news
World news
Europe
EU imposes sanctions on Belarus over immigration crisis, Russia concentrates forces on Ukraine's border
The union will formulate a package of sanctions on those involved in the migration of migrants to its borders, with thousands of people still stranded in the frozen forests between Belarus and Poland.
The Kremlin is proposing to mediate, and Europe fears it is an excuse for Putin to invade Ukraine, whose borders he is a center of power.
"They Examine the Unity of the West"
Tags
Belarus
The European Union
Poland
News agencies
Monday, 15 November 2021, 19:48
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on general
Share on general
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
0 comments
In video: Hundreds try to cross the border from Belarus to Poland (Photo: Reuters)
The EU agreed today (Monday) to increase sanctions against Belarus, which has rejected "absurd" Western accusations that it is responsible for the migrant crisis on its forested and frozen border with Poland, where some 4,000 people are stranded.
EU foreign ministers want to step up pressure on Belarus, which it says is pushing migrants towards the bloc in retaliation for previous sanctions over last year's suppression of protests against the re-election of veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko. Immigrants - mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan - began appearing this year on Belarus' borders with the European Union, in an attempt to move to member states of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland on immigration routes that had not existed until then.
"This inhumane system of using refugees as a tool to put pressure on the EU has worsened in recent days," said German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass. "We will tighten sanctions on those involved in human trafficking, and we will have to discuss that severe economic sanctions are inevitable."
The unanimous political agreement among EU countries should go into detail, before specific new sanctions against Minsk take effect.
More on Walla!
In good time: The international super brand Kenneth Cole lands in Israel
To the full article
(Photo: Reuters)
The despair among the immigrants, stuck on the Belarusian side of the border, is growing, and they have been trying to break through some makeshift border fences in recent days. Poland has reported 5,100 attempts to cross its border illegally since the beginning of the month.
At the same time, Latvia said today that it had deployed 3,000 troops as part of a surprise military exercise near the border. She, Lithuania and Poland are the eastern side of the EU and NATO, where the bodies of Belarus and not its main ally, Russia.
Senior diplomat of the European Union, Josep Borrell, said that the new sanctions package will be charged to airlines and travel agencies involved In “This Illegal Encouragement of Immigrants.” A Reuters investigation revealed that travel agencies in the Middle East that worked with operators in Belarus have provided tourist visas to thousands of people in recent months.
A senior EU official has said the bloc is examining whether other airlines should face sanctions after the bloc banned Belarusian state airline from flying in its airspace and landing at its airports.
The German Foreign Minister stressed that Turkish Airlines was not involved.
(Photo: Reuters)
Lukashenko said today that Belarus is trying to persuade immigrants to return to their countries. "But no one wants to go back," said the dictator, quoted by the official news agency. He warned that Minsk would retaliate if new European sanctions were imposed on it. Brussels has already imposed sanctions on Lukashenko, his son and 165 other senior members of his regime, and has restricted trade in potassium, one of the country's important sources of exports.
The EU has called on Lukashenko's most powerful ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to use him to stop endangering human life for geopolitical purposes. At least eight immigrants have died in the border area in recent months.
Russia denies having part of the crisis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was ready to mediate between Belarus and the EU, that Putin would talk to Lukashenko, and that Russia had no intentions of redirecting gas supplies from Belarus to Europe, despite Lukashenko's threats. Peskov said Russia is already acting as a mediator.
In addition, he rejected the US State Department statement that the crisis on the Belarusian border was intended to divert attention from increased Russian military activity near Ukraine.
(Photo: Reuters)
Similar warnings were sounded in Lithuania.
"It is clear what the Lukashenko regime and its allies want - to test the unity of the Western world," said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausda.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielios Landsbergis said Vilnius wanted the EU to "turn Minsk airport into a no-fly zone" and that some of the migrants were flying to Belarus via Moscow.
"Russia is using this crisis to destabilize the EU," he added.
He described the issue of immigration as one of the most sensitive for the union.
"It is an excellent weapon against us. And if we can not make a decision, they will probably say, 'Look, the EU is ineffective' and it will ignite further fire within the EU."
Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on general
Share on general
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
0 comments