Four Eastern European Union countries urged on Monday (August 23) the United Nations Organization to take action against Belarus which encourages migrants to cross illegally into the territory of the European Union, calling it this action of "
hybrid attack
".
Read alsoLatvia and Lithuania take measures against the influx of migrants from Belarus
The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland said in a joint declaration that the influx of migrants had been "
planned and systematically organized by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko
".
"Active measures" requested
Thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, have crossed the Belarusian-European border in recent months in what the European Union sees as a form of retaliation by the regime in the face of increasingly severe sanctions. EU imposes on him.
"
It is high time to bring the issue of mistreatment of migrants on Belarusian territory to the attention of the United Nations, including the United Nations Security Council,
" the statement said.
Read alsoMigrants: Iraq "temporarily" suspends flights with Belarus
"
We ask the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to take active measures to facilitate the resolution of this situation and to demand that Belarus comply with its international obligations
", adds the text. The four countries say they will grant all necessary protection to refugees crossing the border, in accordance with international law, but they also call for "
possible further restrictive measures from the EU to prevent any further illegal immigration organized by the Belarusian State
”. "
Using refugees and immigrants as a weapon threatens the regional security of the European Union and constitutes a serious violation of human rights
Wrote the four prime ministers.
The three EU countries that share the land border with Belarus - Latvia, Lithuania and Poland - are trying to block or repel migrants who try to cross it illegally.
In many cases, authorities in Minsk push migrants back to the EU border, which has led to deadlock.
A group of Afghan migrants has been stranded for two weeks on a section of the border between Poland and Belarus.