EU to peep in Belarusian officials’ pockets?

The European Union is getting ready to impose new sanctions on the Belarusian administration. The Brussels edition Euobserver has informed about it.  Political scientist Ales Lahvinets has said that the decision will cause pain for the official Minsk in an interview with Euroradio.

The sanctions are to target petroleum products firms Belneftekhim and Triple, arms producer Beltechexport and the fertiliser company Belaruskalii. In EU officials’ opinion, the enterprises are funnelling money to the Belarusian nomenklatura.
Lahvinets notes that the additional European sanctions will affect the companies connected with the authorities.

Lahvinets: " The sanctions will target these companies – Triple, Belneftekhim  and Beltechexport . The new package is likely to be adopted in April. Personal accounts, financial schemes and the companies’ financial arrangements are expected to be tracked down. However, the information has not been confirmed yet. In any case, the Belarusian authorities openly neglect the European Union’s suggestions and appeals to stop the show trials and to release political prisoners”.
In the expert’s opinion, the new sanctions will be severer. However, will the European pressure exercised on the Belarusian regime increase?

Lahvinets: "It would be great if the Belarusian authorities understood that they should not play with fire and continue the state terror campaign directed against their own citizens. It is difficult to predict the further European Union’s actions, but it will also be a resolute and specific signal for the Belarusian authorities”.

By the way, the economic essence of the New European Unions’ sanctions makes them resemble the American position in the Belarusian issue.

Lahvinets: "This document reflects the position of the USA. The decision on Belarus is expected to be discussed by the U.S. Senate soon. This decision will help coordinate the actions of the United States and the European Union”.

Let us remind you that European politicians urged to stop political trials in Belarus many times in the last two months. They claimed that the European Union could join the American economic sanctions if the repressions continued.

Photo by — svaboda.org