The migrants trapped in the Belarusian border region do not want to return home, claims President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus is trying to repatriate migrants, he says, but that group would not be persuaded.
“We are actively working in this area to convince people,” the Belarusian leader told state news agency Belta.
Lukashenko announced in May that he would no longer block migrants travelling to the European Union via Belarus. However, due to the migrant flow that started, Belarus’s EU neighbouring countries decided to strengthen the borders.
Thousands of people managed to reach the union, but thousands of migrants were also trapped in the border area.