On 16 December, the European Council adopted conclusions on COVID-19, crisis management and resilience, security and defence, external aspects of migration and external relations. The Belarusian issue is also mentioned in the document.
“The European Council strongly condemns the instrumentalisation of migrants and refugees by the Belarusian regime and the humanitarian crisis it has created. The EU will continue to counter the hybrid attack launched by Belarus with a determined response, addressing all dimensions of the crisis in line with EU law and international obligations, including fundamental rights,” the statement reads.
The Council underlined in particular the importance of effectively protecting the EU’s external borders, including by strengthening the EU’s legal framework; combatting smuggling and trafficking; ensuring unhindered access for international organisations in Belarus and stepping up humanitarian support; supporting the return of migrants from Belarus.
Notably, the Council stressed the need of ‘promptly implementing restrictive measures, following the adoption of the fifth package of listings’, and ‘being prepared to adopt further measures as necessary’. The EU body also reiterated its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and for an end to the repression of civil society and independent media.
On December 2, the European Union adopted the 5th package of sanctions against the Lukashenka regime over its human rights abuses and fostering the migrant crisis on the borders of the EU.
During Wednesday’s press conference following the EaP summit in Brussels, Belsat TV journalist Alina Koushyk asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen whether Europe was ready to eliminate the loopholes in the sanctions imposed on the Lukashenka regime.
“There should be no loopholes in sanctions, we are trying to remove them. We are working [on it]. Sanctions should work. In the situation with Belarus, we have seen how effectively we can work if the EU acts in a quick and coordinated manner. We can achieve a lot in such case. We introduced immediate sanctions when there was a common position on Belarus, it changed the situation, and thousands of migrants returned home. Our joint sanctions do work,” she answered.
belsat.eu
