WARSAW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2021) The Lithuanian and Polish prime ministers on Friday issued a joint statement, calling on the European partners to expand sanctions against neighboring Belarus over Minsk's alleged assistance to EU-bound illegal immigrants.
"In this unprecedented for our region situation, Lithuania and Poland call upon the EU and its Member States to continue and step up urgent diplomatic, financial and technical support to Lithuania in its fight with the consequences of the criminal actions of the Lukashenka regime. We call on the EU institutions to use all means at their disposal to cut the new irregular migration route at its inception, as soon as possible," Lithuania's Ingrida Simonyte and Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki said.
The ministers added that Warsaw and Vilnius condemned Minsk's alleged "weaponization" of irregular migration with a goal of exerting political pressure on the European Union.
"We appeal to the European Commission, [European Border and Coast Guard Agency] Frontex, [European Asylum Support Office] EASO, all EU Member States and our partners outside the EU for the political and practical support provided in dealing with this challenge," the joint statement read.
Lithuania has accused Belarus of letting migrants cross the border to get into the European Union in retaliation for imposing sweeping economic sanctions against Minsk. The Belarusian president, in turn, argues that his government cannot afford to enhance border security because of the sanctions. More than 4,000 illegal migrants have been detained in Lithuania on the border with Belarus since the beginning of the year.
