The European Union will expand sanctions against Belarus at the beginning of next week as the bloc accuses Minsk of forcing thousands of migrants toward its border.
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Poland and the EU have accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of trying to retaliate against EU sanctions by deliberately inviting and forcing migrants toward the Polish border.
EU countries bordering Belarus Lithuania, Latvia and Poland have reported a dramatic spike in the number of irregular crossings since August.
NATO and the EU consider Belarus’ approach toward migrants an effort to destabilize and undermine security in the bloc through non military means.
According to the EU’s latest figures, 7,935 people tried to enter the bloc via the Belarus EU border so far this year, up sharply from just 150 last year.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko threatened on Belarus is ready to hit back hard at the new packages of European sanctions, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he hosted a meeting with the senior officials of the Council of Ministers in Minsk on 11 November, BelTA has learned.[break]
"They have started to intimidate us with the fifth package. With regard to this fifth package, the prime minister has been instructed to think of retaliatory measures.
"Poland is threatening us with the border closure.
"They are welcome to do it. The fewer opposition minded people will go there. But the point is not about that. I have just heard what these brainless people have been babbling about. They are contemplating the closure of transit through Belarus.
"But it will not go through Ukraine as the Russian border is closed there. There are no routes through the Baltic states. But if it is us who will close it for Poles and, for example, Germans, what will happen then? We should not stop at anything when defending our sovereignty and independence," Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
The head of state also noted that the main transnational gas pipeline Yamal goes through Belarus, and recently Russia has significantly increased the volume of gas transit to the West.
"I would recommend the leadership of Poland, Lithuanians and other brainless folk to think hard before opening mouth. But it is up to them. They are welcome to close the border," the Belarusian leader said. ■