Lukashenko offered Merkel a solution to refugee situation
Speaking about Minsk's contacts with the EU during today’s meeting at the Palace of Independence, the Head of State, in particular, shared some details of yesterday's telephone conversation with the Acting German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. He also recalled that Belarus’ Foreign Minister, Vladimir Makei, had held consultations and is in contact with the Deputy Chairman of the European Commission, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
“We had a conversation with Ms. Merkel yesterday,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “What issues did we discuss? The first one dealt with refugees and escalation at the state border. We agreed that no one needs escalation – neither the EU nor Belarus. We cannot allow escalation, no matter how much anyone would like it, up to military actions. Moreover, we never wished this escalation. As I’ve just said, there are about 20,000 armed people on the opposite side of the border. We have deployed not a single platoon, not a single squadron of our military on the border. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has not ordered this. However, we have plans of counteraction to any aggression on their part. I gave such a command to the Defence Minister and other generals, as well as law enforcement agencies.”
Another issue discussed during the telephone conversation was the inflow of refugees. The President noted that the sides share different views on this, “They [the European Union] we are very concerned about the inflow of refugees to Belarus. However, they absolutely do not know that we are not inviting them here. They also don’t know that we have taken around 5,000 of these people back during this autumn. That is, we do not collect refugees all over the world to bring them to Belarus – as Poland has informed the European Union. We accept those who legally come to Belarus, as it is done in any other country. Anyone with even the slightest violation of the law is sent back by plane. There are about five thousand such people by now. I have informed Ms. Merkel on this issue.”
The main problem, which Aleksandr Lukashenko insisted on discussing, is a spontaneous refugee camp on the border. The President said that refugees stayed in a camp 800m from the Bruzgi border checkpoint for a week, “They left the place yesterday – to walk 800 metres and completely occupy the Bruzgi checkpoint territory. This is the major problem. It is rooted in the fact that, as I told Ms. Merkel, if we don't save these people, we will be beaten – both Belarus and even more so the European Union which failed to let these refugees through to the EU.”
With this in view, it is necessary to make an immediate decision regarding these people. “I made a proposal on the whole on how to resolve the situation. I will not disclose it now – as we agreed with Ms. Merkel that we will not talk about it in detail. She asked for time, a pause – to discuss this proposal with the European Union members,” the Head of State added.
