Belarus touts retaliatory sanctions against EU, UK airlines

The Government of Belarus will impose retaliatory sanctions on airlines from the European Union and the United Kingdom in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Belavia (B2, Minsk National), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

“In response to the illegitimate restrictions on the Belarusian aviation industry, which are based on unfair competition, our country will take similar steps in relation to air carriers from the European Union and the United Kingdom,” it said.

The Belarusian authorities did not specify the nature of their proposed sanctions, and they will likely remain moot in practice. European airlines already avoid overflying as well as operating to Belarus after the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recommended bypassing the country in May this year. The regulator’s decision was in response to the forced diversion of a Ryanair B737-800 to Minsk National, to arrest a dissident opposition journalist and his partner who were onboard.

The recent sanctions on Belavia are linked to a migrant-smuggling racket allegedly orchestrated by the Minsk authorities. While the state-owned airline has not been accused of actively organising the transport of migrants from the Middle East to Minsk National and then onwards to borders with Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, many flew onboard the flag carrier. In addition to being blacklisted from flying over and to the EU, the airline has also been forced to terminate all its lease agreements from EU entities.

The retaliatory measures open to Minsk are limited as no European carrier dry- or wet-leases any aircraft from any Belarussian entities.

The Belarussian MFA has also vowed to ramp up its ties with Russia and other countries in the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan). Belavia said earlier that it would also consider leasing or buying aircraft from non-Western manufacturers and lessors in response to the sanctions.