Brussels, 25/05/2021 – The European Pirates Delegation in the Greens/EFA group fully supports the EU agreement to expand sanctions against Belarus as well as to ban Belarusian airlines from flying over EU territory. According to Pirate MEP Markéta Gregorová, the EU must oppose Belarusian brutalities and coordinate the expulsion of Belarusian diplomats. On Sunday, the government in Minsk forced the diversion of a civilian Ryanair plane flying over its territory to arrest an opposition journalist.
Markéta Gregorová, Czech Pirate MEP, comments:
„I am glad that the EU agreed to adopt even more targeted economic sanctions. Now, it is up to the Council to draw up a list of persons and entities of interest, which will be considered at a later date. I agree with calling on the International Civil Aviation Organisation to investigate Belarusian decision to divert the Ryanair flight to Minsk as I believe it is crucial for further legal steps. The European Union should coordinate common steps to expel Belarusian diplomats.“
Mikuláš Peksa, Czech MEP and Chairperson of the European Pirates, comments:
„I consider the order of Mr. Lukashenko to divert a civilian plane with people on board under the pretext of a bomb to be a hostile act of a foreign state towards the EU. We must repay Belarus hard and quickly. As Pirates, we have been fighting for media freedom all over Europe, but Lukashenko is just doing what he wants. The detained opposition journalist Roman Protasevich faces the death penalty. In addition, according to recent reports, following his arrest, Protasevich is now in critical health condition. We demand his immediate release.”
For further details and media inquiries please contact:
Nikolaus Riss for German and English nikolaus.riss@europarl.europa.eu +436769694000
Tomáš Polák for Czech and English tomas.polak@europarl.europa.eu +420728035059
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