EU High Representative: Lukashenka's Regime Must Be Brought to Justice

Josep Borrel made an official statement regarding the situation on the Belarus-Poland border.

The European Union will continue to act against illegal migration, sponsored by the Belarusian regime. Such a statement was made by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.

"The Belarusian regime's planned use of vulnerable people as a tool to achieve political goals has taken on an alarming new dimension in recent days. Groups of migrants, accompanied by armed personnel of Belarusian security forces, are moving towards the borders of the EU Member States to illegally breach them," reads the statement.

Borrell notes it shows "the cynicism of the Belarusian regime, which, fuelling the crisis on the EU external borders, is trying to distract attention from the situation in the country, where brutal repression and human rights violations are continuing and even worsening".

He said the EU strongly condemned the Lukashenka regime for deliberately endangering people's lives and well-being.

"It not only violates international law but also ignores the fundamental human rights that Belarus has accepted. Such inhumane acts require a strong international response and cooperation to hold the regime in Belarus accountable for these violations. International organizations must have immediate and unimpeded access to people to deliver humanitarian aid to them," added EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

Borrell also expressed full solidarity with the [EU] member states "affected by this hybrid attack".

"We are closely cooperating with the countries of origin and transit to put an end to the actions of the Lukashenka regime. This also serves the interests of the citizens of the countries of origin. We welcome the efforts of countries such as Iraq, which are taking specific steps in this direction," he added.

"The EU will continue to counter state-sponsored irregular migration, including migrant smuggling organised by the Belarusian regime. We will expand our sanctions to target actors or facilitators of the Lukashenka regime's activities in facilitating the illegal crossing of the external borders of the European Union. The use of migrants as a tool to achieve political goals cannot be tolerated," he said. - We will also continue to condemn the human rights violations committed by the regime against its citizens, consider further restrictive measures against the perpetrators and support the people of Belarus.

It was reported that the EU might impose new sanctions against Belarus in the near future. They will aim at about 30 Belarusian individuals and entities, including Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei and the Belavia company.

Also, Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen says the EU will consider the issue of imposing sanctions against airlines of third countries due to the situation with migration at the Polish-Belarusian border.

Let's recall that the Lukashenka regime staged a large-scale provocation on the Polish border on November 8. Thousands of migrants under the control of Belarusian special services stormed the Polish border. The Polish side reports that up to 10 thousand illegal immigrants may take part in the next border storms.