Belarus, citing COVID-19 fears, to close land borders as brain drain bites

MOSCOW: Belarus will close its land borders to its own citizens later this month to try to combat COVID-19, the government said late on Wednesday, a move the country's opposition leader likened to imprisoning the population in a Stalin-era prison camp.

Belarus has been rocked by protests since an Aug. 9 presidential election in which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory. Opponents say the vote was rigged and want him to quit. Police use force to break up any protests.

A government order, published at midnight -- 2100 GMT on Wednesday -- said the new measures, which include a ban on Belarusians travelling unless their trip is related to work or study, would come into force 10 days from the moment of publication.

It did not specify when land borders would reopen.

"He (Lukashenko) didn't care about COVID before. Now repressed Belarusians cannot flee and seek asylum abroad," opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya posted on Twitter.

"The regime is doing its best to turn our country into a modern Gulag - a huge prison, where fear and violence reigns," she wrote separately on Telegram.

Belarus is facing a brain drain, with neighbouring countries from Ukraine to the Baltics wooing people and companies to relocate with fast-track immigration procedures and tax breaks.

Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said this month that Belarus would work to stem the exit of talent, saying authorities wanted to prevent an outflow of young people in particular.

Lukashenko played down the dangers of COVID-19 during the first wave of the virus, asserting that nobody would die from it.

As of Wednesday, the Belarusian health ministry had reported 152,453 infections and 1,230 deaths from the virus.

International lorry drivers and diplomats will be exempt from the new restrictions. Foreign visitors will still be allowed to enter, but will have to quarantine for 10 days.