Lukashenko promises to help illegal migrants even to the detriment of neighbouring countries

<p> MINSK, Nov 26 - PrimePress. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has promised to help illegal migrants even if it would be to the detriment of neighbouring countries. Lukashenko made a statement to this effect on 26 November, while visiting the migrants camp accommodated at the Bruzgi logistics centre, the president’s press-service said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “We, Belarusians, including the president of Belarus, will do everything as you [migrants] wish, even if it is bad for Poles, Latvians and someone else. We will do what you want us to do,” Lukashenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Speaking about the things Belarus can do for refugees now, Lukashenko noted that Belarus is not able to help them get to Germany. “You understand that we cannot start a war to clear a corridor through Poland to Germany for you. You see how they responded when you approached them. They doused you with poisonous chemicals, stun grenades, tear gas and so on. Had you come closer to the border, they would have started shooting. People from the other side have gone mad,” Lukashenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> He recalled his conversation with Germany’s Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel who promised to try, together with the European Union, to solve the problem of people who are living in the camp near the borderline on the territory of Belarus. “We promised the Europeans that we would do our best to repatriate those who want to return to their homeland,” Lukashenko noted. “We will see how things will be for three or four days. Then, if necessary, we will add more places for accommodation. But I would like you to know that we are not going to detain you, push you onto planes and send you back home if you do not want to do that,” said Lukashenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “If you want to go west, we won't choke, grab and beat you. It is your will. If you go through, go ahead. That's simple. I know that not everyone will like what I say, especially those abroad, but it's the truth, they should know the truth,” said Lukashenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> According to the head of state, about 1,000 migrants were evacuated from Belarus to their home country. There are about 2-3 thousand more migrants from the Middle East on the Belarusian territory, in addition to the camp in Grodno District. </p> <p>   </p> <p> According to Lukashenko, migrants from Afghanistan will try to get to the European Union through Ukraine. In his words, Belarus has concerns over the issue, as Ukrainians are building up their security forces at the border to stop migrants. Belarus, according to Lukashenko, will not stop refugees on their way to the European Union. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “I promise you: everything that I and the government of Belarus can do, we will do. We will insistently ask Western countries to help you. It is not only a human problem, I look further: if we do not solve the refugee problem in Belarus now, it will be much more powerful not only in spring, but also in winter. We understand that a huge number of refugees will flood in here, and it will be impossible to contain them at the border,” Lukashenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Lukashenko called upon the people of Germany to give shelter to the refugees from the Belarusian-Polish border. “This is not a big burden, they want to live in Germany. Two thousand people is not a big problem for Germany. Chancellor Merkel agreed with it,” said Lukashenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In July 2021, President Lukashenko stated that, due to sanctions imposed by Western countries, he no longer intended to restrain illegal migration to the European Union. This was followed by attempts to illegally cross the border with Lithuania, Poland and Latvia by migrants from the Middle East, with total inactivity of the Belarusian border service. By 1 November, the Polish border guards alone registered 23 thousand such attempts. On 15 November at a session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), foreign ministers of member states of the European Union (EU) reached a political agreement on applying the 5th parcel of sanctions against Belarus. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Merkel discussed the migration issue on 10 and 11 November by phone with Putin, who said, among other things, that de-escalation of the migration crisis is only possible through direct talks between the EU and the Belarusian authorities. On 15 November, Merkel and Lukashenko held their first telephone conversation, the second phone talk followed on 17 November. </p> <p> The EU has sent €700,000 in humanitarian aid to migrants in Belarus. </p> <p> The European Union intended to mobilise up to €3.5 million to support voluntary returns of migrants from Belarus. End </p>

2021-11-27

Primepress