BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

08/04/2008

EU Extends Visa, Financial Sanctions Against Belarusian Officials

The Council of the European Union decided in Brussels on April 7 to extend by one year the EU's sanctions against Belarusian officials, Belapan reported, quoting a spokesman of the council. "Grounds for revising the sanctions will be the complete and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus and the conducting of free and fair parliamentary elections this fall," the spokesman told the agency. There are currently 41 people on the EU's list of Belarusian officials subject to a visa ban and an assets freeze in connection with their involvement in a crackdown on civil society or the disappearances of opposition politicians in Belarus. In particular, the list includes President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Security Council Secretary Viktar Sheyman, presidential-administration head Henadz Nyavyhlas, Interior Minister Uladzimir Navumau, and Central Election Commission head Lidziya Yarmoshyna. The EU sanctions are "incompatible with civilized interstate relations...and an absolutely counterproductive measure," Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrey Papou said on April 7. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/04/3-cee/cee-080408.asp

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