Members of the Parliament debate the situation in Belarus more than a year after the fraudulent presidential elections and the brutal crackdown on protests in presence of Josep BORRELL, Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Belarus (T)

FOTYGA, Anna (ECR, PL)

AUŠTREVIČIUS, Petras (Renew, LT)

KUBILIUS, Andrius (EPP, LT)

PINEDA, Manu (The Left, ES)

STRIK, Tineke (Greens/EFA, NL)

MARQUES, Pedro (S&D, PT)

JOHANSSON, Ylva (SE, EC)

Situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression: extracts from the debate

Title: Situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, One year after the fraudulent elections, the situation in Belarus remains dire. The Lukashenko regime continues its systematic efforts to silence all remaining independent voices in the country.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The state run instrumentalization of migrants is another worrying example of Lukashenko's blatant disregard of international norms. People and air routes are being sourced by the regime and imported to Belarus. This year we have seen already more than 6000 irregular arrivals coming across the Belarus EU border, compared to barely 150 last year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Belarus is not a country under migratory pressure. People normally seek asylum from Belarus, not in Belarus. The regime is using human beings in an unprecedented way to put pressure on the European Union and making a lot of money as well. People come in trips organised by state tourist company.

SOUNDBITE (English), Andrius KUBILIUS (EPP, LT), Putin is responsible for all Lukashenko crimes. Just the EU has to make it clear that if Kremlin continues its current policy on Belarus, the EU will have to introduce additional containment and deterrence measures on Russia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Pedro MARQUES (S&amp;D, PT), It is clear that Lukashenko went too far. But this by no means can justify the way all this migrants are being treated in our borders. The situation on the border between Poland and Belarus is dramatic, with migrants dying during the cold nights without adequate protection, many including children stuck in the limbo for weeks and now they are being pushed back. The EU must be clear about what European values are about: yes saving lives, yes promoting democracy, yes promoting human rights in Belarus, but also on our own borders.

SOUNDBITE (English), Petras AU&#352;TREVI&#268;IUS (Renew, LT), The Lukashenko regime is in a full denial and self isolation, but courted by a neighbour in the East. After refusing cooperation with the European Union, Lukashenko is on his way to fulfil following threats to flood the European Union with migrants, drugs and even nuclear waste. For several months now, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland are under massive hybrid attack as the Lukashenko regime instrumentalises irregular migrants in the revenge to the EU sanctions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tineke STRIK (Greens/EFA, NL), The use of migrants and refugees as a geopolitical tool at the borders is shameful and disgusting, should be strongly condemned and in no way become effective.

SOUNDBITE (English), Anna FOTYGA (ECR, PL), There is unity between Russia and China in keeping the usurper Lukashenko in power. In case of Russia, we see even instigation to brutal crackdown on belorussian society by the usurper Lukashenko, as well as waging elements of hybrid war on neighbours, namely Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Anna FOTYGA (ECR, PL), In case of hybrid war, we have to abandon naivety and clearly see aggressor and differentiate between aggressor and victim's.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Manu PINEDA (The Left, ES), The only solution is to demand that our partners respect human rights. We're talking about decent welcome of refugees, the respect for the right to asylum and one thing that Poland in particular loves solidarity, the distribution of refugees and migrants.