Belarus says large group of refugees approaching its border from Poland

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - A large group of refugees is approaching the Belarusian border from the side of Poland, the Belarusian State Border Committee reported on Monday.

The border guards have taken measures to ensure the smooth functioning of international communication channels and the safety of the moving people, the committee said in a statement.

"The Polish Border Guard has repeatedly reported on how thousands of migrants are being driven to the border with Belarus. The indifference and inhumane attitude of the Polish authorities prompted the refugees to take such a step of despair," the statement said.

Protests broke out in Belarus after Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner of the Aug. 9, 2020 polls, which the opposition accused of being rigged.

The EU did not recognize the elections won by Lukashenko and began to impose sanctions on a large number of individuals and government organizations, including Lukashenko.

In response, Lukashenko suspended Belarus' Readmission Agreement with the EU, saying Minsk will no longer stop refugees from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Tunisia, heading to the EU.

"We will never keep anyone. They are not coming to us. They are going to 'an enlightened, warm, cozy Europe.' Europe, particularly Germany -- not having enough workers -- invited these people, on the one hand. And on the other hand, they (the West) destroyed these countries (from where the refugees are fleeing)," Lukashenko said.

The EU accuses the Belarusian administration of "using irregular migration as a tool" and "trying to destabilize the EU" by sending migrants to the borders of EU countries -- Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.