Migrants: Brussels urges member states to take new sanctions against Minsk

Published on : 08/11/2021 – 22:36

“The instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes is unacceptable”, denounced in a statement the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. On Monday, November 8, she called on member states to approve new sanctions against Belarusian authorities responsible for an influx of migrants at the Polish border.

Besides an extension of the sanctions against Minsk, it indicates that the EU “will examine how to sanction the airlines of third countries” which transport the migrants to Belarus.

New sanctions

“We will not hesitate to adopt sanctions if necessary against the companies and the countries which play the game of the smugglers”, warned in mid-October, the head of the diplomacy of the EU, Josep Borrell.

“The migrants are provided with visas, plane tickets and a device is ready to transport them to Minsk from where they are routed to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland”, had- he explains. “The road to Iraq was closed this summer, but other roads have been opened,” said Josep Borrell.

The Vice-President of the Commission, Margaritis Schinas, will visit “in the coming days to the main countries of origin and transit to ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities, “the statement said.

The EU accuses Alexander Lukashenko, who denies it, of orchestrating a wave of migrants and refugees, mainly from the Middle East, in retaliation for the sanctions imposed by Brussels following a brutal crackdown by his regime against the ‘opposition.

“Stronger economic sanctions”

Warsaw was worried Monday about an escalation “of an armed nature” on its border with Belarus, the eastern limit of the European Union where thousands of migrants are massed, NATO denouncing an “unacceptable” tactic from Minsk.

To stop the illegal crossings of migrants from Belarus, the EU is preparing “stronger economic sanctions” against Minsk. The first economic sanctions adopted at the end of June hit the key sectors of potash, oil and tobacco.

Individual EU sanctions against Belarusian regime officials currently target 166 people, including President Lukashenko and two of his sons. The adoption of sanctions requires the unanimity of the Twenty-Seven.

With AFP