MINSK, September 27. /TASS/. EU countries bordering Belarus sought to push about 2,300 migrants into Belarus over the past week, said Anatoly Lappo, chairman of the Belarusian State Border Committee.
''There were about 150 groups during the past week. That’s about 2,300 people. In some cases, 2-3 times (the refugees were sent to Belarus - TASS),'' the chairman said.
Efforts are made every day to expel from the EU at least 25 groups of migrants whose number totals up to 300 people to Belarus, he said. ''These are the illegal migrants that were first invited there (to the West - TASS) and who are now asking for help and fleeing war. They (the EU - TASS) are pushing them out,'' Lappo stressed.
As an example, he put the spotlight on a group of Afghan refugees that had been stranded at the Belarus-Poland border for several weeks. ''If it hadn't been for the help from the border guards and the locals, they would have no longer been around. Of course, we, the border guards, and the locals have helped them with food and warm things to wear. There'll be a charity event today and tomorrow. Of course, we won't leave people in the lurch. People can't be treated like that. We told them, 'Let's get you warmed up, but they are bent on going on to the EU where the invitation came from,''' Lappo pointed out.
Earlier on Monday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting with the heads of the country's law enforcement agencies where he described the situation with migrants on the western border as a humanitarian disaster.