BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
23/03/2011
Belarus gears up for tit-for-tat sanctions against EU, U.S.
The ministry will also restrict foreign socio-political associations and foundations from illegally financing political activities in the country
In a tit-for-tat response against sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States, Belarus is considering banning entry of a list of individuals it considered responsible for taking "destructive" actions against Belarus and damaging its international cooperation, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Savinykh on Tuesday.
Some 150 people, including European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, European Parliament member Jacek Protasiewicz, politicians, parliamentarians, journalists from the U.S. and the European bloc are expected to face sanctions.
Interfax West news agency quoted a government source as saying those banned from entering the country involved "several people, who treat the Republic of Belarus in a most biased and destructive manner, who played the key role in spinning up the crisis in relations between Belarus and the West.”
The official said that the ministry will also restrict foreign socio-political associations and foundations from illegally financing political activities in the country. "Belarus will continue contacts with the Western partners, but the visits of American and European-level political delegations to our country will be carried out at an invitation from the legislative and executive authorities of Belarus," said the press secretary.
The ministry’s announcement came a day after the EU extended sanctions on Belarus over its deteriorating human rights conditions. Under the new set of sanctions, some 19 Belarusian officials were targeted, said EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
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