German FM calls on the EU to impose new sanctions on Belarus

Baghdad-INA

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stressed today, Thursday, that the time has come for the European Union to impose new sanctions on Belarus due to the migrant crisis on its border with Poland.

"We are in a situation in which the appropriate consequences (for Minsk) are delayed, and this is what we desire together with our European partners," Maas said, stressing that "the European Union will expand and strengthen its sanctions."

Maas explained that "a decision will be taken in this regard on Monday during the meeting of foreign ministers of the European Union member states in Brussels."

in addition to that , the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had expected an "extension of the scope of the sanctions" early next week.

Following her meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington, der Leyen said, "It is an attempt by an authoritarian regime (the Belarusian government) to destabilize the neighboring democratic countries, and this attempt will not succeed.".

For weeks, Europeans have accused Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of stoking tensions by issuing visas to migrants and bringing them to the border in retaliation for European sanctions imposed on his country for allegedly suppressing the opposition movement after the 2020 presidential elections.