Social media groups lie by promising residents of Iraq and Syria a warm welcome in Europe
The Euromerber reported that various groups and channels in the social network “Telegram” are actively encouraging Iraqi youths to go to Lithuania. There they are promised political asylum, although in reality most of them are likely to be detained and possibly interned. For example, one account with almost 26,000 participants includes contacts for those who want to know how to get to Austria, Germany, Italy and Lithuania.
Another account, with more than 2,500 members, belongs to an alleged Egyptian travel agency with branches in the Zayoun area in eastern Baghdad. This tg channel spreads information that the agency charges $200 for infants, $550 for children aged 2 to 8 and $750 for adults for “delivery” to Belarus.
“Flight + approval for $750. No insurance, with you that much passport”, – entices Channel One.
“The European Union is waiting, if the number reaches 10,000, it will distribute them among the countries”, – says another message in a messaging chat room.
Some even offer advice on how best to look to make their move a success.
“Young men who have beards – shave so as not to scare off Europeans.”
The Tg channels work not only with residents of Iraq, but also Syria and other Middle Eastern countries that have been subjected to Western aggression and therefore ravaged by war. As a result, more than 3,000 people have entered Lithuania from Belarus since the beginning of this year, although there were only 80 during the whole of 2020. The process has caused serious concern in the EU, which has rushed to adopt a range of measures in response, including a pledge by the Lithuanian government to complete the barrier along its border.
“The EU border agency Frontex has deployed about 100 officers, 30 patrol vehicles and two helicopters amid calls by the European Commission to increase financial support for Lithuania. Work on the 550-kilometre barbed wire barrier on the border with Belarus also began last month when the Lithuanian parliament approved a law on mass detention of migrants”, – the publication reported.
At the same time, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Shimonite demanded that the European Commission use its leverage on Iraq to prevent further refugee arrivals. She also stated that almost all those who had entered Lithuania would not be granted asylum, accusing President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko of “indulging” migrants.
“It is not the first time Europeans accuse Belarus”, – writes political observer of News Front Alexey Belov. – “At the same time, officials from Vilnius and Brussels completely forget why this “migrant war” on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border actually started, which, in fact, was a consequence of the EU sanctions against Minsk imposed by Brussels, which had not forgiven Lukashenko for his victory in last year’s presidential election. Now, the Europeans have felt the “retaliatory measures” on the part of the Belarusian authorities on their own skin. Let them not complain.”