Migration crisis with Belarus: Lebanon, another transit point

In Beirut, the young candidates for departure are determined.

What matters is that a door is opened to leave the Middle East and reach Europe.

© RFI / Thibault Lefébure

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

The EU is preparing to widen its sanctions against Belarus, accused of orchestrating an influx of migrants at the gates of Europe.

Since the summer, facilities have been granted to nationals of various countries of the Middle East to reach Minsk.

Expensively cashed facilities.

The Iraqis are so far the largest contingent that has joined Belarus.

But from Syria and Lebanon, the departures of Syrians are also increasing.

In Beirut, RFI attended one of these trips last Tuesday.

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

At Beirut airport, the flight to Minsk operated by the Belarusian company Belavia is displayed on the departure screens.

And in the hall, young men wait, pace, take pictures.

Distinctive sign, they have no suitcases, just a small backpack and a big jacket, the one they will use to face the cold in Belarus.

When we approach them, many have this instinctive reaction: to say that they are going to Minsk for sightseeing, "to 

 ", slips a young man.

But the voice is worried and the words are not credible: most of these travelers are Syrians refugees in Lebanon.

For some, the language is loosened: Minsk, of course, is not the final destination.

The goal is to get to Germany.

No need to mention the danger or the instrumentalisation of migrants by Belarus;

young passengers are determined.

What matters is that a door is open to leave.

They borrowed several thousand euros for this trip, bought all-inclusive visa, plane ticket, hotel ... Once there, there will be the smugglers.

A juicy traffic for a whole circle of intermediaries and tour operators.

There are now two direct flights each week to Minsk from Beirut.

But others rush into the breach opened by Belarus, passing through Istanbul or Dubai.

► To reread: Trapped between Poland and Belarus, migrants tell of surviving crossfire

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• Lebanon

• International Migration

• Iraq

• Belarus

• European Union

• Poland