MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th August, 2021) The Russian Foreign Ministry is surprised to see that Western countries accuse Belarus of encouraging illegal migration from the middle East and North Africa to the European Union, the ministry's Commissioner for Human Rights Grigory Lukyantsev said in an interview with Sputnik.
Recently, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland have been expressing concerns over the influx of illegal migrants on the border with Belarus. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko insists Belarus will no longer restrain the flow of illegal migrants to the EU, since it has "neither money nor energy" to do it due to the sweeping Western sanctions.
"To be honest, we find it really surprising that Minsk is accused of consistently creating and encouraging illegal migration from the Middle East and North Africa to the EU countries," Lukyantsev said.
The Russian diplomat pointed to the increasing external pressure on Belarus amid the growing domestic security threats.
"In these conditions, the Belarusian law enforcement agencies have to focus on ... maintaining stability inside the country. As for the claims and questions arising among EU member states bordering Belarus, ... we advise them to establish constructive dialogue with the Belarusian authorities," Lukyantsev added.
The foreign ministry does not rule out there could be some Russians among the illegal migrants stuck on the Belarus-Lithuania border, but it has not yet received a list of Names or any "official notifications" from Vilnius, the diplomat continued.
Moscow will thoroughly study any appeal it could receive from Lithuania, Lukyantsev assured.
"If such facts are confirmed, then the return of these persons to the Russian Federation should be carried out in full compliance with the Russian-EU readmission agreement, signed on May 25, 2006," Lukyantsev concluded.
