EU plans to sanction Syria’s Cham Wings Airlines

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The European Union is planning to sanction the Syrian Cham Wings Airlines accusing it of involvement in the migrant crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border.

Belarusian national carrier Belavia and Syria’s Cham Wings Airlines are among entities the European Union is planning to sanction over a migrant crisis that the bloc blames on Minsk, Bloomberg reported.

The Cham Wings Airlines, which was established in Syria in 2007, is the first airline company owned by the private sector. Some say it is owned by authorities close to the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.  

EU member states are expected to approve sanctions on 17 individuals and 11 entities this week, according to two people familiar with the measures, who asked not to be identified because the decision is not yet public, according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, the EU accuses Alexander Lukashenko, Belarusian president of orchestrating the arrival of the migrants and refugees to the eastern side of the bloc.

The EU said Belarusian president’s behavior comes in retaliation for mounting sanctions the bloc imposed over his crackdown on opposition protests following last year’s disputed presidential election, according to Bloomberg.

Syria and Belarus orchestrated the exit of large numbers migrants from Syria by facilitating through the Syrian airlines, according to some anti-Syrian government people.