EU: Migrants transported from Istanbul to Minsk in cooperation with Turkish Airlines

Thousands of migrants are currently stuck in freezing temperatures in the border area between Belarus and Poland. Who brought them there? A confidential document from the EU Commission takes a look at the identity of the smugglers.

The majority of the arrested smugglers who help migrants from Belarus flee to the European Union allegedly live in Germany. The “Welt” reports, citing an internal confidential document of the EU Commission with the title “Situation report: Migration and refugee situation”.

“Most of the reported cases” concern the arrest of drivers “who enable irregular migrants (mostly from Syria, but also from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen) to get to Germany in rented cars through Poland.” Most of the drivers are from third countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria or Turkey, “who live in Germany,” reports the “Welt”, citing the EU document.

Belarussians who were in possession of a Polish Schengen visa and Syrians living in the Netherlands were also among the arrested people smugglers. According to the report of the EU Commission, Germany and Finland are the main destinations for migrants who are currently on the Polish EU external border.

Migrants transported from Istanbul

According to the EU document, the Belarusian airline Belavia, in cooperation with Turkish Airlines, transports migrants from Istanbul to Minsk on four to seven flights a week. There would be space for 180 passengers at a time. The number of Iraqi and Syrian citizens flying to Minsk via Dubai is also increasing. The Fly Dubai airline takes off daily from Dubai to Minsk. According to the document, a Syrian private airline is also involved: “Cham Wing Airlines, a Syrian private airline, apparently continues to operate charter flights from Damascus to Minsk,” quotes Die Welt from the document.

Accordingly, a Russian airport may soon become important for smugglers. Pskov Airport could be able to handle flights from Belarus, Turkey and Egypt. From there, the migrants could then try to get to the Baltic States – and thus to European soil.

In the border area between Belarus and Poland, thousands of migrants are currently stuck in freezing temperatures. The EU accuses Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately smuggling migrants from the Middle East into the EU states of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in order to retaliate against the sanctions adopted by Brussels. Many of the migrants apparently hope to continue their journey to Germany.