MINSK, 31 October (BelTA) – Belarus has had no role to play in the migrant crisis on the border with the European Union, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he addressed the 2nd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security on 31 October, BelTA learned.
“If we talk about the migrant crisis, we have no role to play in it. Before the European Union unleashed an economic warfare and media smear campaign against Belarus, we cooperated with them. The European Union asked us to build shelters for migrants detained in Belarus. We signed a readmission agreement. We had an agreement with Russia because it does not work unilaterally. Work was underway,” Aleksandr Lukashenko recounted how cooperation with the EU in this area began.
“Then they imposed economic sanctions, threw a noose around our neck and began to strangle us. And they demanded we shielded them against migrants. Maybe I told them directly and frankly, maybe not very diplomatically: ‘guys, we will not do it. Migrants are your problem. For many reasons: you destroyed the states in the Middle East, you ravaged Africa (instead of helping Africa get back on its feet, you begin to mercilessly exploit them via neocolonialism policies), you started wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and so on, you destroyed those states. Then the civilized West, due to the lack of labor force in Germany, France and other countries, invited these people over. So they responded to the call,” the president said.
Back in the day, migrant routes bypassed Belarus. Today when there is a war in Ukraine, and fences built in other countries, migrant flows have charted they way across the Belarusian border. “We honestly and frankly said: with a noose around our neck, we will not kneel in front of you and we will not be dealing with this problem. This is your problem. You wanted labor force? Place them into jobs then. But most importantly, you have unleashed an economic war against us, and not only an economic war. So why should we protect you? This is what the migrant crisis is about,” the Belarusian leader said.
“I emphasize once again: they invited these poor people over, and today they dubbed them as a hybrid threat and are racking their brains how to deport them. But they have not yet figured out who will work instead of them. I don’t want to give any advice, but I will say one thing: since you’ve invited these people over, then provide them with jobs and conditions equal with your citizens. Figure out whether they can live with you or not,” the head of state added.
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Publish date : 2024-10-31 03:42:00
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