BRUSSELS — The European Union should adopt new and stronger sanctions against Belarus over the diversion of the Ryanair flight, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday, during doorstep statements at and EU leaders extraordinary meeting.

This would "convey the message that such practices cannot and must not become tolerated on the European continent," he added.

The summit has a dense agenda, the Greek PM noted, and will review developments on fighting the coronavirus pandemic. "Allow me to express my satisfaction over the agreement between the European institutions on the issue of a new directive regulating the operation of the Covid certificate," he noted, which was a Greek initiative. The e-certificate's speedy implementation will allow safe travel of Europeans within the European Union, Mitsotakis added.

(ANA-MPA/N. Armenis)