Catherine Ashton: Dictator has left us with no option

Lukashenka has left the European Union wit no other option than to adopt strong sanctions against his regime, Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka “failed to use last December’s presidential elections to show his readiness for change and a more open and democratic”, European society, Catherine Ashton said Wednesday in the European Parliament presenting her report on the EU’s common foreign and security policy, Interfax-Zapad news agency informs.

“Not only did he [Lukashenka] not take this chance, but in using violence against peaceful demonstrators and multiplying the number of political prisoners, he has shown contempt for democracy and the rule of law,” Ashton said.

He reminded about her meeting with families of the Belarusian oppositionists arrested in Minsk in December and civil activists. According to Ashton, Lukashenka “has left us with no other option than to adopt strong sanctions in response targeting those in the regime responsible for the crack-down, including President Lukashenka himself,” the EU High Representative said.

One of Ahston’s key messages was a call not to limit reactions to the regimes considered anti-democratic to only statements and protests, but take more direct actions.