EU Expands Sanctions on Belarus Including Airlines Over 'Refugee Crisis Provocation'

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The European Union (EU) has agreed to expand the scope of sanctions in response to Belarus politically instrumentalizing refugees.

Accordingly, sanctions targeting airlines or travel agencies involved in Belarus's pushback of refugees may be implemented.

On the 15th (local time), EU foreign ministers announced that they had agreed to expand the list of sanctioned individuals and organizations involved in the 'hybrid attack' using refugees at the Belarus border.

The Belarusian government, led by President Aleksandr Lukashenko, is accused by the EU of allowing refugees to enter Belarus by plane and then pushing them toward the Polish border. This is considered an attempt at a hybrid attack undermining the stability of the EU system.

According to earlier major foreign media reports, travel agencies in Middle Eastern countries issued travel visas to thousands of refugees in cooperation with Belarusian airlines. Those who arrived in Belarus then joined the refugee flow heading to Europe, converging on borders of European countries such as Poland, foreign media reported.

Currently, at the Poland border, which is the boundary between Belarus and the EU, about 4,000 refugees from Afghanistan and the Middle East are confronting approximately 15,000 Polish border guards and police. As temperatures drop, at least nine refugees have died, according to the Associated Press.

Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said, "This decision demonstrates the EU's determination to strongly oppose the political instrumentalization of refugees."

The EU is expected to finalize the list of airlines and travel agencies subject to asset freezes or travel bans within the next few days, according to the Associated Press and others.

The German Foreign Minister criticized Belarus's refugee pushback as "a very inhumane act that instrumentalizes refugees to pressure the EU," adding, "This has worsened over the past few days."

European countries such as Lithuania have also raised criticism that some refugees are coming to Europe via Moscow, Russia. These countries are calling for direct intervention by the Russian government to resolve the refugee crisis.

Russia, an ally of Belarus, dismissed European countries' claims, stating it bears no direct responsibility for the refugee situation.

Meanwhile, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rebutted Western countries' accusations of "fueling the refugee crisis" as "absurd," stating that it is persuading refugees to return to their home countries. It also indicated plans to retaliate if further European sanctions are imposed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.