WithAirlines around the world condemn the emergency landing of a passenger plane in Belarus and the arrest of Roman Protasevic. There is talk of „state piracy” and a „dangerous precedent.” Commentators agree that the West should now impose tough sanctions – but some doubt that countries like Germany are truly prepared to do so. A look at the international press.
The Telegraph, Great Britain: Anger in the West is largely artificial
This incident is a breach of international law, synonymous with aerial piracy, and an act of war by a despot whose true face was revealed when he mercilessly suppressed a popular uprising against the rigged elections last year. As long as he has the implicit or explicit support of Vladimir Putin in Moscow, little will fear. Alexander Lukashenko also knows that Western rage is largely artificial.
As long as Germany, Poland, Austria, Italy and other European Union countries depend on Russian energy supplies, they will only speak out about threats against Belarus. An important natural gas pipeline from Siberia to the European Union runs through the country. And all the efforts made to use the new Nord Stream 2 gas export project to Germany as a lever against Moscow brought nothing. „
The New York Times, USA: Lukashenko has gone too far
“Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, has gone too far. Hijacking a passenger plane to hijack an opposition journalist is simply a very serious violation of international standards for the United States, European Union and other responsible countries to abandon him without dire consequences.
Lukashenko, reminiscent of regional rulers of the Soviet era, became more and more oppressive and authoritarian during his 27 years of rule. With neighboring Russian President Vladimir Putin as a benevolent and protective spirit, Lukashenko has consistently halted criticism and sanctions from the West. …
Lukashenko has gone too far and the response must be swift. But this episode also underscores a troubling truth: Autocrats who wish to extend their repressive tactics across international borders are increasingly encouraged to do so. Deterrence has failed in many cases. „
NZZ, Switzerland: Belarus is tightening its screws against those who think differently
The signal that the Lukashenko regime wanted to send is clear: No matter where its opponents are, they can no longer feel safe anywhere, not even on a plane traveling between two European Union countries. Senior Belarusian officials made it clear several times that they would track everyone down and hold them accountable. Protassewitsch looks like an experimental thread. …
The screw is tightened against defectors more and more often. The Internet portals Tut.by and Sports.ru have been blocked since last week. Amendments to the Media Law will prohibit, among other things, any reporting of unauthorized protests in the future. Ultimately, Russia can benefit from this. The more Lukashenko and the elite maneuver themselves into a dead end, the sooner Russia will be the only savior, albeit at a high price for the country’s sovereignty.
De Standaard, Belgium: Belarus as a time bomb
Belarus is a time bomb between Europe and Russia. It was swaying slowly and quietly – until last summer, after half a century of Soviet rule and 26 years of tyranny by Lukashenko and his entourage, the population demanded what millions of Eastern Europeans enjoyed for 30 years: fair, democratic and free elections. Lukashenko responded with brutal repression and, in return for economic and political support, led his country completely into Russia’s sphere of influence. …
All speculation about the role of the Kremlin and the risk of escalation should not distract from the bare facts: Lukashenko hijacked this plane. Thus, closing all the taps of money for him and his followers, excluding Belarus from European air traffic and conducting an international investigation of those responsible for the kidnapping, can only be the beginning of an answer. „
Kommersant, Russia: Relations with Belarus could worsen
“The forced landing of the Ryanair plane in Minsk and the arrest of opposition activist Roman Protasevich, who flew on that plane, showed that already bad relations between Belarus and the West could worsen. On the first day of their summit, the heads of state and government of the European Union made a political decision to ban flights To the Belarusian airlines in the European Union … On the other hand, Russia has once again defended its ally neighbor Belarus.
De Volkskrant, Netherlands: Lukashenko surrenders to Putin
Russia is only behind Belarus and Alexander Lukashenko. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised his Belarusian counterpart for promising to show transparency in the forced landing solution.
Ahead of the fraudulent elections in Belarus in August 2020, the European Union treated Lukashenko with gloves to avoid being pushed into the arms of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is now a thing of the past. In order to survive politically, Lukashenko surrendered to Putin. The two presidents are negotiating the formation of a federal state, and as a result Belarus should in effect become a province of Russia. Lukashenko did not care about the European Union, as Roman Protasevic’s kidnapping showed. „
DNA, France: Aircraft conversion sets a frightening precedent
„The diversion of the plane that may have originated from the Hollywood movie is a frightening precedent – even in this part of the world where some governments are not interested in international law when they try to terrorize their opponents. Because that’s exactly what it’s about: showing that no one is out of the reach of the system, Never, nowhere. Not even at an altitude of more than 10,000 meters. Fear is always the safest way … to stay in power. „
Politiken, Denmark: The world has witnessed country piracy
“The Belarusian authorities justified the danger on board the plane. This is nonsense! This was a new attack on the opposition that only demands democracy. But this time it was more. The world witnessed a round of Belarusian state piracy – a form of state terrorism – against a civilian aircraft that was on A road between two European Union and NATO countries. Needless to say, one has to react sharply to this. It was Lukashenko’s pirates who forced a plane to land on Sunday. Tomorrow it might be another criminal force that comes up with the same idea – if We did not show the price is high. „
Gazeta Weyborxa, Poland: Lukashenko puts Putin in a difficult position
Belarusian intelligence operations have put Moscow in a difficult position. From the Kremlin’s point of view, Lukashenko chose a fatal moment for his work. Vladimir Putin and his aides are trying to hold a Russian-American summit as soon as possible. Joe Biden also pushes for a meeting in June – in an atmosphere that leads to tangible agreements and does not end in scandal.
It is clear that only Putin, and not the European Union or Washington which is protesting so vehemently, can persuade the Belarusian dictator to correct his mistake and release Roman Protasevich. If he does not, he will be considered a sponsor of international terrorism. However, he cannot do that, because according to the Kremlin line, the Belarusian journalist is himself Navalny: he is not a spokesman for the opinion shared by large sections of the population, but an agent of foreign powers, and a troublemaker. „
La Repubblica, Italy: More and more rioters at the borders of Europe
School rioters on the borders of Europe crowded. After Russia, Turkey, Egypt and Libya under the leadership of General Khalifa Haftar, Morocco, which used immigrants in Spanish Ceuta as a club, they are now joined by the Belarusian dictator Lukashenko, the last tyrant who remained on Earth for a very long time. Continent suffered. Interfering with it – like a straight leg foul – is especially bad.
The confiscation of a European flight with the military between two European Union capitals in order to arrest a passenger deemed hostile to the Minsk regime is not an act of war, but not much is missing. (…) At this point, it is clear that Europe must emerge from the vicious circle of increasingly impudent violations against it. „
