FMs on stopping illegal migration Belarus to EU

European Union foreign ministers are considering ways to stop illegal flow of migrants into the 27-nation bloc from neighbouring Belarus, including stopping companies from leasing jets to Belarusian airline, Belavia.

Several EU leaders have accused the government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of facilitating migration into the EU in retaliation for EU sanctions.

Thousands of migrants have been lured to Belarus on tourist visas and encouraged to cross into Poland, Lithuania and to a lesser extent Latvia, all three EU nations that border Belarus.

The migrant influx began a year ago after the EU slapped sanctions on Lukashenko's government over the August 2020 presidential election, which the West views as rigged, and the Belarus security crackdown on the opposition and peaceful protesters that followed.

"It's a completely unacceptable situation that Belarus are deliberately bringing migrants from other parts of the world and then putting them in a very vulnerable situation in an effort to try to raise political pressure with the EU," said Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney upon arrival at Monday's meeting.

Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis asked for sanctions on Lukashenko for exploiting vulnerable people and against Belavia.

He also urged the bloc to send a clear message to companies carrying to Belarus people with the intention to migrate that they are under the EU's radar.

Coveney, whose country is a hub for aircraft leasing, said he is open to a new round of sanctions targeting individuals in Belarus.

Coveney however insisted that ending existing leasing contracts could be difficult from a legal standpoint.

"We are, of course, open to talk about how the commission and how the EU can increase pressure here," Coveney said.

"What I'm saying is that where there are existing contracts, we're not sure how that can be unwound legally. But, what certainly we're saying is that there should be no future contracts or additional aircraft leasing to Belarus."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Lukashenko “is nothing more than the head of a state smuggling company," adding that ministers will need to make clear to airlines that such a practice is not tolerated.

Edgar Rinkevics, the Latvian foreign minister, suggested that Belavia should be sanctioned “so that it doesn’t receive any technical support. That there are not any connecting flights, anything.”