EU Foreign Ministers to decide on sanctions against dictator today

The EU Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels on January 31 to adopt sanctions against the Belarusian leadership.

The Council of the European Union will meet in two configurations: the Foreign Affairs Council and the General Affairs Council. The Foreign Affairs Council is to discuss the situation in Belarus in the aftermath of the elections, Interfax-Zapad news agency reports.

The ministers will adopt conclusions in which it is expected “to call again for the immediate release of those detained on political grounds and to state its continued commitment to strengthening its engagement with the Belarusian people and civil society,” the press service of the EU Council reports.

The Council describes the actions by the Belarusian authorities as repressions that spotted the presidential elections held on December 19, 2010.

The EU Foreign Ministers are expected to take a decision on imposing travel restrictions on persons responsible for the fraudulent elections in December and for the subsequent crackdown, the press service says.

Assets of Belarusian high-ranking officials in European banks will be frozen. The Council is expected to reinstate the previous travel restrictions that had been suspended since October 2008.

Sources from the EU avoid telling the exact number of officials, on whom sanctions will be imposed, until the Council of Ministers adopts conclusions. However, they do not hide that the 2008 list may be extended to about 150 persons.