Foreign Minister Heiko Maas calls for sanctions for some airlines.
There are airlines that also earn money with the state smuggling of Lukashenko.
Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) has spoken out in favor of EU sanctions against airlines that support Belarus in smuggling refugees into Europe.
The Federal Foreign Minister also found very clear words for the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko.
"Lukashenko is nothing more than the head of a state smuggling ring," said Maas in Luxembourg.
In Europe one is “confronted with the fact that Lukashenko uses refugees as an instrument to put pressure on European states”.
The EU is accusing the Belarusian head of state of smuggling refugees from the Middle East into the EU across the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
In this way, the rulers should try to take revenge for the European sanctions.
In a letter to Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, the chairman of the Federal Police Union had previously made it clear and called for border controls to be introduced with Poland.
Maas with a clear announcement about Lukashenko - sanctions demanded
However, the EU could possibly intercept some migrants beforehand.
As Maas explained, there are “airlines that also earn money by bringing refugees to Germany or other European countries”.
Therefore, on Monday, October 18, at the start of the EU foreign ministers' deliberations in Luxembourg, he called for “consequences” for such airlines.
Sanctions are appropriate.
The EU had already decided in May to ban the Belarusian airlines from flying into European airspace.
However, according to media reports, airlines in the EU are leasing aircraft or providing technical support to the state-owned Belarusian airline Belavia.
Maas becomes clear: Lukashenko "head of a state smuggling ring"
Ireland is one of the largest transshipment centers - a so-called hub - for such aircraft.
The Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney made it clear in Luxembourg that the new punitive measures should not be directed against “current contracts” between airlines and Belarus.
The EU could, however, impose sanctions on "the future leasing of machines to Belavia".
In any case, the smuggling of refugees through Belarus is "completely unacceptable".
Since August, thousands of people have entered Germany without permission via the so-called Belarus route.
Brandenburg, Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are particularly affected.
List of rubric lists: © Jens Schlueter / POOL-AFP / dpa
