Irish Examiner view: Global leaders need to unite over Belarusian sanctions

Will show of strength on act of air piracy be enough?

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Picture: Maxim Guchek/BelTA Pool Photo via AP

The swift response by all 27 EU leaders to the act of air piracy by Belarus is a welcome show of strength and solidarity among members in what is being seen as the biggest test of the union’s collective foreign policy since Brexit.

The fact that a MiG fighter jet was used to ensure the Ryanair captain landed in Minsk makes the actions by Belarus even more serious.

The stern nature of the collective action sends an important message to Alexander Lukashenko and his government that such breaches of international law will not be tolerated. 

The question is, will it be enough?

The most notable part of the EU’s response is the attempt to halt air traffic in Belarus by banning EU airlines from using its airspace and vice versa.

The UK government has done likewise, announcing that it was instructing British airlines to cease flights over Belarus and that it would suspend the air permit for the country’s national carrier, Belavia, with immediate effect. 

However, without the support of other major powers, the new sanctions will have limited effect.

US President Joe Biden is said to be considering his options, while the Chinese — who support Lukashenko, investing heavily in Belarus and lending hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure projects — have remained silent about the incident.

What would be most effective would be the suspension of international aviation agreements that allow all international flights to enter or leave Belarusian air space. 

Robust international response

What is needed is a robust international response, but current international aviation laws do not allow for that.

This act of air piracy exposes the need for an international regulator for aviation with strong powers of enforcement. 

Neither the International Air Transport Association nor the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has such powers. 

Even though the ICAO is a UN agency, it is not an international regulator. It serves as the global forum of its 193 members and develops policies and standards, but does not have enforcement powers of its own.

The abduction of journalist and opposition activist Roman Protasevich also serves to highlight the dangers posed to those who work in the media, especially those who seek to expose the activities of despotic regimes.

Journalists are familiar with being threatened by criminals, but an increasing number are being targeted by governments seeking to silence dissent under the guise of fighting terrorism.

Victims of state-sponsored terrorism

Protasevich, who has spoken out against Lukashenko and his government, is the latest victim of state-sponsored terrorism in eastern Europe and Russia.

In neighbouring Ukraine, journalists are regularly harassed by the authorities, but not in so brazen a manner as this.

According to Reporters San Frontières (Reporters Without Borders), Belarus is the most dangerous country in Europe for the media, with critical journalists and bloggers subjected to threats and violence and are arrested in large numbers.

Since the disputed presidential election, the few independent media outlets have been hounded by police trying to prevent coverage of the huge street protests.