EU may suspend Lukashenka sanctions next week
The EU may suspend the sanctions imposed on Belarusian officials and even allow Alyaksandr Lukashenka to enter the European Union.
The mass release of political prisoners in August may lead to such a decision, Reuters refers to its own sources.
The formal decision to freeze ‘the sanctions’ may be taken at the meeting of EU diplomats next week. Officially, the sanctions will be prolonged but a moratorium may be set on them.
Most likely, the sanctions imposed on the four representatives of the Belarusian special services suspected of connection with the abduction of the regime’s political opponents will be left in force.
The EU is also discussing the possibility of lifting sanctions from 25 Belarusian enterprises. However, the main exporter of military equipment (Beltechexport) is unlikely to be among them.
The suspension of the sanctions may open a way to new sources of crediting for the state, one of the sources told the agency: “It may mean that Russia will no longer be the only source of financing for Belarus.”
Meanwhile, some of the EU governments are urging to use the mechanism of sanctions that was in force in connection with Iran’s nuclear programme. If human rights are violated again, the sanctions will be resumed.
