The EU executive said on Friday (November 12) that the European Commission has established ties with a number of airlines in an effort to cut off easy immigration routes in Minsk, as several airlines have confirmed that they will restrict certain restrictions that may benefit the population. Trafficking practices.
In recent days, the European Union has been negotiating with Turkish Airlines and other international airlines, urging them to suspend one-way tickets to Minsk. The European Union stated that migrants were transported to the Polish border from there as a means of exerting pressure on the European Union.
As the situation develops, the EU foreign ministers will agree on a new round of sanctions, and the EU is exploring how to prevent Belarusian state-owned airline Belavia from leasing aircraft options from companies such as Ireland’s AerCap and Denmark’s Nordic Aviation Capital.
Belavia is likely to be hit by the EU’s next sanctions program. The airline said on Friday that it would stop allowing citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen to board flights from Turkey to Belarus at the request of the Turkish authorities.
“According to the decision of the Turkish authorities, from November 12, 2021, flights from Turkey to Belarus will not accept the transportation of citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen,” it said in a statement on its website.
According to several EU diplomats, the EU is currently unlikely to take action against Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines or other airlines.
The European Commission said on Friday that at the same time, Turkish Airlines, one of the main international airlines flying to Minsk, has agreed to suspend one-way tickets for Middle Eastern immigrants seeking to reach Europe via Belarus.
Dana Spinant, deputy chief spokesperson of the committee, confirmed that committee members Margaritis Schinas and Adina Valean are also in contact with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization.
“We have also established contacts with a number of airlines, and all the airlines we have contacted strongly condemned any form of human trafficking and stated that they would do their best to combat human trafficking,” Spinnant said.
vice president @MargSchinas “Changes are happening. Yesterday, I was impressed by the UAE authorities’ commitment to cooperate with us. I want to publicly salute the Turkish civil aviation authorities’ decision. I have also received assurances from interlocutors here in Lebanon.” #Belarus pic.twitter.com/3aH8B8ijIS
-Natasha Bertaud (@NatashaBertaud) November 12, 2021
The European Commission said that after senior EU officials began negotiations with Iraq, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey to try to prevent Belarus from encouraging immigrants to the EU, Iraqi Airlines also said it would not fly to Minsk.
“These contacts have begun to bear fruit,” said Stefan De Keersmaecker, the committee’s transportation spokesperson.
“Iraq Airlines has confirmed that it will not resume flights to Minsk, and Turkish Airlines will also suspend sales of one-way tickets from Turkey to Minsk,” he said.
He listed many individual airlines, including flydubai, Turkish Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Arabian Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Middle East Airlines, Oman Air, Iraqi Airways and Egypt Air.
“All these airlines strongly condemn any form of human trafficking. This has even led to some very specific actions,” Keersmaecker added.
In addition, the President of the European Council Charles Michel thanked Turkey on Friday (November 12) for agreeing to prevent citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen from planning to travel to Belarus to buy air tickets or board planes at Turkish airports.
Michel said that it has decided to resolve the “illegal border crossing issue between the EU and Belarus”, thanking the Turkish authorities and mentioning the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority.
Body has Said The decision to refuse ticket purchase and boarding is “until further notice.”
[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic and Georgi Gotev]
