Brussels For the EU it is a “hybrid attack”: The Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko has migrants flown in from the Near and Middle East, and his military then drives them towards the Polish border. Meanwhile, thousands are waiting there in the freezing cold and without food. At least ten people have died. Lukashenko’s motive: revenge for sanctions imposed by the EU.
The goal: above all to punish people and organizations involved in Lukashenko’s smuggling activities. This includes the Belarusian state apparatus and travel agencies or airlines that offer corresponding flights. Even tougher economic sanctions are being debated in Brussels. “We are still a long way from the end of the spiral of sanctions,” said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD).
The executive German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, also got involved in the conflict on Monday. She phoned the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for the first time about the refugee crisis at the EU’s external border. The federal government said on Monday evening that the two had exchanged views on the difficult situation in the region and the possibility of humanitarian aid.
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It was agreed to continue the exchange on these topics. It was the first contact with a Western government since Lukashenko claimed victory in the presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020.
In the Internet media it was said that the conversation between Merkel and Lukashenko had lasted around 50 minutes. The two also talked about how to prevent further escalation.
Penalties for foreign airlines
Meanwhile, the EU’s sanction plans are becoming more concrete: The sanctioning of foreign airlines with which migrants fly to Belarus is considered particularly effective. The EU had already threatened to deny overflight or landing rights, targeting the Belarusian airline Belavia as well as Turkish Airlines, the Emirati low-cost airline Flydubai and the Syrian airline Cham Wings. Istanbul, Dubai and Damascus are important hubs for smugglers’ flights.
Turkish Airlines reacted promptly: The Turkish airline announced that it would no longer allow people with Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni citizenship to fly to Minsk, even if they have a visa. In addition, it no longer wants to sell one-way tickets to Belarus. Belavia followed suit under pressure from Turkey.
Cham Wings announced on Saturday that it would cancel all flights to Minsk. One could “not distinguish between travelers and migrants,” the airline said. It is a very small, private airline that belongs to the cousin of the Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad and only has three planes. Nevertheless, she recently flew to Belarus 20 times a week.
The EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell was confident: “In my opinion, we will soon have the influx under control again,” he said.
There is even more at stake for Belavia than for Turkish Airlines & Co. Belavia has been banned from using European airspace and has been banned from flying to European airports since the summer. The Belarusian state-owned company is now in danger of losing its aircraft fleet. The machines in the economically weak country are leased – mainly from Irish companies.
These and other European companies are now to be banned from aircraft business with Belavia. Ireland agreed to the measure after initial hesitation; Irish companies are still concerned: Belavia simply could not sell the planes, so that the leasing companies would have to write off millions of dollars in property.
It will take some time before the new sanctions actually come into force. The European External Action Service will take care of the specifics; a few days or weeks will pass before the project is actually implemented.
Putin wants to mediate in the refugee crisis
“It is right that the EU sanctions against the policy of the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko are extended,” said the Green foreign politician Reinhard Bütikofer and also called for the exports from Belarus to be restricted by means of sanctions. “The Belarus sanctions are a touchstone for the EU. If it is not possible to send a strong common signal, the trust capital of the EU among members and third countries will shrink even further, ”the MEP told the Handelsblatt.
Numerous sanctions have already been imposed on the country since the Belarusian presidential elections in summer 2020, which are believed to have been heavily fraudulent. So far, 166 people and 15 organizations have been affected by the EU sanctions, including Lukashenko himself.
Meanwhile, he tries to blame the migrants. Belarus wanted to fly those stuck at the border back to their countries of origin with Belavia, he said. But: “Nobody wants to return. The people are very stubborn, ”said Lukashenko on a state news agency. The EU foreign ministers also discussed how to work with organizations to bring the migrants back.
More: According to Poland’s border guards – Belarus is preparing to storm the border.