Belarusian airline Belavia’s circumvention of EU sanctions by purchasing Airbus A330 aircraft
11.7.2025
Question for written answer E-002846/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Mariusz Kamiński (ECR)
In May 2021, Lukashenka's regime used false information about a bomb threat to force a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk under fighter jet escort. This hijacking was a flagrant violation of international law and also formed part of the brutal repression of the Belarusian democratic opposition. In February 2022, Belarus supported Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. In response to these actions, the EU imposed a number of sanctions, including a ban on Belarusian airlines using EU airspace and purchasing aircraft, as well as restrictions on access to leasing and spare parts.
Despite the imposition of these sanctions, the Belarusian carrier Belavia recently acquired three Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a secret deal, most likely mediated by a company based in the United Arab Emirates, from the Gambian airline Magic Air, previously operated by the Turkish airline Onur Air[1]. The operation was aimed at circumventing EU sanctions and rebuilding Belavia’s operational capacity, as the company’s fleet had been cut in half as a result of sanctions. The resumption of long-haul flights to China and South-East Asia would be a propaganda success for the regime, much as the acquisition itself is already being portrayed[2].
- 1.Is the Commission familiar with the details of the transaction for the purchase of A330 aircraft by Belavia, and is it currently carrying out an investigation into the circumvention of EU sanctions?
- 2.What measures does the Commission plan to take to prevent the Belarusian or Russian authorities from using similar mechanisms in the future?
- 3.What measures will the Commission take to prevent Belavia from putting these aircraft into operation, which media sources report is planned for late 2025?
Submitted: 11.7.2025