BRUSSELS — Efforts by the EU to agree a joint stance against Belarus, from where a wave of balloons sent over the border to Lithuania grounded planes and triggered border closures, have remained stuck for days after Hungary’s attempts to water down the language.
The bloc has been pushing for a statement to be issued on behalf of all 27 member countries in the wake of the balloon incursions, which Lithuania has warned amount to a “hybrid war” tactic. Belarus’ authoritarian leadership is a close ally of Russia and has already been accused of weaponizing irregular migration to sow unrest in the EU, facing sanctions and international condemnation.
However, according to a diplomat and two officials granted anonymity to speak to POLITICO about the closed-door talks, Hungary is lobbying for the bloc not to publish its assessment that the balloon flights amount to an effort to destabilize EU countries.
While there is hope Budapest will back down on the issue, the row has left the draft statement languishing since it was circulated to member countries on Tuesday morning, when Lithuania first triggered air defense measures against the wave of incursions.
Ostensibly used for smuggling cigarettes, the balloons are around the size of a large car and have sparked aviation safety fears, sending intelligence agencies scrambling to determine the motivations behind the sudden uptick. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys told POLITICO in an interview earlier this week that the incidents shine a light on the need for the EU to step up joint preparedness efforts and introduce new sanctions on Belarus.
On Monday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė confirmed the country would indefinitely close its border with Belarus over the incursions. Belarus’ strongman leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has denied wrongdoing and called the response “petty.”
Hungary’s populist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has repeatedly tried to hold up EU positions against Russia, fighting against new sanctions on the country’s energy exports and imposing a veto on Ukraine’s application to become a member of the bloc.
In August, Hungary refused to sign a statement condemning Russian strikes on Ukraine — including one that damaged the EU’s representative office in Kyiv — meaning the missive had to be issued on behalf of the remaining 26 member countries instead.
The permanent representations of Hungary and Lithuania to the EU did not respond to a request for comment.
The post Hungary stalls EU’s ‘hybrid war’ verdict against Belarus appeared first on Politico.
