Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, feels that trade sanctions on Belarus would be successful – he said.

« We would want to avoid escalation, but if it is unavoidable, governments should be prepared to defend themselves. I’m not convinced that sanctions imposed on Belarus would be ineffective », following a meeting with Acting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, the prime minister stated.

Belarus and the European Union commerce accounts for a significant portion of exports. This would undoubtedly be a major setback for the Lukashenko administration, and it should be considered as a possible tactic, he added.

There are currently four sets of EU sanctions on Belarus. Sanctions apply to both businesses and people. The EU is debating a fifth package of restrictive measures in response to the migrant problem on the Belarusian-Polish border.

Thousands of migrants have gathered around the Belarus-Poland border, hoping to enter EU countries. Poland has increased border security, reduced military spending, and is clamping down on illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country. Warsaw holds Minsk responsible for the migrant issue. Belarus disputes the charges, claiming that Poland is forcefully deporting refugees to its territory and inflaming the situation artificially.

source: reuters.com