The European Commission unveiled plans to support countries bordering Russia and Belarus to counter the weaponisation of migrants and solidify the Eastern border of the European Union.
To help the situation, the Commission is planning to make available additional funding totalling €170 million for Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and non-EU member state Norway. The funding will be used to upgrade electronic surveillance and improving telecommunication networks in order to raise up security and mobility for border patrolling.
Over the course of 2024 the EU noted a spike in irregular arrivals at the border with Belarus, especially across Poland, with a 66% increase compared to 2023. Around 90% of those migrants who crossed the border into Poland have a Russian student or tourist visa. The EU has been concerned about the weaponisation of migrants by Russia and Belarus for some years now, a practice that European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called “unacceptable” adding that “autocrats must never be allowed to use our European values against us.”
The Commission signed a Communication, a type of document used for pushing policies, that guarantees the new funding and will set up the legal context to allow member states for exception to current legislation on migrants, such as the principle of non-refoulement. The Commission is also encouraging the effected member states to cooperate with the EU and among themselves to better cope with this new hybrid threat.
The risk of overstepping outside of EU values is real as weaponisation of migrants may force member states to compromise against the bloc’s principles on human rights. The Commission seems to be aware of the danger and tries to maintain a balance in order to avoid exacerbating the threat. As Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen said “we must not allow any hostile state to abuse European values, including the right to asylum. Today’s Communication message is clear: we will always stand by Member States in their efforts to protect the security of our common external borders, in full respect of EU and international law.”
