Austrian Chancellor: Those Involved in the Migration Crisis in Belarus Will Be Held Accountable for Their Actions

The EU must act decisively not to create similar precedents in the future.

Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schellenberg said that those responsible for human rights violations in Belarus will sooner or later bear responsibility for their actions, eurointegration.com reports.

“It is very important for us that we want to continue the fight against impunity. Perpetrators of grave human rights violations should know that one day, sooner or later, they will be held accountable for their actions. There will be no impunity in the situation with Belarus,” Schellenberg said.

According to him, the EU should act decisively in order not to create similar precedents in the future.

“We saw a similar situation last spring on the Turkish-Greek border. I must say frankly that today's situation is not unique. And how we react now can set a precedent and send a signal to third countries that “yes, you can blackmail the EU.” Therefore, I believe that we must respond clearly and jointly, and we have legal grounds to help Poland,” the Chancellor said.

“I don’t understand why Lithuanian or Polish taxpayers should bear all the burden of protecting our common external border. Therefore, I am in favor of helping these countries,” he added.