DISINFO: EU applies double standards on migration issues to pressure Minsk
SUMMARY
Brussels is well aware that the influx of immigrants from Belarus is incomparable with the number of refugees arriving in southern European countries. However, Brussels prefers to put more pressure on Minsk.
What we are seeing now is a manifestation of double standards and hypocrisy of Brussels, which gives carte blanche to Lithuania and Poland for practically any measures against migrants, just to complicate the life of Belarus.
RESPONSE
Disinformation about the EU and an influx of irregular migrants via Belarus.
In July and August 2021, Lithuania has faced unprecedented migration crisis with sharp increase of arrivals of migrants and asylum seekers coming from the Middle East and Africa and entering Lithuania via the border with Belarus.
Lithuania officially linked the influx of irregular migrants to the actions of Belarusian authorities. The minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis noted that “Lukashenko seeks to weaponise migration to weaken our resolve for sanctions”.
On her visit to Lithuania Commissioner Ylva Johansson stressed that the situation at Lithuanian-Belarusian border was an act of agression from the Lukashenka regime.
See also the investigation of Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT about the migrant smuggling scheme enabled by the Minsk regime.
The European Union has supported Lithuania in its efforts to protect the external EU border and ensure adequate conditions for people crossing the border. Read more here.
The situation at the Belarusian borders, when the Belarusian authorities are attempting to instrumentalise the plight of migrants is different from the migration crisis in Europe in 2015. Read more about the EU actions here.
This claim appeared in the same article as allegation that Lithuanian border guards use violence against migrants, including abandoning pregnant women.