FMs on stopping illegal migration Belarus to EU

European Union foreign ministers are considering ways to stop illegal flow of migrants into 27-nation bloc from neighbouring Belarus, including stopping companies from leasing jets to Belarusian airline, Belavia.

Several EU leers have accused government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of facilitating migration into EU in retaliation for EU sanctions.

Thousands of migrants have been lured to Belarus on tourist visas and encourd to cross into Poland, Lithuania and to a lesser extent Latvia, all three EU nations that border Belarus.

migrant influx began a year ago after EU slapped sanctions on Lukashenko's government over August 2020 presidential election, which West views as rigged, and Belarus security crackdown on opposition and peaceful protesters that followed.

"It's a completely unacceptable situation that Belarus are deliberately bringing migrants from or parts of world and n putting m in a very vulnerable situation in an effort to try to raise political pressure with EU," said Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney upon arrival at Monday's meeting.

Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis asked for sanctions on Lukashenko for exploiting vulnerable people and against Belavia.

He also urged bloc to send a clear mess to companies carrying to Belarus people with intention to migrate that y are under EU's rar.

Coveney, whose country is a hub for aircraft leasing, said he is open to a new round of sanctions targeting individuals in Belarus.

Coveney however insisted that ending existing leasing contracts could be difficult from a legal standpoint.

"We are, of course, open to talk about how commission and how EU can increase pressure here," Coveney said.

"What I'm saying is that where re are existing contracts, we're t sure how that can be unwound legally. But, what certainly we're saying is that re should be future contracts or ditional aircraft leasing to Belarus."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Lukashenko “is thing more than he of a state smuggling company," ding that ministers will need to make clear to airlines that such a practice is t tolerated.

Edgar Rinkevics, Latvian foreign minister, suggested that Belavia should be sanctioned “so that it doesn’t receive any technical support. That re are t any connecting flights, anything.”