Lukashenko: Belarus cannot guarantee Europe's security against illegal migrants

Belarus won't be able to guarantee Europe's security against illegal migrants in the future unless Europe begins reimbursing these particular expenditures of Belarus's beginning January 1, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko announced during a Tuesday conference with the leaders of the State Committee of the country's border guards.

"The West wants to use our material and human resources so that we protected them and kept them safe, but never offers anything from the point of view of reimbursement of expenses that we incur to ensure Europe's security," said Lukashenko. "Let our Western partners pay if they want Belarus to work in this direction." He recalled that 5 years ago, he had instructed the country's State Border Committee to negotiate with Western European partners for reimbursement of expenses that Belarus incurs while arresting illegal migrants that cross Belarus on their way to Poland and on to Europe.

Today, according to his words, Belarus is unable to fully finance the development of the border infrastructure and does what it can to ensure an effective state border regime and create normal conditions for movement of people and goods. In his opinion, all the parties concerned must join in this process.