Debate: Situation in Belarus and at its border with the EU and the security and humanitarian consequences
Date: TUESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2021
Speaker: Anže Logar
Language: EN

Further aggravating the situation in May, Ryanair flight 4978 between Athens and Vilnius was forced to land in Minsk under a false pretence, and a political opponent of the regime in Belarus was seized from the plane. The incident triggered further international and EU sanctions. President Lukashenko has since sought to undermine the EU’s resolve by manufacturing and then instrumentalising migration flows for cynical political purposes. A high number of people, many of them vulnerable, were lured from the third countries to Minsk, and shuttled to the Union’s external borders with a promise of entry into the European Union. On 8 November, the situation further escalated when several thousand migrants gathered on the Belarussian side at the Polish border. Reportedly, Belarussian officers were leading migrants towards the border with vehicles equipped with barbed wire, caltrops, and other equipment designed to prevent migrants from retreating into Belarus. Polish forces rejected all the entry attempts. Nonetheless, the situation was tense, and could have easily gotten out of hand due to miscalculation or accident. Ultimately, it was a miscalculation of President Lukashenko’s part. The situation has however brought a lot of suffering. Several migrants have died, and many face dire conditions for weeks or months. We have also seen the security personnel of Member State taken to hospital following violent clashes. This is the responsibility of Mr Lukashenko and his regime. However, we can welcome that, in this situation, the EU was able to show a united front. As you know, EU leaders were very clear in October at the European Council that EU would counter the hybrid attack by the Belarussian regime, including by adopting further restrictive measures as a matter of urgency. Consequently, on 15 November, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted the legal acts that broadened the listing criteria for designation under the sanction regime against Belarus. The objective is to target individuals and entities organising or contributing to activities by Lukashenko’s regime that facilitate the illegal crossing of the EU’s external borders. Furthermore, the fifth package of sanctions will be finalised in the coming days. Work on a further package will also continue. The EU has shown that it can protect its interests on the international stage, using a combination of tools. It has been notably effective in its outreach to third countries and airlines, which has resulted in greatly slowing down the flow of migrants towards Minsk. While it’s too early to tell, the situation appears to have been easing in recent days. Nevertheless, I think, the most affected Member States, namely Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, deserve our continuous solidarity and concrete support. We should not forget that they are protecting the EU’s external borders. Migrants are reportedly being moved away from the borders into more permanent housing. Already, over 400 Iraqis were returned home from Belarus with the support of Baghdad. We are carefully following developments. The EU Institutions and the Member States will continue intensive diplomatic outreach to countries of origin and potential countries of origin, and the effects are already visible. Before concluding, let me reiterate that the responsibility of Belarus for this crisis is unequivocal. It is now crucial that the humanitarian situation at the border is addressed. Belarus has to allow access to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to provide humanitarian assistance, and return opportunities for the people affected.