Europe in dilemma over Poland-Belarus migrant crisis

Europe, News November 19, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

European Union (EU) is witnessing one of the biggest challenges as thousands of migrants, mainly from the Middle East, seeking entry into the EU have flared tensions along the Belarusian-Polish border. Thousands are trapped in makeshift camps in freezing weather between Poland and Belarus in recent weeks.

Poland-Belarus border crisis
Tensions escalated at the Poland-Belarus border in recent days, with about 2,000 stuck between the two countries. Polish forces at the border have used water cannons and tear gas against some migrants. Poland’s defense minister said that the crisis at the border could take months to resolve. In recent months, a wave of migrants from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and other countries, have been camped in the Białowieża Forest at the border in cold weather.

The migrants are attempting to cross into Poland which is a member of the European Union. Poland represents a doorway to Europe for migrants fleeing conflict in their countries.

Belarus has been accused of encouraging migrants to cross into Poland. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said his forces may have helped migrants cross into Poland but denied inviting thousands in to provoke a border crisis.

“I told them I’m not going to detain migrants on the border, hold them at the border, and if they keep coming from now on I still won’t stop them, because they’re not coming to my country, they’re going to yours,” he told BBC in an interview.

On November 19, Polish authorities there are no more migrants camping along the Belarus side but attempts at illegally crossing are continuing. Meanwhile, Ukraine, which also borders Belarus, said it would build a border fence to block any attempted influx of migrants.

Belarus vs EU
EU accuses Minsk of stoking tensions by pushing the migrants and refugees towards the EU in retaliation for sanctions. Lukashenko denies the allegations and charges the EU with violating human rights by denying safe passage to people.
Belarus has some 7,000 migrants are in the country. Lukashenko has proposed returning 5,000 migrants to their home countries and urged the EU to take 2,000 of the stranded migrants in a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

This week, hundreds of Iraqis who had camped for weeks at the borders flew back home on a flight from Minsk.

Sanctions
The EU has agreed to impose new sanctions against Belarus which will include “people, airlines, travel agencies and everyone involved in this illegal push of migrants against our borders”, EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
EU Union Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson accused Belarus of engaging in “an act of state-sponsored migrant smuggling” and said sanctions were “our most effective tools in this struggle.”

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pledged to target those involved in “human trafficking” adding that “This inhumane system of using refugees as tools to exert pressure on the European Union … has got worse over the last days.”

NATO offers support
NATO has announced support for allies affected by the Belarus migrant crisis, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said “NATO stands in full solidarity with all affected allies.” He also expressed concerns over the Belarusian government’s “use of vulnerable people as a means to put pressure on other countries is cynical and inhumane.”