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European Union officials on Wednesday accused Belarus of state-sponsored “trafficking” of human lives by luring desperate migrants to the Polish border — the edge of the EU — where many are now stuck in makeshift camps in freezing weather. The EU is preparing to hit Belarus with fresh sanctions as early as Monday, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said earlier this week that “The EU will… explore how to sanction, including through blacklisting, third-country airlines that are active in human trafficking.” One of the airlines Brussels is looking into due to its alleged role in trafficking migrants to Belarus is Turkish Airlines. 

Yannis Palaiologos, Kathimerini’s Brussels correspondent, joins The Greek Current to explain what is going on at the Poland-Belarus border and look at the EU’s response to this crisis.

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

EU accuses Belarus of ‘trafficking’ migrants toward border

Turkish Airlines risks EU ban over Poland border crisis

Turkish Airlines in EU Crosshairs for Facilitating Lukashenko’s “Hybrid Warfare” With Belarus Flights

Belarus accused of state terrorism over migrant crisis

North Macedonia's PM Delays Resignation

North Macedonia’s PM says will stay on in post temporarily

Cyprus wants EU support for migrant crackdown as flows rise

Cyprus seeks to suspend asylum applications from migrants entering illegally