Poland Urged the EU Not to Give Lukashenka Money for Migrants but Only Food and Medicines

The regime uses the transferred funds for propaganda.

In recent weeks, the European Commission has engaged in humanitarian support for illegal migrants in Belarus. This is done through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Associations, tvp.info writes.

Disputes over funds transferred to Belarus

However, national Red Cross committees differ from each other. If in democratic countries they are independent and are strictly engaged in humanitarian activities, then, in the case of authoritarian states or regimes, they are 100 percent controlled by the authorities.

An example of this is the Belarusian Red Cross, which is under the complete control of the authorities in Minsk.

In recent weeks, the European Commission has several times transferred EU funds to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Associations, through which the money went to the Belarusian Red Cross controlled by Lukashenka. The last tranche totaled 200 thousand euros.

Some EU countries, including Poland and Lithuania, warn that when the Belarusian regime organizes the smuggling of people, the EU should not transfer funds to an organization controlled by Minsk.

This topic was raised several times at the meetings of the ambassadors of the member states to the EU in Brussels by the Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU, Andrzej Sados. The diplomat also touched on it in a conversation with the EU Emergency Situations Commissioner Janis Lenarcic.

Food, not money

“In recent days, I have several times informed the European Commission and diplomats of the member states that the Belarusian regime will use EU measures for propaganda purposes and attacks on the EU. On Friday, what we warned the commission about happened. Aliaksandr Lukashenka appeared in the camp, funded by the Belarusian Red Cross from the EU money, saying that Belarus helps migrants, while Poland does not help and does not want to let them into its territory. Lukashenka was in the camp with representatives of the Belarusian Red Cross. We have warned that the regime should not receive direct financial subsidies from the EU,” Sados said in response to this question.

The Polish side points out that humanitarian support is necessary, but should be in the form of material assistance, for example, the supply of food and medicine. It is emphasized that there are other organizations through which assistance can be transferred - the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or the International Organization for Migration. However, Lukashenka does not allow these organizations to act in Belarus.

Convoys with humanitarian aid

“On the Polish border, there are convoys with humanitarian aid, which we want to give to refugees, including tents, sleeping bags, food, medicine. Unfortunately, the authorities in Minsk do not want to transfer this support,” Sados added.

The Polish ambassador wants to once again raise the issue in talks with the EU countries this week. “No one doubts the good intentions of the European Commission, but one cannot accept the fact that the regime in Minsk is using EU money for propaganda purposes,” he points out.

Lukashenka arrived on Friday at a logistics center in Bruzgi near the border with Poland, where the Belarusian authorities temporarily accommodated more than 2,000 migrants. This was reported by the Belarusian state media.

“I would like to address the German people (...) Please take these people to your place. Two thousand people is not a big problem for Germany, and Chancellor Merkel agreed to this, but the Poles are blocking everything,” Rzeczpospolita quotes the dictator.

“I would also like to address the Polish people, friendly and hardworking, with whom we have always been good neighbors. I am addressing the Polish people not because they have no power, but because the Polish authorities have gone mad and lost touch with reality (...). They want to divert attention from internal problems at the expense of these unfortunate people. Dear Poles, contact your politicians,” Lukashenka said in the migrant camp.

“I strongly ask that we don’t need a clash, let alone a war. Let them go to Germany; they did not come to us and do not want to stay in Poland. Let them through, and the problem will be solved,”Lukashenka said.

The West accuses Belarus of artificially creating the crisis by granting visas to migrants in response to the sanctions imposed on Minsk. The Belarusian authorities reject these charges.

The Polish side reports on constant attempts to cross the border illegally, as well as attempts to overcome it by force.