Today (1 December), the Commission put forward a set of asylum and return measures to assist Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in addressing the emergency situation at the EU's external border with Belarus. The measures are temporary, claim to respect fundamental rights. ‘Extraordinary and exceptional’ The measures will apply for a period of 6 months, unless extended or repealed, and will apply to non-EU nationals who have irregularly entered the EU from Belarus and include: an extended registration period form 3-10 days to 4 weeks, with an appeal period of 16 weeks; reception conditions covering basic needs, including temporary shelter adapted to the seasonal weather conditions; a simplified return process. Article 78(3) The measures come under Article 78(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: “In the event of one or more Member States being confronted by an emergency situation characterised by a sudden inflow of nationals of third countries, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may adopt provisional measures for the benefit of the Member State(s) concerned. It shall act after consulting the European Parliament.” The Commission say that their action are in line with the conclusions of the October European Council, where member states asked it to come forward with proposals to help those countries bordering Belarus to deal with what is considered by the EU to be a “state-sponsored instrumentalisation of people”. ‘We are family’ Vice President Margaritis Schinas was at pains to describe today's proposal as a demonstration of European solidarity: “The management of the external borders of the European Union is not a question that only concerns those who are by geography obliged to protect it, it’s a common collective responsibility.” Commissioner Johansson stressed that the European Union was still protecting fundamental rights, but the MEPs - who will only be consulted on this proposal - are already raising their concerns. Birgit Sippel, S&D (Social Democrat) spokesperson for justice and home affairs, said: “Vice-President Margaritis Schinas today said he wants to be unrelenting against Belarus. Yet, the emergency measures proposed by the Commission are in fact unrelenting against vulnerable people in search of protection. The measures also play straight into the hands of the governments that want to use the plight of vulnerable migrants to spread anxiety and fear about a migration crisis at the EU’s borders.” Tineke Strik MEP, Greens/EFA Coordinator in the Civil Liberties Committee, said: “The Commission has caved in to far-right pressure from the Polish government and blackmail from the Belarusian dictator, and thrown European values to the wayside. Instead of enforcing EU asylum law and starting infringement procedures, the Commission choses to allow the illegal practices of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia at EU borders.”

The EU’s foreign ministers agreed today (15 November) to amend its sanctions regime in view of the situation at the EU’s border with Belarus. The EU will now be able to target individuals and entities organising, or contributing to activities by the Lukashenko regime that facilitate illegal crossing of the EU's external borders. The EU has strongly condemned the Lukashenko regime for deliberately putting people’s lives and wellbeing in danger, and stirring up the crisis at the EU’s external borders, which they see as an attempt to distract attention from the situation in Belarus, where brutal repression and human rights violations are continuing and even worsening. The EU High Representative Josep Borrell said that the EU had already made a lot of progress in stemming the flow of migrants from different countries. Vice-President Schinas’ visits to the UAE, Lebanon, and outreach to airline CEOs across the region has been effective. Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said that Turkish Airlines and Iraqi Airlines have been particularly accommodating, in addition the Arab Air Carriers Organisation and IATA have also helped. The Turkish authorities will also prevent Belarus airline Belavia from using the Middle East network of Turkish Airlines, thus preventing it from flying migrants to Minsk via Istanbul. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis called for Minsk airport to become a no-fly zone, but also said that organisations, such as the United Nations, need to help with safe return of migrants who have arrived in Lithuania and Poland. Some have criticized the EU’s progressive expansion of measures against the regime. The European External Action Service’s spokesperson said that this gradual approach was the best approach and was proving to be successful. A total of 166 individuals and 15 entities are currently designated under the sanctions regime on Belarus. These include President Alexandr Lukashenko and his son and national security adviser, Viktor Lukashenko, as well as other key figures in the political leadership and the government, high-level members of the judicial system and several prominent economic actors. Measures against designated persons include travel bans and an assets freeze. The Council decided in June to strengthen the existing restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus by introducing a ban on the overflight of EU airspace and on access to EU airports by Belarusian carriers of all kinds and imposing targeted economic sanctions. The new sanctions could include airlines, travel agencies and anyone who could be shown to be involved in the illegal push of migrants.

In a statement issued yesterday evening (8 November), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes by Belarus as “unacceptable”. Despite the EU’s offer to assist Poland with Frontex, the European Civil Protection Mechanism and Europol support, the Polish side has not requested help from the EU, while also complaining that it has been left alone by the EU in this crisis. President of the European Parliament David Sassoli tweeted that the Belarusian regime must stop exploiting migrants and asylum seekers for political power games, while also calling on Poland to accept the EU's offer to help vulnerable people in an orderly manner and prevent a further escalation. European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said: “Our urgent priority is to turn off the supply coming into Minsk airport. While we step up outreach with partner countries, I will continue to prioritise the protection of the integrity of our shared external borders.” Von der Leyen said that she had spoken to the prime ministers of the frontline countries, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš to express the EU's solidarity and discuss with them the measures the EU can take to support them in their efforts to deal with this crisis. The President also called on member states to “finally approve the extended sanctions regime on the Belarusian authorities responsible for this hybrid attack”. The European External Action Service, Peter Stano, Vice-President Schinas, in coordination with High Representative/Vice-President Borrell, will travel in the coming days to the main countries of origin and of transit to ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities. The itinerary will be announced later today. Sanctioning airlines The EU is also exploring the possibility of sanctioning those airlines who have facilitated “human trafficking”. Flights into Minsk have come from Russia (70), Turkey (302), UAE (12), Syria (7), Iraq (4), Lebanon (2). Russia The Commission’s external action service spokesperson Peter Stano said that Russia and its role is being evaluated, including the high number of flights from Russia. Putin has backed Lukashenko, who is increasingly isolated after orchestrating a brutal crackdown on pro-democratic opposition after losing elections in August 2020. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda about the situation at the border and the use of migrants as a hybrid tactic. He said that NATO stood in solidarity with Poland and all our allies in the region. Humanitarian help The Commission is in discussion with the UN and its specialized agencies on how to prevent a humanitarian crisis from unfolding and to ensure that migrants can be safely returned to their country of origin, with the support of their national authorities.

Today (21 June), the EU announced a further 78 individuals and eight entities to be added to its Belarus sanction list. The measures were coordinated with Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Further economic sanctions are expected to be announced at this week’s European Council of heads of government. The grounding of a Ryanair flight flying from Athens to Vilnius in Minsk resulting in the detention of journalist Roman Pratasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega on 23 May has galvanized the EU’s foreign affairs council into taking tougher measures against Belarus. The hijacking, which took place just before a special European Council resulted in a call for the additional measures. Foreign ministers also had the opportunity to meet the leader of Belarus’s democratic opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ahead of today’s meeting over breakfast. Borrell said that ministers listened attentively to her assessment of the current situation and her call for the European Union to continue maintaining a determined position. Tskihanouskaya later went on to meet with the Commission Vice President for Values, Věra Jourová. Borrell reiterated that the European Union remains ready to support a future democratic Belarus with a comprehensive plan of economic support of up to €3 billion for a democratic Belarus. Asked about whether sanctions would push Lukashenko towards Putin, Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielieu Landsbergis said that Tsikhanouskay told ministers that we don’t have to be naive about the measures pushing Lukashenko towards Putin, he is already bundled with Putin. Lukashenko has deliberately directed migrants towards Lithuania which has taken in around 500 asylum seekers in the last month. Lithuania more than any other EU country bordering Belarus has been targeted for its outspoken condemnation of the regime, it has also harboured many Belarusians fleeing for safety. Lukashenko said publicly that he would stop deterring migrants going to Lithuania, there is also some evidence that more flights into Belarus from Baghdad and Turkey are channelling migrants to the country. US, Canada, UK and EU The coordinated statement of the US, Canada, UK and the EU called for an adherence to democratic principles, and engagement with the international community, it stated: “We are further united in our call for the Lukashenko regime to cooperate fully with international investigations into the events of 23 May; immediately release all political prisoners; implement all the recommendations of the independent expert mission under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism; and, enter into a comprehensive and genuine political dialogue between the authorities and representatives of the democratic opposition and civil society, facilitated by the OSCE.”

Tsikhanouskaya says Belarus is becoming the North Korea of Europe: ‘nontransparent, unpredictable and dangerous’. Tsikhanouskaya, the elected leader of Belarus who is now living in exile was invited to an exchange of views with members of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday (26 May). The meeting took place following recent events in Belarus, including the unprecedented forced landing of the Ryanair flight in Minsk Belarus and the detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega. Tsikhanouskaya said: “Since the rigged elections of August 2020, the regime has completely lost the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Let us be frank, the previous EU strategy of wait and see towards the Belarusian regime doesn't work. “The EU approach of gradually elevated pressure on the Lukashenko regime has not managed to change his behavior and has only led to a growing sense of impunity and messy repressions. “I call on the European Parliament to make sure that the reaction of the international community is not limited to the Ryanair flight incident. The response must address the situation in Belarus in its entirety, or we will all face such situations in the future, Lukashenko is turning my country into the North Korea of Europe: nontransparent, unpredictable and dangerous.” Tsikhanouskaya highlighted three other recent developments: the elimination of Tutby media; the death of political activist Vitold Ashurak in prison custody; and the decision to delay the next national vote until the end of 2023.