Making it in Minsk

There are not many things that spring to mind when we Poles think about Belarus, but those that do are usually not so pleasant: poverty, dictatorship, bribes and queues at the border. However, if you do actually make the trip to western Belarus, you can see that things are rather different to all the stereotypes. And it is now quite easy to go to Belarus. The strict approach to visas that was in place has been gradually loosened for years and a true revolution took place on January 9th this year – the president of Belarus signed an order enabling the citizens of 80 countries to enter the country without visas. The list includes 39 European countries and all EU member states, as well as the US and Japan. But there are two conditions: the visit can be no longer than five days, and the entry and exit must take place via Minsk Airport. This is enough for a business reconnaissance trip or a weekend break. However, one thing does need to be said: this is not a country that’s goin