Strict sanctions imposed by “27” after the flight – thriller: They block EU airspace on Belarusian planes

To seal its airspace on Belarusian Airlines aircraft and impose sanctions in his status Alexander Lukashenko, charged with “state hijacking” and his arrest dissident journalist Roman Protasevic decided the European Union, after two hours of talks at the Brussels Summit, with the “27” also demanding the immediate release of the 26-year-old and his partner, Sofia Sapega, as well as the guarantee of their free movement.

of Georgia Ath. Skitzi

“It is not enough just to remain in verbal convictions. A new grid of strong sanctions against it must be adopted Belarus so as to send a message that such practices cannot and should not be tolerated on the European continent, “the prime minister had said earlier in his speech, expressing anger at the” state hijacking “.

In more detail, the European Council:

• Calls the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate this unprecedented and unacceptable incident.
• Calls the Council to adopt additional lists against persons and entities as soon as possible, on the basis of the existing sanctions regime and further targeted financial sanctions, inviting the High Representative and the Committee to submit proposals, without delay, for this purpose.
• Calls all EU-based airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace.
• Calls the Council to adopt the necessary measures to block the flights of Belarusian aircraft in EU airspace and to prevent access to EU airports by flights operated by them.
• The European Council Expresses its solidarity with Latvia, following the unjustified expulsion of Latvian diplomats.

This is a quick and dynamic response, but its true extent will not be known until officials, diplomats and lawyers consider the details of the sanctions, which must be drawn up to meet the legal challenges.

The Greek proposal for Belarus

The road to a statement by the leaders of the European Council, condemning the hijacking of the plane, while calling for a ban on flights to EU from the national airline of Belarus showed the Greek diplomats from the beginning of the discussion, a proposal that was finally adopted by the “27”.

Mitsotakis meeting with the President of Lithuania

Shortly before the start of the European Council o Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a four-on-four with the Lithuanian president Nauseated Gypsies. Government sources said that the Lithuanian president thanked the Greek Prime Minister for his clear statement on the unacceptable incident, while agreeing that there should be a strong European reaction to this unprecedented and condemnable action. The same sources add that the Greek government is cooperating at all levels with the European authorities, in order to examine whether the persons who did not continue for Vilnius are involved in the case.

ICAO holds an extraordinary meeting

Meanwhile, o President of the International Civil Aviation Organization convened an extraordinary meeting of the UN body – 36 diplomatic representatives – for the 27th of May with the subject of the forced landing of a Ryanair aircraft in Belarus. In the event of a proven breach of international regulations, ICAO’s role is to assist countries that wish to discuss, condemn, and impose sanctions under the Chicago Convention.