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Updated November 22nd, 2021 at 14:58 IST

Poland PM says Belarus will use Afghan migrants as border pawns as tensions escalate

Poland Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused Belarus of eyeing Afghan refugees to be used as border pawns, while speaking in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Poland PM
IMAGE; AP | Image:self
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Poland Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused Belarus of eyeing Afghan refugees to be used as border pawns while speaking in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania on Sunday. Warning the European Union nations of a fresh surge of the migrant crisis, the Polish leader asserted that "there will most probably be an attempt at using the virus in Afghanistan as a new act in migration crisis putting to use the West's remorse related to the disorderly pullout from Afghanistan."

His statement came after talks with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte about solving the "very difficult situation" at Poland-Belarus border.

Emphasising the need to act jointly, the Polish PM stated that "there is a threat of an even more difficult scenario." Adding that he had expected a renewed "migrant pressure" on Poland and the EU to continue but from different regions, he said Belarus will put to use the West's hasty departure from Afghanistan, which will be a "new act" amid escalating tensions, the Associated Press reported.

He also claimed that Belarus, backed by Moscow will use their "diplomatic" contacts with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan to fuel the "hybrid attack" on the entire 27-nation bloc.

Observing Belarus' move to use migrants as a political bargaining chip and weaponry against the EU, PM Morawiecki had said earlier in Tallinn that Poland was ready to contribute financially for migrants from the Middle East and Asia to return home after the first repatriation flight to Iraq departed from Belarus on Thursday (November 18). Meanwhile, Lithuanian PM Simonyte stressed that the EU must engage in joint actions in Belarus with countries at the forefront of these attacks.

“The European Commission has now taken over the technical talks with Minsk. It is very important that no decisions are taken that will not allow the situation to be resolved,” PM Simonyte told reporters.

Crisis not yet over

On Thursday, a spokesperson Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that Minsk has proposed the EU countries make a humanitarian corridor, allowing 2,000 migrants to camp at the border. As per the Guardian, he spoke to Germany's outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel and added that Belarus has also agreed to send back at least 5,000 to their respective countries, mainly Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, the first repatriated flight since August departed from Belarus on Thursday with 431 Iraqi immigrants on board. Although the remaining people have "categorically refused," Minsk will work on that, Lukashenko's spokesperson said, as per the Guardian.

Although Germany has not confirmed talks with Lukashenko, the EU leaders have already expressed fury on the matter. Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis criticised the potential "negotiating track with the dictator (Lukashenko)." It is worth the mention that the EU has not recognised the Belarusian president after widespread reports over fraud and abuse emerged during the 2020 elections in the country.

Russia's role in the crisis

It is to be noted that the Kremlin has remained a strong ally to Belarus helping Lukashenko with loans and political support. While the EU has blamed Belarus for orchestrating, what it calls a 'hybrid attack', by pushing migrants towards the border, its concerns have also been fuelled by the recent deployment of Russian military personnel in the Donbas region.

Speculating Moscow's move as a potential plot against Ukraine or perhaps intervention in the border crisis, the EU officials have rendered a wary eye on the former's behaviour and started preparing for sanctions against Russian military contractor Wagner, Politico reported. EU's approach has underscored how the border situation in both non-EU countries has been intertwined in recent times.

With inputs from AP

Image: AP

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Published November 22nd, 2021 at 14:58 IST

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