin is beind this and it is almost certainly right, as he was probably at least offering assistance with the Ryanair hijacking and the brutal putting down of the protests. The two men despise each other but they have other goals that draw them together. It isn't only Poland of course which is affected but possibly Putin/Lukashenko think they can cause more grief there: possibly provoke an ovferreaction. Or it may be nothing more than simple revenge: dumping your rubbish in your neighbours' gardens as he would doubtless see it. The Polish government has a big dilemma now. At the start, most people supported the clampdown on the refugees, but as time as gone by and people see what is really happening there is a growing call for a relaxation on the closed border policy with many Poles bringing supplies to the refugees. Do they continue to keep the refugees at bay or risk, albeit unfairly, being accused of being inhumane.
These people were given visas for Belarus and allowed to fly to Minsk. This has been happening since June. They even get bussed to the border by the local authorities. It's wicked and cynical but it's not clear what can be done about it.

[youngmafbog]

//but it's not clear what can be done about it.//

As inhumane as it sounds they have to stand up to them. Feed them over the border maybe but they must stay off Polish soil.

Letting them in will open the floodgates and you can bet your bottom dollar Putin will rise to the challenge of shipping in 100' thousands if he needs to.

[ichkeria]

Where’s the CIA with their exploding cigars when you need them :-)

[ichkeria]

There’s some lateral thinking required.
Why not pretend to see Belarus’s “desperate refugee situation” and offer them assistance to resettle them there.
A few might be looking for flights back to Iraq pretty soon :-)

[Khandro]

For the first time, at least one in the EU administration is beginning to speak up & see the light:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1519168/eu-news-live-Belarus-border-Charles-michel-emergency-talks-ursula-von-der-leyen-updates

[Khandro]

Perhaps Michel & a few others are realising that the Poles have another option, that is to let them in & guide them on to the German border, with no proper acting government running Germany, just Billy Bunter Merkel technically in charge, she who 'hates borders'.

This may be a defining moment for the EU & the European continent in general.