“EUobserver”: EU set to extend sanctions against Lukashenka

The European Union is set to extend sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka and 35 high-ranking Belarusian officials.

As an inline edition “EUobserver” writes, the preliminary talks of the EU diplomats in September show that the European Union will prolong the ban on voyages for the leadership of Belarus for 12 more months, but at the same time a moratorium on the application of the ban would be imposed on 6 or 12 months.

Renewing the sanctions reflects the fact that little has changed in Belarus since the presidential election in 2006. The moratorium shows changes in the external policy of the EU, which had been orientated to launching the Eastern Partnership since 2008. The European Union desires to improve relations with post-Soviet countries with the aim of defending its independence from Russia.

We remind that in November the probation period given for Belarus by the European Union ends. Depending on the situation with democracy in Belarus, the question of extending or freezing sanctions of the EU against the Belarusian regime would be decided. The authorities of Belarus must release political prisoners, stop repressions against the opposition, give freedom to mass media and non-governmental organizations, make amendments to the Electoral Code to enable holding free and democratic elections. None of these conditions has been met so far.