EU plans to ban entry to 135 more Lukashenka’s henchmen

The European Union is to extend sanctions against Belarus in the nearest time.

It has been stated on January 12 at the session of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament by Gunnar Wiegand, Director for Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia of the External Relations Directorate General, UNIAN reports.

“I hope that we would be able to achieve consent with member countries in the next few weeks,” Wiegand said.

In particular, as said by the diplomat, the EU is to consider the question of blacklisting 135 more Belarusian officials for whom entry to the EU is to be banned, and whose assets should be frozen.

Besides, as the Ukrainian agency has found out from diplomatic circles, a possibility to expand the list of Belarusian enterprises which assets are to be frozen and operations with thich would be banned, is being considered. “One or more enterprises are to be added,” said the interlocutor of UNIAN.

As said by the source in the diplomatic circles, it is also planned to change decisive factors for imposing sanctions and to extend lists. “While earlier it was exclusively connected with the events after December 19, 2010, now they are to be aimed against all who are exerting pressure on human rights activists, journalists, representatives of the civil society,” said the interlocutor of the Ukrainian agency.

The decision to widen sanctions can be approved at the session of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union on January 23, the source noted.