EU hits Lukashenko “in the wallet”
On Monday, the European Union will approve a series of economic measures against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko in order to punish Suppress and redirect the plane to stop the opponentWe learned on Friday from diplomatic sources. A diplomat clarified that the foreign ministers of the 27 countries are invited to give their approval “for a portfolio strike” by the Belarusian authorities during a meeting in Luxembourg.
“The goal is to cut Lukashenko’s sources of income”
He noted that these sanctions target exports of potash, tobacco, petroleum and petrochemicals, weapons and equipment used to suppress dissent, and dual-use goods, both civil and military. He added that measures against the financial sector are under discussion. “These are sanctions that will hurt,” European leaders demanded after a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius was diverted to Minsk to arrest two of its passengers, Belarusian dissident journalist Roman Protasevic and her Russian friend Sofia Sabiga, the diplomat commented.
“The goal is to cut Lukashenko’s sources of income,” another European diplomat said. “The sectors targeted by the EU are dominated by large state-owned companies that have very strong ties to the regime and the president,” he explained. “The European Union often does not adopt economic sanctions and that takes time,” another diplomat said. After the green light expected on Monday, it will be necessary to finalize a legal text to go into effect “as soon as possible”. The consensus of the 27 countries is required to adopt the sanctions.
The European Union has already imposed sanctions on 88 members of the regime, including Lukashenko and his son
Several diplomats said Austria had reservations about the financial sanctions, but lifted them on Friday. “All countries made concessions and accepted that these measures would have a potential impact on their interests,” a European diplomat commented. The ministers will also “give their permits” to add 78 names and 7 entities to the list of Belarusian officials authorized to suppress dissent, including 7 involved in changing the route of Ryanair’s flight, according to the same. Source.
These penalties are individual. They will be banned and their assets in the European Union seized. The granting of European funding to the entities concerned will also be prohibited. The European Union has already imposed sanctions on 88 members of the regime, including President Lukashenko and his son. The European Union understands that these sanctions will have consequences for the citizens of the former Soviet Republic. The ban on flights in the European Union on the national airline Belavia and the closure of European air links have led to travel sanctions for Belarusians.
Opponent in exile Svetlana Tikhanovska will have a working breakfast with the ministers before their meeting, and then she will go to Brussels where she has planned a press conference.
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