BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

20/03/2007

EU Extended Sanctions on Belarus Bureaucrats for Another Year

European Union officially announced Monday the extension of sanctions against top bureaucrats of Belarus till April 10, 2008, EUobserver.com reported.

European Union first imposed sanctions on Alexander Lukashenko and 34 top-rank bureaucrats of Belarus in late March of 2006, following the crackdown on the opposition during presidential elections in Belarus and re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. The sanctions froze accounts of blacklisted officials and banned them from entering the EU member states. Similar restrictions for Belarus are currently in force in the United States.

Even though Belarus made a few attempts to improve relations with Europe in the recent months, particularly after gas clashes with Russia, EU is adamant. Belarus will have no turn for the better till it carries on large-scale democratic reforms, EU made clear by extending the sanctions.

Source:

http://www.kommersant.com/p-10343/r_527/Sanctions_Belarus_/