Belarusian President Alexander LukashenkoAlexander Lukashenko has been President of Belarus since 1994. Before joining threatened to open the door to Europe for migrants and drugs if sanctions were imposed on his regime for forcibly landing a Ryanair plane, writes the British newspaper The Times.
Yesterday in Lisbon, EU foreign ministers began discussing economic measures against key industries of the former Soviet republic and its financial sector. Lukashenko, 66, warned Europe: “We stopped drugs and migrants – now you will catch yourself,” FOCUS reported.
He threatened: “We will mercilessly replace an aging Europe with a fast-growing Asia.”
However, some fear that the economic blockade could bring Belarus even closer to Russia. The Kremlin continues to put pressure on Minsk to agree to join the so-called Union State – according to critics, Belarus will simply be swallowed up by its powerful neighbor. “We do not want to push the country into Russia’s arms,” said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schalenberg.
In support of Lukashenko, Russia has already stopped Air France and Austrian Airlines from using its airspace in an attempt to force them to fly through Belarus, the British newspaper concluded.
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