15/07/2021

Written question to the EC on Turkey’s role as a transit country for irregular migration along Belarusian-Lithuanian border

On 12 July 2021, the European Parliament’s AFET Committee heard evidence from Lithuania’s Interior Minister, Agne Bilotaite, attesting to the dramatic rise in irregular migration along the border between Belarus and Lithuania. There is strong evidence that this is being aided and abetted by the Government of Belarus, and represents a political instrumentalisation of migration and weaponizing of migrants.

Migrants are arriving in Belarus from Africa and the Middle East on commercial flights, often undocumented. These flights are arriving from Baghdad and Istanbul according to the reports of the Lithuanian Government. There is a daily flight between Istanbul and Minsk.

Given Turkey’s track record of engaging in the same practice along its border with Greece, such links to Istanbul in this case raise clear cause for alarm.

In view of this:

1. Is the Commission concerned that the Turkish Authorities are colluding to aid this process of state sponsored irregular migration?

2. Is the Commission conducting an investigation into these potential links?

3. What actions will the Commission take if evidence of Turkish involvement emerges?