EU commission plans to blacklist smugglers
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday
What: Reuters
Those who earn by smuggling migrants will face difficulty doing business in the EU in the future. The European Union Commission is planning to blacklist such companies. The chair of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that she would triple aid to border security.
DThe European Union Commission on Tuesday proposed a blacklist for travel companies that provide all kinds of services from visas to flights and hotels to taxis to transport migrants from various crisis countries to western borders. Such companies may lose their authorization to offer their services, refuel or maintain their means of transport in the EU.
For weeks, thousands of migrants have been trying to cross the EU’s external borders from Belarus to Poland, Lithuania or Latvia. Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko transports people from troubled areas to Minsk to be smuggled into the European Union. “In its strategy, Belarus in particular relies on the collusion of tour operators and their middlemen,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said before the European Parliament.
According to EU transport commissioner Adina Valen, the period of inclusion in the blacklist should be valid for one year and then it should be extended. The proposal is now being discussed with member states and the European Parliament. It may take months, if not more, to be accepted. Vallian talked about a “containment” tool that he hopes will never need to be used.
European Union Council President Charles Michel also specified details of a new package of sanctions against Belarus that the foreign ministers of member states launched a good week ago. According to Michel, Belarusian airline Belavia will no longer be allowed to lease aircraft from airlines in the European Union.
Acceptance of the sanctions list is “imminent”, Michels stressed. The new punitive measures are aimed at affecting airlines, travel agencies and other responsible parties involved in smuggling through Belarus. The list of affected people could be officially adopted in the coming week.
EU Commission increases aid for border security
Commission President von der Leyen also announced that the affected EU countries Poland, Lithuania and Latvia would be given triple aid to secure their borders. You should get another 200 million euros. Czech President Milos Zeman and the heads of government of Hungary and Slovakia offered to send troops and police officers. No one took the name of the number. Lithuania announced that 1,000 to 2,000 troops regularly supported border guards on the EU’s eastern outer border with Belarus.
According to Polish government sources, Belarus is said to have repatriated hundreds of refugees from the Middle East to their home countries. After at least one flight last week, another plane with 118 migrants took off from Minsk on Monday, said Stanisaw Jarin, spokesman for the Polish secret services coordinator, according to the PAP news agency. This figure was also confirmed by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Minsk.
“But this is no evidence that the Lukashenko regime is moving away from its strategic plan,” Zarin insisted to the Polish TV channel TVP Info, which is close to the government. It is too early to see this as a step towards de-escalation. There are also indications that more migrants are being brought to the border.
