Lukashenko has been charged with paying the EU for his regime’s involvement in creating the migrants crisis at Belarus’s border to Poland.
Franak Viacorka, chief adviser to Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, hit out after Brussels this week agreed a £590,000 aid package to help the migrants.
Concerns have been raised over £170,000 of that money earmarked for the Red Cross, which has a Belarus branch that will be responsible for administering the aid.
The Belarus Red Cross is run by the country’s health minister, Dmitry Pinevich, who was appointed by Lukashenko, and in the past has been accused of complicity in election rigging and of denying aid to political prisoners.
After Angela Merkel had made two calls to Lukashenko, the Western leader who did so first, the aid agreement was reached. A third call was done shortly afterwards.
MailOnline was told by Mr Viacorka that he believed Lukashenko had achieved all he desired.
Lukashenko has been charged with paying the EU for his orchestrated migrant crisis along Belarus’s border. Pictured: Members of the Belarusian Red Cross hand out aid to migrants last week at a tent camp located near the Belarusian–Polish border
Pictured: Migrants gather at a transport and logistics centre near the Belarusian-Polish border
“First, he got a phone call from Angela Merkel that allows him to claim in propaganda that now he’s a legitimate President.
He managed to persuade the West to give his regime a second chance. It is part of the Belarus Red Cross, which serves the regime.
“Right now, they get money from the European Commission pretending that they’re a legitimate non-governmental organization when in fact they’re not.
I call upon those who are giving me money to hold them accountable for any penny that they give.
Human Rights Watch expressed concerns about the payment as well and called for transparency regarding how it was spent.
Angela Merkel (right), who had made two phone calls to Lukashenko, the first Western leader to do this, shortly before the agreement of the money.
Critics have said the Belarus Red Cross (pictured at the border) is part of Lukashenko’s regime
Lotte Leicht (EU director for HRW) said that it was concerning to see that one side you have a Belarusian regime who is solely responsible for the humanitarian and human rights crisis at its borders, while the Belarus Red Cross, headed by a minister of the regime, is being provided assistance by the European Commission in order to address that crisis.
“We acknowledge that there is an urgent humanitarian crisis. Migrants – many of them children – who are trapped and being abused in Belarus require immediate help.
“In these situations the European Commission must make sure that the IFRC complies strictly with the conditions of the financial allocation to Belarus. That all aid be based solely on humanitarian need assessments, without favor or discrimination. And that humanitarian work is transparently and accountability.
MailOnline was informed by the EU that they are not directly giving money to the Belarus Red Cross. Instead, the EU is transferring the funds to the International Foundation of the Red Cross. This will ultimately take responsibility for the money.
A spokesperson for the EU stated that the IFRC had signed strict framework agreements designed to guarantee it adheres the highest standards.
The spokesperson said that the EU monitors how these funds are used, and does so through frequent field visits by EU humanitarian experts, meeting with partners, audits, or meetings with them.
Employees of the Belarusian Red Cross hand humanitarian aid over to migrants at the logistic center
At the Belarus-Poland border, near Grodno migrants gather to warm themselves around a campfire.
A spokesperson for IFRC stated that the organization is dedicated to transparency and accountability towards its partners and communities.
We have strong reporting and audit systems in place in order to ensure the donation we receive reaches the right people.
“Accurate, timely and complete reports on all our operations are made available to the public including information on how the funds were used and their total amount.”
‘To date, IFRC has allocated over £800,000 to Belarus Red Cross, Polish Red Cross and Lithuanian Red Cross, whose volunteers and staff are assisting thousands of vulnerable people at the border with food, water, blankets and medical assistance.’
Nearly two weeks ago, thousands of migrants in need stayed at the border between Poland and Belarus to try and cross the Polish border into Europe.
Brussels charges the Lukashenko regime with creating the crisis. He lured vulnerable people to Russia on false promises to provide a route into Europe. Then, he marched them towards the border forcing them to illegally cross.
MailOnline received a statement from the EU stating that the EU will not be giving money directly to the Belarus Red Cross, which is shown handing out humanitarian assistance at the border. Instead it will give the money to the International Foundation of the Red Cross who will take responsibility for the funds
According to the EU, this was done in retaliation for sanctions against Lukashenko’s administration over Ryanair flight hijackings and suppression protests.
Lukashenko with Russia’s support has admitted to helping some migrants get across the border. However, he has not claimed total responsibility.
In the midst of the diplomatic impasse, Angela Merkel (the outgoing German Chancellor) made two calls to Lukashenko last week. She became the first Western leader ever to contact him after he won a widely-respected 2020 presidential election.
The aid approval was on November 17. A third call was placed by the couple on November 17. During which time they agreed to discuss the need for the crisis of migrants with diplomats from Belarus and the EU.
Merkel’s spokeswoman said afterward that leaders had ‘underlined…the need to…provide humanitarian assistance and return opportunities for the people concerned’.
It also comes after Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, floated the idea of paying Lukashenko to deal with the migrant crisis earlier in the week.
“Why was the EU able to provide funding for refugees coming from Turkey so they could stay in Turkey?” Lavrov stated that it was impossible to provide the same assistance for the Belarusians.
The EU is also sanctioning Lukashenko’s government, which includes targeting travel agents and airlines that are accused of aiding migrants to reach Belarus.
This week, the bloc’s foreign ministers agreed to a fifth round sanctions. A sixth will follow.