EU may tighten sanctions against Belarus today

The EU foreign ministers hold a meeting in Luxembourg.

France proposed imposing additional restrictions. Other EU members are expected to discuss this proposal today. As the French MFA spokesman, Bernard Valero, said, sanctions may be extended to economic entities. It was also offered to add new officials to the list of persons subject to assets freeze. Valero noted that these measures regarded Syria, where the situation went out of control. The authorities attack the opposition some kilometers from the Turkish border.

Besides, the EU foreign ministers will discuss imposing more sanctions on Belarus. Europe is concerned about the inner situation in the country and the fate of the imprisoned opposition politicians, the French MFA spokesman said. He also expressed a concern that freedom of press in Belarus was under a serious threat.

The European Union does not recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the legitimate president as well as the “national assembly” of Belarus the democratically elected parliament. The EU and US resumed sanctions against official Minsk since 2011 and extended them in March and May.