2021 Belarus–European Union border crisis

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2021 Belarus-European Union border crisis
Part of 2020–2021 Belarusian protests
2021 Belarus-EU border crisis - general map.png
Map showing main routes of illegal migrants to the Belarus–EU border
Date7 July 2021 – present
(3 months, 3 weeks and 1 day)
Location
Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland
Caused by
Parties to the civil conflict
Refugee and migrant groups
Number
Unknown

Poland:

  • 10,000 soldiers

Lithuania:

  • Unknown

Latvia:

  • Unknown
Approx. 10,000
Casualties and losses
None
None
8 dead
1,500 detained
Migrant influx into Lithuania provoked by the border crisis
Border markers with a fence on the Lithuanian side

The 2021 Belarus–European Union border crisis is a migrant crisis manifested in a massive influx of Middle Eastern and African migrants (mainly from Iraq) to Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland via those countries' borders with Belarus. The crisis was triggered by the severe deterioration in Belarus–European Union relations, following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, the Ryanair Flight 4978 incident, and the attempted repatriation of Krystsina Tsimanouskaya.

The three EU nations have described the crisis as hybrid warfare by human trafficking of migrants, waged by Belarus against the European Union, and called on Brussels to intervene.[1][2]

Background[edit]

Main articles: 2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, and Ryanair Flight 4978

Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994. He claimed winning re-election in the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, and is currently not recognized in official capacity by the United States, the EU, the UK, Canada, and their allies. According to verified digital exit polls, Lukashenka lost the elections to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Lukashenka regime is widely accused of electoral fraud.[3][4] Numerous countries refused to accept the result of the election, as did the European Union, which imposed sanctions on Belarusian officials deemed to be responsible for "violence, repression and election fraud".[5] The results of the election also led to widespread protests in Belarus.

After the election, Lukashenka-controlled KGB brought the primary opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to the border with Lithuania and pushed her to cross the border under threats of repercussions, which could have possibly affected her children.[6] On 11 August, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius announced that Tsikhanouskaya was "safe" in Lithuania while also acknowledging that she had "few options".[7]

On 23 May 2021, Ryanair Flight 4978 was intercepted while in Belarusian airspace and forced to land to Minsk National Airport where two of its passengers, opposition activist and journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, were arrested by authorities. Following the incident, the United States, European Union, United Kingdom and Canada issued a joint statement on 21 June announcing further sanctions against members and supporters of the Belarusian government as well as Belarusian state-owned companies. These included individual travel bans, asset freezes and other sanctions.[8] The European Union also banned Belarusian carriers from flying into EU airspace and imposed economic sanctions on Belarus.[9]

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in July and August 2021, Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya criticized national coaches, who then tried to force her back to Belarus; she sought help at the airport and is seeking asylum in Poland.[2][10]

In Lithuania[edit]

Lithuanian and the European Union officials claimed that the illegal migration was weaponized by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko because of the international sanctions against Belarus which were imposed due to election fraud,[3][4] oppression of protests and forceful landing of Ryanair Flight 4978.[11][1] The move is purportedly seen as a response to the harsh sanctions the EU imposed on Belarus.[1][12][13] In June 2021, Lukashenko threatened to allow the human traffickers and drug smugglers to Europe.[11] Later Lukashenko talked about the possible emergence of armed migrants which was perceived by the Lithuanian officials to be a threat.[14]

The Belarus–Lithuania border is described as poorly protected, often with low wooden fences or small ditches.[15] Lithuania didn't have necessary infrastructure to accommodate large numbers of migrants.[16]

Events[edit]

Illegal migrants crossing
the Belarus–Lithuania border
Year Number
2015 280[17]
2017 72
2018 104
2019 46
2020 81[18]
2021 (by 7 August)[19] 4112

In the years preceding the crisis, the number of illegal migrants crossing to Lithuania via Belarus averaged around 70.[11] However, in June 2021 the number of illegal migrants detained rose to around 470.[11] Lithuanian officials claimed that Belarusian authorities were encouraging illegal migration from Iraq and Syria to Lithuania by organizing groups of refugees and helping them to cross the Belarusian-Lithuanian border.[20][13] European officials blamed Belarusian travel agencies for helping illegal migrants.[11][13] The majority of migrants were from Iraq, but citizens of other Middle Eastern and African countries were also among them.[11] Their final destination is usually not Lithuania, but Germany.[15] On 28 June, Belarus unilaterally withdrew from its readmission agreement with the EU.[17]

In July 2021, the number of illegal migrants in Lithuania rose to around 2600.[11]

The Belarusian representative in OSCE criticized European officials for politicizing the problem and not cooperating with Belarus.[11]

In August 2021 Lukashenka hinted on the possibility of sending not only illegal migrants but also radioactive materials for a "dirty bomb" through the border.[21]

Key features of human trafficking[edit]

Ethnic and religious minorities from Iraq (Kurds and Yazidis) are the most frequent category of illegal migrants.[22][11] According to the CBC investigation, Iraqis consciously used tensions between Belarus and Lithuania to sneak to the European Union.[23] It was reported that Iraqi TV repeatedly broadcast statements of Lukashenko about green light for illegal migration to the EU.[14][24] News about Belarus–EU tensions were discussed widely in Iraq.[23] Equally high attention to the news related to possible migration to the EU was also reported in Syria.[14] It was also reported that Belarusian authorities spread the fake news to attract migrants and use them against the EU.[16]

It was reported that Iraqi travel agencies were organizing "tourist trips" to Belarus.[17] According to reform.by investigation, in 2021 tourist agencies in Iraq reduced prices for tours to Belarus making them more affordable, and number of planes to Minsk was increased.[14] Belarusian travel agencies were also active in promoting "tours" to Belarus from Iraq.[16] Iraqi Airways made 4 flights from Baghdad to Minsk in a week.[17] On 2 August, it was announced that 3 new destinations to Minsk were opened from the Iraqi cities of Basra, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.[25] As a result, tours to Belarus was considered to be one of the easiest and safest ways to get to the EU.[14] State-owned airline Belavia was accused of orchestrating the influx of illegal migrants to Minsk.[26] Second major air route was Istanbul—Minsk flight operated by the Turkish Airlines.[27]

According to the investigation of Lithuanian state media LRT, Iraqi Kurds, claimed that they were told that entering the European Union via Belarus is legal. After a few days in Belarusian hotels migrants were collected, taken to the border and instructed to proceed on foot, believing that a car would be waiting for them in Lithuania. It was reported that they paid up to €15,000 for travel and tourist visas as well as US$3,000–4,000 deposit.[22] According to the investigation of Belarusian news server reform.by, people from the Middle East believe that they should destroy their passport in order to avoid deportation from the EU.[14] Belsat TV journalists found groups in social networks and Telegram groups which provide help and advice for those who cross the Belarus–Lithuania border. Videos of people crossing fences on the Lithuanian side were published there.[28] Migrants repeatedly used a legend story that they are students from Belarusian universities.[14][29][30] Journalist of Komsomolskaya Pravda noted that a flight from Baghdad to Minsk carried circa 180 people, but plane in the opposite direction carried only 5 people.[31]

Involvement of Belarusian authorities was unclear during first weeks of the crisis, but it became obvious after several published videos with Belarusian border guards assisting migrants and preventing them from returning to Belarus. In July, anonymous sources among Belarusian border guards claimed that their bosses had started to encourage cigarette smuggling via checkpoints and to encourage gaps in border cover.[14] Another border guard told reform.by about receiving a verbal order to turn a blind eye to illegal migrants.[14] It was also reported that Belarusian border guards stopped communicating with Lithuanian colleagues.[15] Lithuanian border guards claimed to have visual proofs representing assistance of human traffickers from the Belarusian side: for example, warning them of Lithuanian patrols approaching and indicating which direction to run.[15] On 3 August, Lithuanian authorities published footage made by a Frontex helicopter with a group of migrants and a special vehicle used by Belarusian Border Committee visible.[32] According to the Lithuanian minister of defence Arvydas Anušauskas, unidentified people wearing camouflage uniform instructed the migrants in Belarus before transfer to the border. They gave the migrants advices what to say under interrogation and what to keep silent about.[33] A number of migrants reported that Belarusian security forces helped them by coordinating sneaking through the border.[34]

Belarusian state-owned Tsentrkurort travel agency (Russian: Центркурорт; subordinated to the presidential administration of Belarus) is named among the organizations directly responsible for human trafficking.[14] On 13 August, Russian Dossier and German Spiegel published an investigation based on leaked documents of Tsentrkurort. According to this investigation, Tsentrkurort made business with different travel agencies, helped to make visas for hundreds of Iraqi citizens with a "hunting tour" as a legal justification of the tour. The company also organized the transfer of people from the airport to hotels in Minsk[a]. Oskartur travel agency (Russian: Оскартур) was named another major involved party in this particular scheme.[36][37] Use of "hunting tours" is supposed to be a legend story because the law against COVID-19 pandemic has two exceptions to avoid quarantine — business trips and hunting.[35] It was reported that several fly-by-night companies and two travel agencies (Oskartur and Vizak) got full access to the international zone of the Minsk airport and started to offer agent services for arrived migrants issuing visas on arrival. It was noted that these companies enjoyed the patronage of the airport staff and authorities, while other travel agencies weren't allowed to provide similar services for real tourists.[38]

Smugglers pick those migrants who managed to cross the border in the EU and transfer them westwards (usually to Germany).[39] In 2021, 250 human traffickers were detained by Podlaskie border guard division (Poland) only.[40] However, those migrants who fail to cross the border are often prohibited to return home from Belarus and are forced to stay on the border. A group of Yazidi migrants complained to reporters that they were beaten by Belarusian border guards when they tried to return to Iraq after unsuccessful attempt to sneak to Poland. Instead, the Belarusian border guards beat them and forced to stay on the border.[41]

Illegal migrants in Lithuania by
nationality, 2021 (as of 7 August 2021)
Nationality Number
Iraq 2,797
Republic of the Congo 200
Cameroon 131
Syria 130
Iran 91
Russia 91
Afghanistan 83
Other 589
Total 4,112
Source: Department of Statistics (Lithuania)[19]

Incidents[edit]

  • On 23 June 2021, migrants rioted in a camp in Pabrade and tear gas was used to suppress riots.[42]
  • On 23 July 2021, two children who illegally crossed the border with their families were hospitalized in Lithuania after Belarusian human traffickers gave them unknown pills to calm them down.[43] According to the tests, Belarusian human traffickers gave methadone pills to the children.[44]
  • On 26 July, migrants demanded to leave the camp, 16 migrants were detained.[17]
Uniform and equipment of Belarusian military men on a video published on 5 August resemble Internal Troops of Belarus (photo made during 2020 protests in Minsk)
  • On 5 August, Belarusian officials, wearing uniforms, riot shields and helmets, were recorded on camera near the Belarus–Lithuania border pushing and urging the migrants to cross the European Union border.[45]
  • On the night from 5 August to 6 August, Lithuanian officials reported that they saw Belarusian officials using signal flares and heard shooting of live ammunition from assault rifles into the air from the Belarusian side.[46]
  • On 7 August, Iraq announced that it is stopping all flights from Iraq to Minsk, except for empty planes which will return Iraqis from Belarus.[47]
  • On 18 August, Lithuanian State Border Guard Service published a video of 12 Belarusian officers in riot gear illegally crossed into the Lithuanian territory while pushing a group of migrants.[48][49][50]
  • On 9 September, Polish Border Guard published a video of Belarus military vehicles transporting migrants and instructing them on the Belarussian side of the border.[51]
  • On 7 October, Belarusian border guards reported a dead migrant from Sri Lanka found near the Lithuanian border.[52]

Lithuanian response[edit]

Lithuania–Belarus border in 2008

Illegal migration from Belarus forced Lithuania to declare a state of emergency on 7 July 2021.[53] Lithuania had no experience in dealing with large numbers of illegal migrants and a lack of places to accommodate them.[11] Tent camps which the Lithuanian officials described as "not comfortable" were built to accommodate migrants.[11] On 23 July 2021, Lithuanian authorities published a plan to build a container camp near Švenčionėliai for 40,000 migrants in the worst case scenario.[54]

In early July, Lithuania announced a plan to build a border barrier to stem the flow of illegal crossings.[55] On 24 July 2021, Estonia sent 100 km of barbed wire to help Lithuania to build the border barrier and three drones for the Lithuanian border guards.[56] Non-EU member Ukraine also announced that they would supply Lithuania with barbed wire.[57] Meanwhile, by the end of July, EU Frontex deployed 100 officers, 30 patrol cars and 2 helicopters to support Lithuania.[58] Poland provided another helicopter.[59]

In July, the Lithuanian Seimas passed a law (signed by president Gitanas Nausėda on 21 July) making deportation of illegal migrants from Lithuania easier.[60] Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis travelled to Baghdad to discuss the problem with the Iraqi authorities. During the trip, he requested the Iraqi government to halt the flights to Belarus.[23]

On 2 August, the Lithuanian government empowered border guards to expel migrants found near the border. The new powers were employed for the first time on 3 August, when several dozen migrants discovered by Lithuanian border guards were directed back to Belarus.[61]

As of 1 August 2021, none of the 230 asylum applications had been approved in Lithuania.[11] Public opinion in Lithuania opposes illegal migration and xenophobic sentiment is reported to have spread.[15] In July 2021, residents of Dieveniškės protested against proposed construction of a new camp in their region.[62] On 26 or 27 July, locals tried to block a road to the area near Rūdininkai where a migrant camp was to be placed.[63][17]

On 5 August 2021, the chief of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service presented a project of the proposed barrier for the entire Belarus-Lithuania border which would be 4 m (13 ft) high and would use multiple layers of the Concertina wire.[64] The cost of the project is estimated at €150 million and the Lithuanian parliament approved it as a matter of urgency.

Lithuanian officials said than on 7-8 August 2021 the number of migrants crossing into the country dropped to zero, after Lithuania sent reinforcements to the border area and began broadcasting warning messages in Arabic, Kurdish, French, Russian and English on loudspeakers.[65]

In Poland[edit]

See also: State of emergency in Poland (2021)
The Belarus–Poland border

On 12 July 2021, Polish President Andrzej Duda has stated that Poland will provide assistance to Lithuania.[66] In July 2021, Poland sent a humanitarian aid to Lithuania.[67] Following the granting of humanitarian visas to an Olympic athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya and her husband, Poland also accused Belarus of organizing a hybrid warfare as the number of migrants crossing the Belarus–Poland border sharply increased multiple times when compared to the 2020 statistics.[68][69]

As Belarus-Poland relations deteriorated further, migrants in Belarus began to be filtered into Poland.[70] On 6 August 2021, Poland reported 133 illegal crossings from Belarus over two days, which is more than the total number in the previous year,[71] with the total number of illegal crossings to date being 552.[72] On 9 August, Poland reported an additional 349 migrant arrivals over the weekend.[70]

In early August 2021, a group of 32 Afghans and 41 Iraqi Kurds appeared on the border in the aftermath of the fall of Kabul (2021) and were denied entry to either country, resulting in lines of military personnel on each side isolating the encamped migrants. Their appearance follows an influx of thousands of mostly Middle Eastern migrants that had crossed the border from Belarus into Poland and other eastern EU members Latvia and Lithuania in the months leading up to the fall of Kabul, with the EU claiming that Belarus purposefully engineered the migration in response to union sanctions. While the Belarusian government denied this accusation, Poland called it a "hybrid attack" on the bloc and said the migrants should not be allowed entry because they are technically still in Belarus. After the migrants sought asylum assistance, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) summoned Poland and Latvia to provide them "food, water, clothing, adequate medical care and, if possible, temporary shelter" for three weeks, according to a statement from the court on 25 August, although neither country was ordered to allow the migrants past the border.[73]

Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia released a joint statement, condemning the hybrid warfare of sending migrants over the borders.[74] Since 18 August 2021, Polish Armed Forces were sent to secure border with Belarus.[75] As a response to the migrant crisis, Poland is building an wall in its border with Belarus.[76][77]

In August 2021, A poll shown that 45 percent of the Polish public positively assess the government's handling of a migrant standoff on the Belarus-Poland border while 29 percent were critical of it and 26 percent had no opinion.[78]

In September 2021, Polish authorities estimated the number of migrants waiting to sneak from Belarus to the EU at 10,000.[79] On 20 September, Poland stated that nearly 7,000 attempts had been made to illegally cross the Polish-Belarusian border since August, with around 4,000 in September alone.[80] In October 2021, the number of attempts to cross the Belarus–Poland border rose to more than 500 daily and 15,000 during the year.[81]

On 6 October 2021, Polish minister of national defence Mariusz Błaszczak announced that the army will use military helicopters to patrol the border.[82]

On 8 October, Polish authorities published a video with Belarusian border guards helping the migrants cross the border.[83] On the same day, the Polish military reported the shooting (presumably with blank cartridges) from the Belarusian side.[84]

On 25 October, Polish media reported about a clash between the Polish soldiers and migrants near the village of Usnarz Górny. Two Polish soldiers were injured by branches and stones, and unidentified people attempted to break a razor wire n the border.[85]

Poland is planning to spend more than $400 million to build a border wall on Poland's border with Belarus.[86]

In Latvia[edit]

Illegal migrants numbers also exceeded the previous annual numbers in Latvia.[87]

On 13 August 2021, news portal of the Latvian Armed Forces sargs.lv published a video showing 3 cases of armed Belarusian border guards trying to expel migrants to Latvia and not let them return to Belarus.[88][89][90] Similar reports about Belarusian border guards who pushed out migrants from Belarus to Latvia appeared later.[91]

The Government of Latvia declared a state of emergency from 11 August until 10 November in the border municipalities of Ludza, Kraslava and Augsdaugava, and also in Daugavpils city.[90][92] The government prohibited the submission of applications for refugee status in these border regions, and all migrants captured there had to return to Belarus.[93] President of Latvia Egils Levits said that migrants can seek asylum in Belarus.[94]

Other responses[edit]

European Union[edit]

Top officials of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission, condemned the usage of migrants as a weapon and suggested that Belarus could be subject to further sanctions.[12] On 29 July, Home Affairs Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, announced that the EU was pressing Iraq to suspend migrant flights between Iraq and Belarus. Iraq had previously promised to establish a joint commission with the EU to address the issue.[95]

Germany[edit]

Germany is often named the primary destination of migrants.[96][97][41] German authorities reported significantly increased number of migrants arriving from Poland and Belarus to Germany: 26 migrants arrived via Belarus in January–July, 474 in August, 1914 in September, 1934 in the first 11 days of October. The influx of migrants forced the authorities to place additional tents at the asylum reception centers in Brandenburg. Concerns about possible spread of COVID-19 by migrants were voiced.[98] In October 2021, German foreign minister Heiko Maas said that the airlines that carry migrants to Belarus "make themselves into helpers of the rulers in Minsk."[99]

Estonia[edit]

In July 2021, Estonia condemned the human trafficking organized by Belarusian authorities and sent its border patrols, tents to boost the protection of the Belarus–Lithuania border.[100][101][102] On 6 August 2021, Estonia announced that it will raise the question of migrant crisis at the United Nations Security Council.[103]

Human rights issues[edit]

The legal status of migrants became more vulnerable after Belarus unilaterally withdrew from the readmission agreement with the EU,[14] and up to 40% of migrants in Lithuanian camps belong to vulnerable groups.[23] EU leaders have supported the Lithuanian government in its efforts.[12]

On 4 August 2021, Belarusian border guards claimed that they found an Iraqi man in "serious" condition in Benyakoni, near the border with Lithuania. The unidentified man allegedly "died in the arms of the [Lithuanian] border guards". Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered an investigation into his death.[104] The Lithuanian Interior ministry dismissed the Belarusian reports that the Iraqi migrant had been found beaten to death after being turned away at the Lithuanian border, describing it as part of a hybrid war and disinformation being waged by Belarus.[105]

Human rights activists accused Polish authorities of denying adequate medical care, food and shelter to stranded migrants.[106][107] Belarusian authorities refused to accept the Polish humanitarian aid intended for migrants who got stuck on the Belarusian-Polish border at least twice, in August[108] and October.[109]

A migrant from Yemen complained to reporters that Belarusian border guards beat up his companion breaking his leg.[39] A group of Yazidis from Iraq made a similar complaint.[41] They also reported food shortage and cold on the border.[41] Another migrant was reported to be thrown into a river by a Belarusian border guard.[34] Belarusian border guards were also accused of robbing the migrants grabbing their money, phones, documents and other things from their bags.[34]

In October 2021, Poland legalised pushback of migrants and asylum seekers by force,[110] which is illegal under EU and international law.[111][112] Human rights group Amnesty International and other human rights organisations said that Poland and Lithuania breached migrants' rights, as they limit the access of asylum seekers to their territory.[111][113] Eve Geddie, director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office, stated that "Forcing people back who are trying to claim asylum without an individual assessment of their protection needs is against European and international law."[114] Poland and Lithuania violated international laws including the prohibition on collective expulsions stipulated in the European Convention on Human Rights.[115][116]

Comparisons[edit]

The events were compared by some commentators and human rights activists to the migrant crisis at the Greece–Turkey border and Turkish President Erdoğan's repeated threat to Europe to expect millions of migrants after Turkey opens borders.[117][118][119][120]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Tsentrkurort who is subordinated to the presidential administration of Belarus recommended the intermediary companies to check into hotels owned by the presidential administration: Minsk, Yubileyny, Prezident, Planeta.[35]

References[edit]

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  3. ^ a b Jones, Mark P. (2018). Herron, Erik S; Pekkanen, Robert J; Shugart, Matthew S (eds.). "Presidential and Legislative Elections". The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190258658.001.0001. ISBN 9780190258658. Retrieved 21 May 2020. unanimous agreement among serious scholars that... Lukashenko's 2015 election occurred within an authoritarian context.
  4. ^ a b "Lukashenka vs. democracy: Where is Belarus heading?". AtlanticCouncil. 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. However, the vote was marred by allegations of widespread fraud. These suspicions appeared to be confirmed by data from a limited number of polling stations that broke ranks with the government and identified opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the clear winner.
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  24. ^ Original quote: "As we were told by Iraqi citizen Amin (name changed), Alexander Lukashenko's speeches that Belarus would no longer obstruct refugees heading to the EU were broadcast for several days by the Iraqi state TV" («Как рассказал нам житель Ирака Амин (имя изменено), высказывания Александра Лукашенко о том, что Беларусь перестанет препятствовать беженцам, стремящимся в ЕС, по иракскому государственному телевидению крутили несколько дней подряд»).
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  31. ^ Как я искал мигрантов, пробирающихся из Белоруссии в Евросоюз
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  37. ^ Wie Belarus zum Sprungbrett für Geflüchtete wurde
  38. ^ Марина Волкова (20 October 2021). "Прямо сейчас в аэропорту Минска на мигрантах нелегально наживается несколько турфирм. Мини-расследование KYKY (речь о миллионах!)". kyky.org (in Russian). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
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Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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