EU will extend sanctions against Lukashenko for year

European Union intends to extend sanctions against the Belarusian regime until 31 October 2013.

This is stated in the commentary on the agenda for the EU Council of Ministers’ session planned for October 15th, BelaPAN reports.

“Considering that not all the political prisoners were released, no one of the released ones was exonerated and the situation with respect to human rights, rule of law and democratic principles didn’t improve, the Council will keep the restrictive measures effective until 31 October 2013”, - the EU Council of Ministers’ press-service informs.

243 members of the Belarusian nomenklatura are currently forbidden from entering the EU or doing business in the single market.

The list includes Vladimir Peftiev and Yuriy Chizh, two oligarchs said to feed money to President Alexander Lukashenko, as well as an embargo on arms to Belarus and on goods that could be used for internal repression.

Sanctions against Belarus will be rolled following elections on 23 September that left the opposition with no seats in parliament, and the EU will signal its willingness to increase the number of Belarusian individuals and companies on its blacklist.