Taoiseach: EU sanctions on Belarus should be expanded 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said EU sanctions on Belarus should be expanded and strengthened following the forced grounding of a Ryanair flight where a journalist was removed.

European Union sanctions on Belarus should be expanded and strengthened following the forced grounding of a Ryanair flight where a journalist was removed, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

It was an act of coercion and requires a firm response from the EU, Mr Martin said.

Speaking in Brussels as he arrived for the latest EU summit, Mr Martin said the European Union has to send a very clear message that this is unacceptable behaviour.

He described the events as “quite shocking” and said the actions of Belarus put the passengers and crew on the plane, travelling from Athens to Vilnius at risk.

'Reckless behaviour'

“This type of reckless behaviour, coercive behaviour is just absolutely unacceptable,” he said.

Mr Martin said the grounding of the plane reflects a rise in authoritarianism across the world and called on the EU to stand up for the rights of people to speak freely.

Mr Martin said EU leaders would be getting a report on the incident at the start of their meeting on Monday night and decisions will come from that report.

Responding to questions as to whether the EU has been strong enough in its response to such extreme nationalistic actions by states with the EU bloc, Mr Martin conceded it is “very difficult” to get a consensus among the 27 EU countries on foreign policy.

Demonstrators call for the release of Raman Pratasevich, the Belarusian journalist and opposition activist arrested in Belarus on Sunday. Picture: Anatolii Siryk/ Ukrinform/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Mr Martin said the EU will be pushing hard for the early release of the journalist. Mr Martin described a statement from the Belarusian authorities insisting that they acted legally as "nonsense".

The Taoiseach said: "We all know what happened here ... don't be hiding behind excuses.

You forced the plane down to arrest a journalist whose views you don't agree with. You arrested that individual and that is contrary to any sense of human decency or democratic values."

Mr Martin told reporters he had received information that a number of passengers did not get back on board, and there is speculation that these are secret service personnel.