"ינסטרומענטאַליזאַטיאָן פון מייגראַנץ פֿאַר פּאָליטיש צוועקן דורך בעלאַרוס איז אַנאַקסעפּטאַבאַל" von der Leyen

In a statement issued yesterday evening (8 November), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes by Belarus as “unacceptable”.

Despite the EU’s offer to assist Poland with Frontex, the European Civil Protection Mechanism and Europol support, the Polish side has not requested help from the EU, while also complaining that it has been left alone by the EU in this crisis. 

President of the European Parliament David Sassoli tweeted that the Belarusian regime must stop exploiting migrants and asylum seekers for political power games, while also calling on Poland to accept the EU's offer to help vulnerable people in an orderly manner and prevent a further escalation.

Alarmed by the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border. The Belarusian regime must stop exploiting migrants and asylum seekers for political power games.

We call on Poland to accept the EU's offer to help vulnerable people in an orderly manner and prevent a further escalation.

- David Sassoli (@EP_President) נאוועמבער קסנומקס, קסנומקס

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said: “Our urgent priority is to turn off the supply coming into Minsk airport. While we step up outreach with partner countries, I will continue to prioritise the protection of the integrity of our shared external borders.”

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We are now seeing, in real-time, the consequences of Lukashenko’s luring of human beings through Minsk airport and on to the Polish # בעלארוס גרענעץ.

Not only is his desperate regime profiting from people arriving…

- Ylva Johansson (@YlvaJohansson) נאוועמבער קסנומקס, קסנומקס

Von der Leyen said that she had spoken to the prime ministers of the frontline countries, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš to express the EU's solidarity and discuss with them the measures the EU can take to support them in their efforts to deal with this crisis.

אַדווערטייזמאַנט

The President also called on member states to “finally approve the extended sanctions regime on the Belarusian authorities responsible for this hybrid attack”. The European External Action Service, Peter Stano, 

Vice-President Schinas, in coordination with High Representative/Vice-President Borrell, will travel in the coming days to the main countries of origin and of transit to ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities. The itinerary will be announced later today.

Sanctioning airlines

The EU is also exploring the possibility of sanctioning those airlines who have facilitated “human trafficking”. Flights into Minsk have come from Russia (70), Turkey (302), UAE (12), Syria (7), Iraq (4), Lebanon (2). 

רוסלאַנד

The Commission’s external action service spokesperson Peter Stano said that Russia and its role is being evaluated, including the high number of flights from Russia. Putin has backed Lukashenko, who is increasingly isolated after orchestrating a brutal crackdown on pro-democratic opposition after losing elections in August 2020. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda about the situation at the border and the use of migrants as a hybrid tactic. He said that NATO stood in solidarity with Poland and all our allies in the region.

Spoke with President @AndrzejDuda about the serious situation at #פּאָלאַנד’s border. # בעלארוס using migrants as a hybrid tactic is unacceptable. #נאַטאָ stands in solidarity with Poland and all our Allies in the region.

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) נאוועמבער קסנומקס, קסנומקס

Humanitarian help

The Commission is in discussion with the UN and its specialized agencies on how to prevent a humanitarian crisis from unfolding and to ensure that migrants can be safely returned to their country of origin, with the support of their national authorities.

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