Alexander Lukashenko – Photo BELARUS.BY
(LUXEMBOURG) – The EU imposed a new set of sanctions on Belarus Monday over the country’s enduring repression and the forced landing of a Ryanair flight and detention of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega.
In its decision, the EU Council decided to impose restrictive measures against 78 Belarusian individuals and 8 entities.
In a statement, the Council said the decision was made “in view of the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and the violent repression of civil society, democratic opposition and journalists”.
The new round of restrictive measures picks out seven individuals and one entity designated in connection to the forced and unlawful landing of the Ryanair flight in Minsk, Belarus, on 23 May, “endangering aviation safety, and the detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega”.
Among those targeted are several prominent business figures who support and benefit from the Lukashenko regime. The sanctions are intended to send a further strong signal to the backers of the regime, that their continued support for Aleksandr Lukashenko comes at a substantial cost.
EU restrictive measures on Belarus now apply to a total of 166 persons and 15 entities. Those designated are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to those listed. Natural persons are additionally subject to a travel ban, which impedes them from entering or transiting through EU territories.
On 24 and 25 May this year, the European Council adopted conclusions in which it strongly condemned the forced landing of the Ryanair flight, and called on the Council to adopt additional listings of persons and entities as soon as possible on the basis of the relevant sanctions framework. Consequently, on 4 June the Council decided to introduce a ban on the overflight of EU airspace and on access to EU airports by Belarusian carriers of all kinds.
The goal of the sanctions is to put pressure on the Belarusian political leadership to initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue with broader society and to avoid further repression.
The EU says it stands ready to support a peaceful, democratic transition with a variety of instruments, including a comprehensive plan of economic support for a democratic Belarus.
It adds that it stands ready to adopt further measures, including on other economic actors, if the situation in Belarus does not improve.
The relevant legal acts, including the names of the persons concerned, have been published in the Official Journal.
