Dictator Alexandr Lukashenko threatened not to contain the growing number of migrants seeking to cross to other European countries

Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko said today that you do not have to protect the European Union (EU) from the flow of undocumented immigrants when the community bloc imposed sanctions on the country that impact the Belarusian economy.

At a meeting on foreign policy priorities, The Belarusian leader said he did not understand how, on the one hand, it is possible to impose sanctions on the country and, on the other hand, demand border protection.

“They are suffocating us and should we protect them? Listen, isn’t that naive? Naively, it is already crazy ”, declared Lukashenko, according to the official agency BELTA.

He argued that Minsk, with its own money, is taking measures at the border to “eliminate illegal activities, including the fight against undocumented immigration and the supply of drugs and weapons”, whereas before the EU provided funding.

“Suddenly something happened last year. You know what. And they have imposed sanctions on us and accuse Lukashenko of promoting illegal immigration, ”he said, referring to the EU’s reaction to the crackdown on anti-government protests after the fraudulent presidential elections last August.

So far this year, more than 1,500 irregular migrants have arrived in Lithuania from neighboring Belarus, which declared a state of emergency and erected a barbed wire fence at the border, as well as a new camp for migrants.

“Now what ?. Do you want me to multiply the (number) of border guards and troops by five and take them to the border? Who will pay? Faced with the strangulation of our people and our state, who will pay? ”underlined the president.

Lithuania accuses Lukashenko’s authoritarian government of using the immigrants, coming from countries like Iraq, Congo, Cameroon, Guinea or Syria, “Like a weapon” by letting them cross their territory.

European Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson on Thursday demanded the dispatch of “at least sixty agents” from the European border agency Frontex to Lithuania, where more than 1,500 irregular immigrants have arrived so far this year, with the apparent approval of Belarus.

The Belarusian President said that the increase in migratory flows to Europe was largely caused by the policies of various EU countries.

“You called them: give them everything they need, put them on an equal footing with their citizens”, Lukashenko said.

The president again called for a reorientation of Belarusian foreign policy towards friendly countries and the adjustment of the number of embassies in Europe.

He cited as examples China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Turkey, a number of countries in Africa and Latin America, and the Middle East.

(with information from the EFE)

KEEP READING: