The cube has been rolled: The EU-27 is expanding the scope of sanctions against Belarus

The EU is expanding the scope of sanctions against the Belarussian authorities to deal with hybrid attacks and the instrumentalization of migrants, according to a Council statement.

The communiqué states that the Council today amended the sanctions regime in view of the situation on the EU – Belarus border, in order to be able to respond to the instrumentalization of human beings carried out by the Belarusian regime for political purposes.

The sanctions regime has been amended by a Council Decision and a Council Regulation, which extend the criteria. The EU will now be able to target individuals and entities that organize or contribute to the Lukashenko regime’s activities that facilitate the illegal crossing of the EU’s external borders.

“Today ‘s decision reflects the European Union’ s determination to resist the instrumentalisation of migrants for political purposes. We reject this inhumane and illegal practice. accordingly, “said Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Today’s decision follows the conclusions of the European Council of 21 and 22 October 2021, in which EU leaders stated that they would not accept any attempt by third countries to employ migrants for political purposes, condemned all hybrid attacks on the EU border and confirmed that the EU will respond accordingly.

It is recalled that on 10 November the High Representative issued a statement on behalf of the EU, strongly condemning the Lukashenko regime for deliberately endangering the lives and well-being of people, and inciting the crisis at the EU’s external borders, to an attempt to divert attention from the situation in Belarus, where brutal repression and human rights violations continue and even worsen.

Von der Layen: We will hit airlines with sanctions

The European Union (EU) will impose further sanctions, including on airlines, to deal with the “lazy” way in which Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko uses immigrants, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. the Reuters agency.

The foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states are currently meeting in Brussels and are expected to decide to extend sanctions against Belarus, as well as airlines operating flights from the Middle East to Minsk, in order to transport migrants who end up in eastern borders of the EU.

“We are also trying to help the countries of origin,” he said in a teleconference from Munich. “Russian President Vladimir Putin is influencing Lukashenko and he needs to use it,” he said. “The coming days will be decisive.”