MINSK, 23 July (BelTA) – The time of fascism has not unfortunately become history. Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Elvira Soroko made the statement as she commented on the harsh treatment of Iraqi migrants by Lithuanian border guard personnel, BelTA has learned.
The senator said: “Several days ago Belarusian border service personnel detained three groups of illegal migrants, who had crossed the border from Lithuania to Belarus. The detainees said they had been kept in a Lithuanian refugee camp. They had faced harsh questioning, intimidation, beatings, torture, lack of food and water. An adequate person would be shocked to hear about this kind of treatment. The final touch was this: the migrants including kids and a pregnant woman were transported to the border and were forced to enter Belarus' territory under the threat of physical violence. By the way, on the Belarusian side they were welcomed in a totally different manner and were provided the necessary assistance, including medical aid. It turns out that while describing itself as a guarantor of justice and democracy and accusing other countries of violating human rights Europe has once again showed its true face, which is made up of blatant lies and lack of principle. These ‘democrats' accused Belarus of all kinds of sins not so long ago only because in August 2020 the Belarusian people made an honest and deliberate choice by voting for freedom and independence of the state. These ‘democrats' do not like the fact that Belarus has chosen its sovereign way of development and confidently follows it. It is understandable: a small country near the border of the European Union has shown how one can and should live despite multiple information attacks, the introduction of economic sanctions, and brutal political pressure. The ‘democrats' are irritated by it.”
The senator Elvira Soroko is convinced that Lithuania had outplayed itself and finally demonstrated the true moral of double standards by treating migrants like that.
The senator continued: “Those migrants didn't come to Lithuania for an excursion. Unbearable conditions in their home country had forced them to leave their homes. It is the West that is guilty of enabling serious preconditions for migration in Middle East countries. Besides, to kick out a person, who is desperate and asks a neighbor for aid, has always been a sin. If weapons are used for it, such actions should not simply be condemned. We should remind once again that the time of fascism has not unfortunately become history. In this situation Belarus acted decently. Our government does not intend to hound people in distress. It takes care of them and helps them instead. I have no doubt that the conscious society has already evaluated actions of all participants of the migration conflict. All the questions can be and should be resolved within the legal framework and of course as human beings.”
