EU foreign ministers extended sanctions reprieve for Belarusian dictator for 9 months
- 16.03.2009, 15:47
EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels confirmed their decision not to impose visa bans on Belarusian officials.
Sanctions reprieve has been extended for nine months, Reuters reports.
The EU ministers also welcomed “certain positive steps” had been taken by the Belarusian authorities to improve cooperation with the OSCE. “Nevertheless, the European Council continues to be concerned about the human rights situation in Belarus and the recent cases of violation in this area," the statement says.
The EU ministers didn’t agree on whether Alyaksandr Lukashenka should be invited for a summit, which is to set up Eastern Partnership program. This question is expected to be considered by the EU heads of state in Brussels on March 19–20.
The EU imposed travel sanctions on Lukashenka and 41 Belarusian officials after the presidential elections 2006. In October 2008, the EU foreign ministers suspended visa ban on Belarusian officials, including Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
The EU ministers agreed to discuss the situation in six month to decide whether to reimpose the ban depending on the human rights situation in Belarus.
It should be noticed that for the six months of suspension of visa ban on Belarusian officials, political repressions in the country have gone on. New political prisoners have appeared. Leaders of entrepreneurs Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were arrested in Vaukavysk in February. “Young Front” activist Artsyom Dubski, participant of the Case of 14, was arrested in February, too. Forceful draft into the army can be observed in Belarus. In spite of medical condition, Franak Vyachorka, Ivan Shyla, and Zmitser Khvedaruk were call up for military service. Human rights activist Yana Palyakova, pressed by the Belarusian authorities, from committed suicide.
Rights of opposition activists Alyaksei Bondar, Mikhail Kryvau, Mikhail Pashkevich, Alyaksandr Straltsou, Alyaksandr Charnyshou, Tatsyana Tsishkevich, Mikhail Subach, Paval Vinahradau, Maksim Dashuk, and Alyaksandr Barazenka, sentenced to restraint of liberty for participation in r=protest rallies of entrepreneurs, remain restricted.
As Austrian Wiener Zeitung wrote ahead of the meeting, Germany stood for extension of visa ban suspension, while Sweden and the United Kingdom were sceptical about this EU policy towards Belarus.
According to Dutch press, minister of foreign affaires of the Netherlands Maxime Verhagen stands for tightening sanctions against the Belarusian authorities. He said it to the Dutch parliament during the debates in the foreign affaires committee on March 12.
For the moment, the list of restricted to travel to the EU includes current interior minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau, former state secretary of the Security Council Viktar Sheiman, former interior minister Yury Sivakou, and former commander of the special purpose squad of the internal troops of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dzmitry Paulichenka, suspected by the international community of involvement to forceful disappearances of famous Belarusian opposition figures Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski, Yury Zakharanka, and journalist Dzmitry Zavadski. Head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna, responsible for “election” rigging, is also on the list of restricted to travel.