The victims of the Belarus border crisis were obvious. For Poland's government, it was a useful distraction

It was clear who the losers were in the dispute between Poland and Belarus. The thousands of migrants who became stranded on the border in freezing conditions had their dreams of a new future in Europe dashed, and some are now being repatriated to their home countries. But for Poland's government, the crisis helped to divert attention from a series of uncomfortable issues.