Belarus has warned it reserves the right to take retaliatory measures, including "asymmetrical" ones, following Latvia's closure of a border crossing with the country, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ruslan Varankov has said.
Speaking to reporters, he made it clear that the response would be aimed at protecting the national interests and citizens of the Republic of Belarus, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.
He dismissed Latvia's explanation that the crossing was closed because of a technical malfunction, calling it a pretext, and said motorists waiting at the border had been instructed to turn back.
"It is obvious that this alleged malfunction is merely another link in the chain of the instrumentalisation of the border issue," Varankov noted.
"The fact that the decision to effectively close the crossing was made urgently by the interior minister himself, the leader of one of the country's political parties, leaves no doubt about the pre-election nature of this cynical move," he added.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry further stated that Latvia's "irresponsible" closure of the border checkpoint would harm international trade and described the move as unfriendly.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
