Sanctions imposed on Lukashenka, sons and 158 Belarusian officials

• 31.01.2011, 18:28

The European Union has reinstated the visa ban suspended in 2008 on 158 representatives of the Belarusian regime including Lukashenka and his sons.

Such a decision was adopted on Monday by 27 foreign ministers of the EU countries in Brussels in response to the crackdown and arrests in Belarus after the election.

Among the blacklisted are Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his elder sons, the chairperson of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna, Yury Zhadobin (minister of defence); Leanid Maltsau (the secretary of the Security Council); Vadzim Zaytsau (the head of the secret police, the KGB); Uladzimir Makey (the head of the presidential administration); Ryhor Vasilevich (the prosecutor general); and Uladzimir Andreychanka (the head of the lower chamber of parliament); 24 chairpersons of the territorial election commissions, 30 judges and 10 Belarusian state TV propagandists.

Bank assets of these persons are to be frozen as well.

At the same time, not without assistance of some false Belarusian oppositionists, the Council of the European Union has decided not to impose economic sanctions against business entities of the dictator still.

In the adopted decision it is noted that the list of Belarusian officials for whom entry to the EU countries is banned, is open and could be revised.

It is expected that the US is to impose sanctions against official Minsk simultaneously with the EU.

This limitations and the list of persons are to be open and to be revised all the time. The Council of the European Union underlines that release of all persons detained on political grounds and their being freed from charges are to be of key importance in this respect, the declaration reads.