BELARUS: President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, perhaps the strangest and most oppressive new neighbour to be endured by the expanded European Union, demanded millions of euros from Brussels yesterday to stop refugees flooding into the bloc.
"We are fighting illegal migration very actively but we can- not do it without spending money," said Mr Lukashenko (54), whose aversion to free media and political opposition over a decade in power has seen him dubbed "Europe's last dictator".
"We are not a charitable country and this costs us dozens of millions of dollars. We would like your organisations, the European states, to start financing this." The Soviet-era collective farm boss warned that the consequences could be dire for Europe if it fails to come up with the cash. A well-travelled route for migrants from Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond runs through Belarus into Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, which joined the EU with seven other nations on May 1st.
"In the worst-case scenario, we will not be able to meet our obligations to the international community," Mr Lukashenko said.
His comments echoed a tirade in November 2002 that was prompted by the Czech Republic's refusal to invite him to a NATO summit. He was also furious with the EU and the US for refusing him travel visas.
"Europeans will not simply come to Belarus. They will crawl and ask for our co-operation on drugs trafficking and illegal immigration," he said.
Belarus officials have claimed that there are up to 50,000 illegal migrants on their soil at any given time, and that 5,000 are detained every year. The EU already pays Belarus to improve border security, and is keen to see the back of Mr Lukashenko.
"The current situation in Belarus remains very difficult for those opposing the present authorities," EU Foreign Policy chief, Mr Javier Solana, said in a statement yesterday, to welcome Belarus' beleaguered opposition leaders to Brussels ahead of parliamentary elections in the impoverished country this autumn.
"The visit of these leaders should be considered a sign of the Union's support for the development of an open, pluralistic and democratic Belarus," he said.