Belgium: Von der Leyen condemns Belarus migrant wave as 'state-sponsored smuggling'

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the ongoing wave of migrants illegally crossing Belarusian borders into its neighbouring countries as ‘state-sponsored smuggling’, during a European Council meeting held in Brussels on Friday.

The President expressed the European Council’s concerns about the border situation in and around Belarus, slamming the behaviour of the Belarusian government as a ‘hybrid attack’ against the EU.

“The people used by Lukashenko are victims. We must help them, no one’s lives should be used for political issues, and this is an instrumentalisation of migration to put political pressure on the European Union,” said Von der Leyen.

Von der Leyen stated that the EU plans to continue communication with countries being offered visa-waivers by Belarus, in order to ‘limit this state-sponsored smuggling.’

The President also hit back at Poland following its recent clashes with the EU, calling for ‘dialogue, legal response, and concrete action’ to restore judicial independence within the country.

The comments came after the country’s top court ruled that its national legislation should trump EU law in some judicial matters earlier in the month.

#VonderLeyen #EuropeanCouncil #Belarus

Video ID: 20211022-037

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