The European Commission wants to reverse the relaxation of entry visas for Belarusian officials that was introduced last year. Diplomats would have to submit more documentation and pay a higher fee for their visa applications. Ordinary citizens will not be affected by the tightening.
The measure is in addition to the previously imposed entry bans for 166 top Belarusian officials, including President Lukashenko.
The European Commission's proposal is a new step in the conflict with the regime of President Aleksandr Lukashenko. The Commission accuses Lukashenko of illegally sending asylum seekers and refugees from Belarus across the borders into neighboring countries Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
“We must take a tough stance against Lukashenko,” said EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson (Home Affairs). “Lukashenko is trying to destabilize the EU by bringing in migrants and pushing them towards the EU.” The Swede also pointed out that the Belarusian president is deceiving the migrants themselves.
In recent months, thousands of migrants have tried to cross the border between Belarus and the EU member states Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. The Commission supports the EU countries in their efforts to guard their borders.
Meanwhile, there is increasing concern about how Poland is handling the situation. In early September, Warsaw declared a state of emergency at the border. In recent days, several migrants have been found dead in the border region.
Unlike Lithuania and Latvia, Poland refuses assistance from Frontex, the European agency for border control. Johansson noted that the crisis situation could be handled much better if the EU countries reached an agreement on the new asylum and migration pact that the Commission proposed a year ago. However, negotiations on this have hardly progressed.