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EU ready to impose new sanctions on Belarus — statement

The leaders also demanded to ensure unhindered access of international humanitarian organizations to Belarus

BRUSSELS, December 17. /TASS/. In a joint statement adopted on Thursday, leaders of the 27 EU countries condemned Minsk’s actions, which triggered the "humanitarian crisis" on the EU border, and declared their readiness to impose new sanctions on Belarus.

"The European council underlines in particular the importance of <…> promptly implementing restrictive measures following the adoption of the fifth package of listings, and being prepared to adopt further measures as necessary," the document says.

The leaders also demanded to ensure unhindered access of international humanitarian organizations to Belarus.

"The European Council underlines in particular the importance of <…> ensuring unhindered access for international organizations in Belarus and stepping up humanitarian support [and] supporting the return of migrants [to their home countries] from Belarus," the statement says.

They also urged to strengthen the union’s external borders and fight human trafficking.

Apart from that, the document contains a standard set of accusations against Minsk, including of human rights violations, repressions against the opposition and the media. It also contains a call to release political prisoners and elect a new president "through free and fair elections."

The simmering migrant crisis in Eastern Europe unraveled on November 8, as several thousand refugees approached the Polish-Belarus border and attempted to storm the border through a fence into Poland in large groups. Polish officers beat back most of these attempts. If the migrants do get across, most of them are turned back while others are sent to guarded holding centers.

EU countries accuse Minsk of the deliberate escalation of the crisis and call for more sanctions against Belarus. Meanwhile, Lukashenko said that the blame for this situation rests on Western countries because people are fleeing their countries gripped by hostilities provoked by their actions.

The Polish Border Guard prevented almost 40,000 illegal border crossings this year, which is 400 times more than last year.

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