Lithuania is reporting soaring numbers of illegal migrants entering its country from outside the bloc. This has led to ministers from nine EU countries demanding that Brussels gets wise to the Belarusian regime using asylum seekers in a geopolitical war against the bloc. Local officials in Lithuania have now reported more than 4,110 people have illegally crossed into their country via Belarus.
EU officials accused the country’s strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately facilitating illegal crossings as revenge for EU sanctions against his regime.
It has been claimed that Belarus is actively helping people smugglers transfer migrants into Lithuania and Poland.
The would-be asylum seekers arrive in Minsk, mainly from Iraq, via direct flights before being allowed to travel to the EU’s borders.
One European official described this as a “desperate” move to put pressure on Brussels over the sanctions.
A joint letter from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Lithuania and the Netherlands called on the EU Commission to respond to “these tactics”.
The group of nations said the use of illegal immigration to fight battles is a “new trend” in geopolitics.
Belarusian President Lukashenko, Europe’s last dictator, has previously been accused of waging a “hybrid war” against the EU.
In response to the growing number of migrant crossings into Lithuania, Brussels has offered ￡31million in support to the eastern state.
The cash will be used to set up shelters, offer medical care and process asylum cases.
Lithuanian premier Ingrida Simonyte told the Politico website: “We appreciate the initial Commission’s assistance for tackling organised irregular migration to Europe via the eastern EU border.”
“All our efforts are and shall be addressed to protecting the EU from the networks of people smugglers.”
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The uproar comes just a day after Mr Barnier, the EU’s former Brexit negotiator, insisted that European immigration policy “does not work” and time should be taken to review the rules.
The Frenchman, who is mounting a challenge against Emmanuel Macron in next year’s presidential election, has faced for non-EU immigration to be stopped for up to five years.
In an interview with French radio, Mr Barnier said: “Overall, immigration policy does not work in Europe as it does not work in France. That’s why I’m making this moratorium proposal.
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“I try to be honest and address issues that are extremely serious. Let’s take the time to reconsider procedures that are not working. Let’s see why we still have people who committed crimes.
“I'm obviously thinking of Father Olivier Maire, who was assassinated two days ago, and I don't want to use this dramatic case, but we have to learn a lesson from it.”
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega