EU Paves Way for Airline Sanctions over Polish-Belarus Border Crisis

Brussels — The European Union amended its sanctions regime against Belarus on Monday, readying to penalize companies or officials it sees as complicit in an escalating migration and geopolitical crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to add new criteria so they can punish those who "facilitate illegal crossing of the EU's external borders," according to an official press release, but no new names were immediately added to the sanctions list.The bloc accuses Belarus of pushing or transporting people hoping to claim asylum in the EU to its external borders at Poland, Lithuania and Latvia as revenge for western sanctions. Minsk refutes this entirely.Thousands of migrants are currently stranded in dire conditions between Poland and Belarus, caught at the centre of the fierce diplomatic row between President Alexander Lukashenko and the EU, which does not recognize the authoritarian ruler as a legitimate leader.

The EU is preparing a fifth round of measures on Minsk since the August 2020 election that the bloc says was fraudulent. The poll reinstalled Lukashenko, unleashing mass protests protests against his government that were met with a harsh crackdown on civil society.More time is needed to finalize the new EU targets, but around 30 new additions to the bloc's sanctions list are expected in the weeks to come, diplomatic sources told dpa.

Once added, companies could no longer do business with EU firms. Individuals would have their have EU-based assets EU frozen, or be banned from travel into the bloc.The Belarusian state airline, which leases around half its fleet of aircraft from Irish companies, is thought to be a prime candidate. Belavia allegedly brings EU asylum hopefuls to Belarus at the behest of Minsk.

In the meantime, the EU is trying to stop flights arriving in Belarus in the first place. European Commission Vice President Margiritis Schinas is currently in Iraq as part of a tour to get common countries of departure or transit to stop people setting off for the former Soviet republic.

Turkey already announced restrictions after pressure from the EU: One-way tickets between Minsk and Turkey are no longer be available and travellers with passports from Iraq, Syria and Yemen are not permitted to fly to Belarus from Turkish airports, Ankara said.

Syria's Cham Wings airline said said last week that it would halt all flights to the Belarusian capital.

In Brussels on Monday, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said that the influx of people arriving to Belarus was now almost "under control."

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius said the bloc should aim to make Minsk airport and possibly the whole of Belarus a "no-fly zone."

"At least for the time being, we need to make sure that no planes [potentially bringing] in people with the intention to migrate, to cross the border illegally," Gabrielius said.

On the ground at the Polish- Belarus border, the situation is growing increasingly dangerous as temperatures dip and soldiers are stationed on either side. Many of the migrants have no shelter, or only rudimentary set-ups.The lifeless body of a 20-year-old Syrian man was discovered on Saturday, the latest in several deaths.

The same day, a group of about 50 migrants managed to push through a barrier and were in Poland several hours before being apprehended. The group was taken straight back to the Belarus border.

Critics and rights' group stress immediate pushbacks of asylum seekers violate international law.

But Poland has brought in emergency laws for the border region, stipulating that any person who enters the country illegally must leave. The right-wing nationalist government has also restricted civil rights and banned demonstrations in the zone.

Ahead of Monday's foreign ministers' meeting, one EU official said Russia, Lukashenko's closest ally, had not attempted to influence Belarus's government to deescalate the situation.

The Kremlin on Monday reiterated its readiness to act as a mediator between Belarus and the EU stand-off. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered assistance, but did not say specifically what he was ready to do. The Kremlin has also called for talks between Lukashenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

©2021 dpa GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.