Highlight the weight of the EU

Journalist Roman Protasevich, persecuted by Aleksandr Lukashenk's regime, in Minsk in April 2017.STRINGER / Reuters

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• The EU studies sanctions against Belarus for the "hijacking" of a flight to arrest a journalist

The Belarusian authorities, with the excuse of an alleged security threat, intercepted in their airspace on Sunday a commercial flight of a European company (Ryanair) that covered the route between two European capitals in the Schengen area (Athens and Vilnius). The plane had to land in Minsk, where the authoritarian regime of Aleksandr Lukashenko detained the Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich, persecuted for being considered an instigator of the popular uprisings that last year were about to cost him his position as the last dictator in Europe. . It is an intolerable action, a true act of state piracy that will have to have an adequate response from the West. The EU has taken a first step this Monday, promoting a series of sanctions.The European Council has asked the Commission to study economic measures against Belarus and decided to veto European airspace from companies from that country. A final judgment on the European response may be issued when economic retaliation takes place. In a broader perspective, a global response cannot be expected, since Lukashenko is protected by Russia, but a Western reaction that as a whole discourages similar behavior in the future.but there is a Western reaction that as a whole discourages similar behaviors in the future.but there is a Western reaction that as a whole discourages similar behaviors in the future.

The EU is at the forefront of this dark episode, which once again shows the turbulence that the bloc faces in relations with its neighbors, apparently increasingly willing to push forward of a different nature. Russia has stood out for years with a great accumulation of unscrupulous actions, from invasions and illegal annexations of territories, poisonings, cyberattacks or destabilizing propaganda; Morocco has just used thousands of civilians to give a pulse to Spain (and, ultimately, to the borders of the EU); Turkey has on several occasions maintained challenging attitudes on strategic issues in Mediterranean waters or with protocol rudeness on official visits.

By its nature, the EU often finds it difficult to respond to these asymmetric challenges with the necessary speed and firmness. The search for a consensus between partners usually slows down the answers, sometimes prevents them, or dilutes them in a soft lowest common denominator. Overcoming this discouraging state of affairs will not be easy. But do not succumb to catastrophism.

First of all, it must be remembered that not only is the EU an economic and regulatory titan on a global scale, but, despite the well-known difficulties, it has already demonstrated considerable projection capacity in terms of tough geopolitics. Sanctions against Russia following the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 have dealt a significant blow to Moscow. They were implanted then, and there they continue, in a remarkable show of unity. On the other hand, Morocco has immediately backed down from its challenge in Ceuta, no doubt encouraged to do so also by the unison reaction of the European authorities. It is not by chance that his Foreign Minister hastened to try to clarify that the pulse was directed only at Spain.

The Belarusian case is just one more piece of evidence on a long journey. The EU will have to hone the art of fast and firm response. To do this, the possibilities of acting without unanimity will have to be further explored, skirting the recalcitrant. Both in terms of political declarations, as has already begun to be done, and in actions, with the margin offered by the Treaty. With neighbors like Putin, Lukashenko or Erdogan, it is especially important to have an agile and vigorous reaction capacity.