Tag: Belarus

Categories
Arab News Syria World

Turkey bans citizens of Iraq, Syria, Yemen from flying to Belarus

Turkey bans citizens of Iraq, Syria, Yemen from flying to Belarus

Citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen would not be allowed to fly from Turkey to Belarus, announced the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority…reports Asian Lite News

The declaration came amid the migrant crisis currently developing at the European Union (EU)-Belarus border, reports Xinhua news agency.

“Due to the problem of illegal border crossings between the EU and Belarus, it has been decided that the citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen, who want to travel to Belarus from Turkish airports, will not be allowed to buy tickets or go boarding until further notice,” said the aviation authority.

Turkey bans citizens of Iraq, Syria, Yemen from flying to Belarus

Thousands of refugees are gathering on the Belarusian side of the border in an attempt to enter Poland and then Germany to seek asylum.

Accusing Belarus of encouraging people fleeing different war zones of the world to cross the Polish border, the EU said it may impose new sanctions against Belarus, which would also cover airline companies that transport asylum seekers to the country.

ALSO READ: IMMIGRATION ROW: Erdogan Defends Turkey Stance

Reacting to the news that Turkish Airlines might be among those that could be affected by the sanctions, the oreign Ministry on Thursday said Ankara refused to be “portrayed as part of a problem to which it is not a party”.

“We find it intentional that a globally prominent company like Turkish Airlines is targeted even though information on this issue is shared transparently,” it added.

Categories
-Top News Europe

BORDER CRISIS: Belligerent Belarus Ready For Talks With EU

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed that the chancellor of Germany and the Belarusian president are ready to talk to each other, and hoped that it would happen soon…reports Asian Lite News

Press Secretary of the Belarusian President Natalya Eismont has told the media that Belarus is always ready for a dialogue with European Union politicians on the migrant crisis.

She said “we have always been ready. We are ready now and we will be tomorrow. It was not us who destroyed this dialogue,” as she commented on the possibility of a conversation between President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed that the chancellor of Germany and the Belarusian president are ready to talk to each other, and hoped that it would happen soon.

In the past few days, Putin and Merkel held two phone calls on the migrant crisis on the Belarus-European Union border.

ALSO READ: Winter is coming; Pakistan frets over gas crisis

Categories
-Top News Europe

Belarus threatens to block Europe’s gas supply

The President’s remarks came as thousands of migrants and refugees are stuck in cold weather on the Belarus-Poland border….reports Asian Lite News

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to cut off the Yamal-Europe natural gas pipeline if European Union (EU) countries close the border with Minsk.

“We deliver heat to Europe, they still threaten us that they will close the border. And what if we cut off natural gas? Therefore, I would recommend that the Polish leadership, Lithuanians and other headless people think before speaking,” Xinhua news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying at a cabinet meeting here on Thursday.

The Yamal-Europe pipeline, operated by Russian oil and gas company Gazprom, runs across Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany.

According to Lukashenko, the volume of gas transit from Russia to Europe has increased significantly in recent days.

At Thursday’s cabinet meeting, Lukashenko also instructed relevant units to monitor the movement of Polish and other European troops.

The President’s remarks came as thousands of migrants and refugees are stuck in cold weather on the Belarus-Poland border.

Overnight temperatures at the border have fallen below freezing and some of the stranded people stranded have warned they are running out of food and water.

This crisis comes amid an escalating international row as the EU, and now NATO and the US, have accused Belarus’s authoritarian leader of provoking a renewed migrant crisis in Europe.

Many of the migrants are young men but there are also women and children, mostly from the Middle East and Asia.

ALSO READ: Govt calls for strong int’l reaction to Belarusian activities
ALSO READ: Planned UK oil field unaligned with Paris goals: Report
Categories
-Top News UK News

Govt calls for strong int’l reaction to Belarusian activities

In a joint statement read out by Estonian Ambassador Sven Jurgenson in the UN Security Council, the countries accused Belarus of triggering a border migration crisis to exert pressure on the EU…reports Asian Lite News.

Four EU member states that have seats in the UN Security Council – Estonia, France, Ireland and Norway – the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Albania, have called for a strong international reaction to the Belarusian activities regarding the migration crisis on the border with Poland

In a joint statement read out by Estonian Ambassador Sven Jurgenson in the UN Security Council, the countries accused Belarus of triggering a border migration crisis to exert pressure on the EU. “This tactic is unacceptable and calls for a strong international reaction and cooperation in order to hold Belarus accountable.  It demonstrates how the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko regime has become a threat to regional stability. We call on the Belarusian authorities to stop these inhumane actions and not to put people’s lives at risk. International organisations need to be provided with immediate and unhindered access to people therein to deliver humanitarian assistance,” the joint statement read.

“The Belarusian authorities should understand that putting pressure on the European Union in this way, through a cynical instrumentalization of migrants, will not succeed,” the statement added.

ALSO READ-Govt slaps new sanctions on Belarus regime

Categories
-Top News EU News

Belarus cancels participation in EU initiative

Head of the EU Delegation to Belarus Dirk Schuebel was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Minsk on Monday and informed of the suspension…reports Asian Lite News.

Belarus has suspended its participation in the Eastern Partnership initiative of the European Union (EU) due to the bloc’s recently imposed sanctions against the country.

Head of the EU Delegation to Belarus Dirk Schuebel was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Minsk on Monday and informed of the suspension.

Belarus considers it “unacceptable” to use sanctions as an instrument of pressure on an independent state, and is forced to take concrete steps as a response to the actions that threaten the country’s national security and are detrimental to the economy and citizens, the statement added.

EU representatives involved in the introduction of restrictive measures against Belarus will be prohibited from entering the country, the ministry said, and more restrictions are being planned.

Partially in response to the diversion of a Ryanair passenger flight to Minsk on May 23, the EU announced new sanctions against 78 individuals and eight entities in Belarus on June 21.

Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia Sapega were on board a commercial flight between Greece and Lithuania that was rerouted on May 23 to Minsk shortly before it reached Vilnius due to an alleged bomb threat.

No bomb was found, but both were detained.

The Eastern Partnership is a joint initiative involving the EU, its member states and six Eastern Partner countries, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. (Xinhua/IANS)

ALSO READ- EU slaps Belarus with economic sanctions

READ MORE-UK sanctions Belarusian individuals, entity

Categories
-Top News EU News UK News

EU slaps Belarus with economic sanctions

Earlier this week, the EU, together with the United States and Britain, announced sanctions on Belarus, reported NHK World…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Union (EU) on Friday imposed more economic sanctions on the Belarusian government led by President Alexander Lukashenko, following the detention of journalist Roman Protasevich.

Lukashenko administration is facing fierce criticism from the international community for forcing an airliner to land in Minsk and detaining journalist Roman Protasevich, who was on board the plane, reported NHK World.

The sanctions restrict the transfer of goods, including potassium chloride, and petroleum products. The bloc is also prohibiting transactions of dual-use goods and technologies for both civilian and military use.

Earlier this week, the EU, together with the United States and Britain, announced sanctions on Belarus, reported NHK World.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for a demonstration of global solidarity with political prisoners in Belarus following the detention of Protasevich.

Tsikhanouskaya took centre stage in the opposition movement after her husband Sergei Tsikhanousky, who had planned to run against Lukashenko, was arrested last May. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Belarus flights ban decision not political: EU Commission

READ MORE-UK sanctions Belarusian individuals, entity

Categories
-Top News Europe UK News

UK sanctions Belarusian individuals, entity

He said “UK and our partners have today sanctioned those responsible for the continued suppression of democracy and human rights in Belarus.”…reports Asian Lite News.

Joining the US, Canada and EU, the UK has imposed sanctions against 7 individuals and 1 entity from the Belarusian regime as part of a new sanctions package after the Ryanair incident in May and for alleged human rights violations.

The government said sanctions are in response to the detention of journalist Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega following the unlawful diversion of Ryanair flight FR4978 in May 2021.

Four individuals and 1 entity have also been designated in response to the continued suppression of democracy and human rights in Belarus by Lukashenko and his regime, it announced.

Sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes against senior-ranking officials in the Belarusian regime and BNK (UK) Ltd, an exporter of Belarusian oil products.

“The Lukashenko regime endangered the lives of airline passengers and crew in a shameful ruse to snatch Roman Protasevich,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

He said “UK and our partners have today sanctioned those responsible for the continued suppression of democracy and human rights in Belarus.”

Raab added, “We will hold the regime to account in co-ordination with our allies including through further banning travel, freezing assets and cutting off oil export revenue streams.”

Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department has designated 16 persons and five entities from Belarus, including the State Security Committee (KGB) and the press secretary of the Belarusian president.

The list of sanctioned individuals also includes the Belarusian Prosecutor General, the chairman of the KGB and the chairperson of the upper house of the country’s parliament.

Another eight officials have been sanctioned for certifying the results of the presidential elections in August that the US government considers to be fraudulent.

Earlier on Monday, the European Union adopted the fourth sanctions package against Belarus, noting that the bloc has added 78 individuals and eight organizations to its sanctions list for allegedly endangering aviation safety and for detaining Pratasevich and Sapega.

In May, a Ryanair plane from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing in Minsk over a bomb threat that turned out to be fake. Pratasevich – founder of a Telegram channel that Minsk designated as extremist – and his partner Sapega were detained by the Belarusian authorities during the stopover. (including reports from ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ-Russia, Belarus warned against threatening allies

READ MORE-Belarus flights ban decision not political: EU Commission

Categories
-Top News EU News Europe

Belarus flights ban decision not political: EU Commission

EU President Ursula von der Leyen
On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece to Lithuania was grounded in Minsk over a bomb threat flagged by the Belarusian authorities, which turned out to be fake…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Commission does not believe that the decision of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to ban flights over Belarus was politically motivated, a commission spokesperson told Sputnik on Monday.

On Friday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticized the EASA’s directive as “politicization of aviation safety” and urged it to reverse the ban.

“The only politicization of air traffic happened when Belarusian authorities forced down a European airplane under false pretext only to arrest the critical journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia Sapega. This attack also put at risk the safety of European citizens and planes and showed the complete disregard of Belarus authorities for international aviation rules and procedures,” the EC spokesperson said.

They also noted that Minsk’s decision to divert the plane was “an attack on democracy, an attack on freedom of expression and an attack on European sovereignty.”

According to the EC source, on June 2 the EASA decided to issue a safety directive calling on the EU member states to mandate their national carriers to avoid Belarus airspace in order to “reduce the potential risk to passengers and crews.”

“Safety of passengers remains the Commission’s highest priority and the key driver of the activities and the mission of EASA in providing safe air travel for EU citizens in Europe and worldwide,” they stressed.

On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece to Lithuania was grounded in Minsk over a bomb threat flagged by the Belarusian authorities, which turned out to be fake. In Minsk, one of the passengers, journalist Roman Protasevich, who is known to be the founder of Belarusian opposition Telegram channel Nexta, was detained along with Russian national Sofia Sapega. The incident prompted an outcry from the West. (ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ-Belarusian airlines banned from flying over EU

READ MORE-Russia, Belarus warned against threatening allies

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan Europe

Russia, Belarus warned against threatening allies

Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg said NATO was seriously concerned about the closer cooperation between Moscow and Minsk in recent months…reports Asian Lite News

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday warned Russia and Belarus against threatening the alliance’s allies, following the forced landing of a passenger plane within the European Union (EU0 by Belarusian authorities.

“We are of course ready, in an emergency, to protect and defend any ally against any kind of threat coming from Minsk and Moscow,” dpa news agency quoted Stoltenberg as saying to the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

“We are vigilant and we are following what is happening in Belarus very closely,” he said.

Belarus is becoming “more and more dependent” on Russia, he added.

Stoltenberg said NATO was seriously concerned about the closer cooperation between Moscow and Minsk in recent months.

“We have had to learn in the past that Russia has massively violated the territorial integrity of states such as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.”

He did not want to speculate too much, Stoltenberg said, noting, “NATO is a defensive alliance.”

Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, all members of NATO, share borders with Belarus.

On May 23, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko forced a Ryanair commercial flight between two EU capitals, Athens and Vilnius, to make an emergency landing in Minsk.

Dissident journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, passengers on the plane, were arrested and are being held in custody.

While the EU responded with sanctions on Belarus, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Lukashenko for talks and said Moscow would support Belarus with $500 million in credit.

Putin also underlined his continuing support for Lukashenko in his confrontation with the West.

ALSO READ: Russia vows response to EU hostility yet ready for dialogue

Categories
-Top News EU News

Belarusian airlines banned from flying over EU

A sign with a portrait of the arrested Belarusian journalist Protasevich and the words "Free Roman Protasevich" is pasted on the ground outside the General Post (IANS)

The 27 countries are obliged “to deny permission to land in, take off from or overfly their territories to any aircraft operated by Belarusian air carriers”, the bloc announced, reports Asian Lite News

Starting from Saturday, Belarusian air carriers’ will be banned from flying over the European Union (EU) airspace and also using runways in response to the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight and detention of a dissident journalist and his girlfriend last month.

The 27 countries are obliged “to deny permission to land in, take off from or overfly their territories to any aircraft operated by Belarusian air carriers”, the bloc announced on Friday after member states envoys in Brussels formally signed off the move.

Belarusian
Demonstrators display Belarusian flags during a rally in Ukraine calling for the release of Raman Protasevich (Photo Ukrinform/dpa/IANS)

Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega were on board a commercial flight between EU countries Greece and Lithuania that was rerouted on May 23 to Minsk shortly before it reached Vilnius due to an alleged bomb threat, reports dpa news agency.

No bomb was found, but both were detained.

The bloc slammed the act as an affront to both air safety and freedom of the press.

The EU has also called on all bloc-based carriers to avoid flying over Belarusian territory.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) condemned Minsk’s behaviour but also criticized the EU.

“Two wrongs do not make a right. Politics should never interfere with the safe operation of aircraft and politicians should never use aviation safety as a cover to pursue political or diplomatic agendas,” Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said in a statement.

The bloc is also preparing a package of economic sanctions on individuals involved in the incident, but this could still take some time to finalize, according to dpa’s diplomatic sources.

ALSO READ – NATO restricts HQ access for Belarusian diplomats

ALSO READ – Belarus defends forced landing of Ryanair flight