The EU threatened to press for more sanctions against Belarus and Lukashenko did not rule out the deployment of Russian troops on its territory

The European Union threatened this Friday to apply new sanctions against Belarus for “instrumentalization” of migrants and refugees, which Minsk sends to the border with Lithuania to enter European soil.

In a statement on behalf of the Twenty-Seven, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell condemned the use of migrants by Alexander Lukashenko’s regime to achieve political goals. “The instrumentalization of migrants and refugees is absolutely unacceptable,” he stressed.

For this reason, the European bloc informed Minsk that it would study the flow of illegal crossings from Belarus and that it would examine “the possibility of restrictive measures “against those responsible for the smuggling of migrants.

Lithuania denounced the illegal passage of migrants, especially Iraqis from Belarus, and so far this year more than 3,000 migrants have been arrested after entering the country illegally. In this sense, the Borrell declaration maintains that the EU and the 27 will stand firm in the effective management of migration and in the protection of their external borders.

“People who do not have the right to be in the EU must be deported. The EU and its Member States will take the necessary measures, in accordance with international law ”, gathered the text of the 27.

The community club is committed to Send your aid to the affected Member States and remember that Frontex agents have already been deployed on the ground to carry out a rapid response. The statement also notes that EU countries will work to increase the capacity of migrants to return to their countries of origin.

Spanish and Polish parliamentarians call for the release of political prisoners

Parliaments of Spain and Poland called on Belarusian authorities to end the “repression” against the company and “illegal” detentions citizens, to release all “political prisoners”, including members of the Polish minority, to open an internal dialogue and to call new elections to put an end to the crisis unleashed in that country.

This is reflected in the conclusions that the two parliaments adopted in the framework of the Hispano-Polish Parliamentary Forum held this Friday in the city of Wroclaw, visited by a Spanish delegation led by the President of the Congress, Meritxell Batet.

In said document, collected by the agency EuropaPress, Spain and Poland admit to monitoring “with concern” the serious situation in the eastern part of Ukraine and in the Black Sea, After which they reaffirmed their “firm” commitment to respect international law, they rejected the use of force in interstate relations and supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine by not recognizing the annexation of the United Nations. Crimea.

Lukashenko threatened to deploy Russian troops

The Belarusian President said on Friday that he was ready to invite Russian troops to enter the country if such a measure is necessary to ensure the security of Belarus and Russia. But, according to Lukashenko, at that time There is “no need” to do it.

In statements collected by the state news agency Belt, Lukashenko stressed that he had dealt with the anti-government protests of last year without involving the armed forces of other countries, but added that he would not hesitate to involve Russian troops if necessary.

Belarus is able to rapidly deploy 500,000 own soldiers, but “if that is not enough, all the Russian armed forces will be brought in”Lukashenko said, according to Belta. “If necessary, we will not hesitate.

Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Moscow had not received any official request from Belarus to deploy troops, and that the movement “is only possible after an official request from the leaders of one country to those of another”.

Russia and Belarus have close military and defense ties. Two Russian radar stations that communicate with nuclear submarines in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and parts of the Pacific are based in Belarus. In September, the two former Soviet nations plan to hold large-scale joint military exercises.

Until recently, Lukashenko’s government resisted Moscow attempts to expand military presence in Belarus and rejected requests to open an air base and station more troops in the country.

But amid the political crisis that erupted in Belarus after Lukashenko’s re-election for a sixth term in August 2020 sparked huge protests, Russia has pledged military support to its neighbor and granted a $ 1.5 billion loan to the struggling Belarusian economy.

Lukashenko faced months of protests sparked by his announcement as the winner of a presidential vote in August 2020 that the opposition and the West deemed rigged. He responded to the protests with a massive crackdown in which more than 35,000 people were arrested and thousands beaten by police.

The United States and the European Union have imposed multiple sanctions against Belarusian leaders and key sectors of its economy following the crisis.

Belarusian political analyst Valery Karbalevich said The Associated Press that Lukashenko’s remarks on Friday were a clear attempt to frighten the West.

“For the first time, he threatened to deploy Russian troops to Belarus. However, the Kremlin is in no rush to support these initiatives, ”Karbalevich said.

Lukashenko accused the West of trying to orchestrate a revolution in the country he is ruling with an iron fist for decades and plotting a coup, even urging Belarus on sanctions. His election opponent fled to Lithuania and Lithuanian authorities claim Belarusian authorities are flooding the Lithuanian border with immigrants to put pressure on the EU country.

“They seem to be looking for our weak points. They mainly affected the export sectors of the Belarusian economy: petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, potash, etc. But the main objective is to leave people without pensions, wages, benefits, education, medical care and to provoke the discontent of Belarusians, ”Lukashenko said.

The Belarusian President asked more action against human rights groups in the country, claiming that behind them are foreign brains, and said government pressure on independent media will continue.

“The freedom of expression that we protect under the Constitution has become extremist activities “Lukashenko denounced, urging state officials to closely monitor all journalists and bloggers. “It’s one thing to criticize the authorities. We have always adequately accepted criticism… Another thing is to call for rebellion and slaughter of those who do not support these so-called revolutionary and rogue sentiments ”.

Over the past few weeks, Belarusian authorities stepped up pressure against non-governmental organizations and independent media, carrying out more than 200 searches of offices and apartments for activists and journalists this month alone, according to human rights center Viasna.

The Belarusian Association of Journalists said raids and arrests of journalists continued in Minsk and other cities on Friday.It is. Earlier this week, authorities said Poland-funded Belsat TV channel was an extremist group.

A total of 28 Belarusian journalists remain in detention, awaiting trial or serving their sentences. Journalist groups demanded Thursday that authorities provide emergency hospital treatment to a prominent journalist who is in preventive detention.

(With information from AP and Europa Press)

Read on: