European Union Considers Reimposing Sanctions on Belarus
The European Union officials said that the continental body is taking into consideration the idea of reinstating visa ban against Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, and other officials of the ex-Soviet state.
The idea comes after the crackdown on opposition’s protests to the outcome of the presidential elections in December last year.
In 2006, the 27-bloc imposed sanctions on Belarus after another disputed ballot, but the sanctions were suspended in 2008 as a means to encourage reforms in Belarus.
However, after the ballot in December concern increased over the fate of opponents to the regime, since reports were heard about arrests being made and opponents and journalist being detained by the police.
Senior EU diplomats are expected to approach the Belarusian matter in a few days, when they will gather.
Since most of the countries back the idea of reinstating sanctions against Belarus, they could become effective in a few weeks.
According to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, is one of the European leaders that advocates the idea of sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime.
Yesterday, Belarusian regime has freed one of the candidates to the presidency who had been detained since December.
At the same time, the regime has shut down an OSCE mission in Minsk, after the mission had said that the elections were flawed.
Lithuania, who took the rotating presidency of OSCE, urged Belarus to reverse the decision referring to its mission and to free the candidates to the presidency.11
