Events

Lukashenko responds to Western accusations concerning refugees in Belarus

MINSK, 1 December (BelTA) – There are hundreds of women and children among the refugees stuck at the Belarusian-Polish border. It is necessary to open a humanitarian corridor for them to go to European Union countries. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the relevant statement in an interview with Dmitry Kiselyov, Director General of the Russian state news agency MIA Rossiya Segodnya, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “We’ve studied every family, every person, child, and woman. There are about 200 kids and as many women over there. The rest are men. [European Union countries should] take them. Those are good families, an overwhelming majority is smart, and educated, normal people.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko urged the European Union to open a humanitarian corridor for them. “What is some 2,000 people? [the approximate number of refugees in the camp at the Belarusian-Polish border]. As far as I remember, about 30,000 people reached Europe via the Mediterranean Sea and the Balkans last year and this year alone. What is 1,500-2,000? It is nothing!” the head of state noted.

In response to Western accusations claiming that Belarusian authorities use migrants to reach political goals, Aleksandr Lukashenko advised the Western countries to take away this instrument. “If they see that Lukashenko has some instrument in his hands… Poles, Americans first of all and so on. They can simply take away this instrument from Lukashenko’s hands and the problem will be resolved. Logical, right? Why can’t they take away my instrument? Open the humanitarian corridor,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

print version

make home page

add to bookmarks