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A Belarusian flag flies at an event at the Brandenburg Gate
Photo: Paul Zinken / dpa
The Acting Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is in favor of sanctions against anyone involved in the smuggling of refugees to Belarus.
"Nobody should be allowed to take part in Lukashenko's inhumane activities with impunity," said the SPD politician, referring to the behavior of the ruler Alexander Lukashenko.
This applies to countries of origin and transit, but also to airlines that enable people to be transported to Belarus.
The European Union is ready "to draw clear conclusions here," said Maas on Wednesday night in Berlin.
The EU accuses Lukashenko of deliberately bringing migrants into the country in order to then bring them to the border with Poland for onward travel to the EU.
It is presumed that the rulers are seeking revenge for the sanctions that the EU has imposed because of the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition.
On the EU's external border between Poland and Belarus, thousands of people are now hoping to come to the West under extremely adverse conditions.
"The pictures and impressions that we get from the Belarusian border area are appalling," said Maas in his written declaration.
“Mr. Lukashenko continues to turn a dangerous spiral of escalation from which there is no way out for himself.
He unscrupulously uses people seeking refuge as hostages for his cynical power game. «But the EU is not open to blackmail.
Maas also spoke out in favor of further direct EU sanctions against Belarus.
“Lukashenko has to realize that his calculations are not working out.
Incidentally, that does not exclude the possibility of extending the sanctions to other areas of the economy in the future.
Maas has only been acting minister since the end of October, but is involved in the coalition negotiations with the FDP and the Greens.
He also promised humanitarian aid for refugees on the border.
Various organizations are ready.
According to diplomats, the permanent representatives of the governments of the EU countries want to launch an expansion of sanctions this Wednesday.
They could be decided at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday.
aar / dpa
