Egert Belitšev, head of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), has indicated that migration pressure could rise sharply in the coming weeks as migrants attempt to leave Belarus before winter sets in, reports ERR News.Belitšev explained that Russia has deliberately relaxed entry requirements and increased the number of flights from countries such as Ethiopia. Its ally, Belarus, then facilitates the migrants’ movement toward Europe. The journey is organized right up to the European Union borders and can cost up to 10,000 euros per person.While Estonia does not share a border with Belarus, Latvia does. Almost all of the 200 migrants detained in Estonia since mid-summer entered the country via Latvia. Estonia has a population of 1.3 million, whereas Ethiopia is home to around 130 million people and hosts nearly a million refugees from neighboring countries. Belitšev noted that there are six direct flights weekly between Ethiopia and Moscow, and no Russian visa is required. The passengers’ goal is to reach Europe. He emphasized that Russia has deliberately relaxed entry requirements and increased the number of flights.People travel by bus from Moscow to Belarus. Authorities make no attempt to stop them—quite the opposite; they help them reach the border, and Russia uses Belarus to exert pressure on Europe. Belitšev asked rhetorically whether this stems from dependence on Russia or the notion that acting on the “master’s” orders will bring success and prosperity, adding that this is a path Belarus has consciously chosen.The illegal transport of people is a form of organized crime; it is highly lucrative, and Russian and Belarusian authorities take a share of the profits. Belitšev noted that for those using the route through Belarus to reach Europe, the process is not as simple as buying a ticket to Moscow and proceeding on one’s own; the movement is orchestrated by criminal organizations.On the 6th of October, reports emerged that the PPA had caught migrant smugglers in the act. Belitšev pointed out that, metaphorically speaking, it is impossible to halt these criminal activities without “cutting off the heads.” Currently, the primary tactic is to apprehend migrant smugglers, arrest them, and bring them before the court as quickly as possible. Whenever possible, financial gains are confiscated. In mid-September, Estonia sentenced a migrant smuggler to seven months in prison and imposed a six-year ban on entry into Schengen Area countries.The PPA is under significant pressure yet continues its work; however, according to Belitšev, migration pressure also complicates the operations of other institutions. Many apprehended migrants claim to be minors in an attempt to exploit the EU’s child protection system. This creates challenges for the local governments responsible for providing guardianship. First-instance administrative courts are also unaccustomed to such a volume of migration-related cases. Belitšev noted that the situation could become more difficult in winter, when migration pressure typically subsides; few people wish to remain in Belarus once temperatures drop below freezing.
Migration pressure to rise in coming weeks
