EU, US, Canada, UK coordinating anti-Belarusian sanctions over migration crisis
<p> MINSK, Nov 23 - PrimePress. The European Union (EU), the United States (US), Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) are in the process of coordinating anti-Belarusian sanctions over the migration crisis on Belarus’ border with the EU, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a plenary session of the EU Parliament on 23 November. </p> <p> </p> <p> The Belarusian authorities, according to Ursula von der Leyen, keep facilitating illegal transportation of migrants to the EU. </p> <p> </p> <p> “I discussed with President [of the US Joe] Biden aligning our efforts. We agreed that to counter this behaviour, it is important to coordinate our sanctions <…>. We are in the process of coordinating our sanctions with the United States, Canada and the UK,” PRIME reports citing Ursula von der Leyen as saying. </p> <p> </p> <p> According to von der Leyen, the European Union will draw a sanction list of transport operators facilitating illegal migration. “The strategy employed by Belarus is based very clearly on the complicity of tour operators and their intermediaries. There are specialised travel agents offering all-inclusive deals: visas, flights, hotels and, somewhat cynically, taxis and buses up to the border. Let us be clear: these migrants are being vilely misled by false promises. We have to combat this. That is why we are proposing that a watchlist be drawn up for all means of transport based on international law on the trafficking and smuggling of migrants. Today the Commission is putting forward a legislative proposal to do this,” she said. </p> <p> </p> <p> The European Union, in her words, will mobilise up to €3.5 million to support voluntary returns of migrants from Belarus. </p> <p> </p> <p> As previously reported, foreign ministers of member states of the European Union (EU) reached a political agreement on applying the 5th parcel of sanctions against Belarus amid the escalating migration crisis on the EU’s external borders. The decision was reached at a session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 15 November. </p> <p> </p> <p> Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics informed that the fifth package of sanctions would target Belarusian officials, companies, including aviation companies, which are involved in migrant trafficking to Belarus. In his words, the sixth package of sanctions, which can be triggered in case of further escalation of the migration crisis, was also discussed. End </p>
2021-11-24
Primepress
EU, US, Canada, UK coordinating anti-Belarusian sanctions over migration crisis
MINSK, Nov 23 - PrimePress. The European Union (EU), the United States (US), Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) are in the process of coordinating anti-Belarusian sanctions over the migration crisis on Belarus’ border with the EU, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a plenary session of the EU Parliament on 23 November.
The Belarusian authorities, according to Ursula von der Leyen, keep facilitating illegal transportation of migrants to the EU.
“I discussed with President [of the US Joe] Biden aligning our efforts. We agreed that to counter this behaviour, it is important to coordinate our sanctions <…>. We are in the process of coordinating our sanctions with the United States, Canada and the UK,” PRIME reports citing Ursula von der Leyen as saying.
According to von der Leyen, the European Union will draw a sanction list of transport operators facilitating illegal migration. “The strategy employed by Belarus is based very clearly on the complicity of tour operators and their intermediaries. There are specialised travel agents offering all-inclusive deals: visas, flights, hotels and, somewhat cynically, taxis and buses up to the border. Let us be clear: these migrants are being vilely misled by false promises. We have to combat this. That is why we are proposing that a watchlist be drawn up for all means of transport based on international law on the trafficking and smuggling of migrants. Today the Commission is putting forward a legislative proposal to do this,” she said.
The European Union, in her words, will mobilise up to €3.5 million to support voluntary returns of migrants from Belarus.
As previously reported, foreign ministers of member states of the European Union (EU) reached a political agreement on applying the 5th parcel of sanctions against Belarus amid the escalating migration crisis on the EU’s external borders. The decision was reached at a session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 15 November.
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics informed that the fifth package of sanctions would target Belarusian officials, companies, including aviation companies, which are involved in migrant trafficking to Belarus. In his words, the sixth package of sanctions, which can be triggered in case of further escalation of the migration crisis, was also discussed. End