Belarusians in U.S. demanded sanctions against MAZ, MTZ and «Belaruskali»

"Belarusians in Exile" urged the Council of the EU to give effect to the newly expanded economic sanctions against Belarusian regime.

The letter, sent today to foreign ministers of 27 countries-EU members states: "In 2012 the Council of the European Union expanded the types of individuals and companies that can be sanctioned to include "entities and bodies who have been identified by the Council as benefiting from or supporting the Lukashenka regime, as well as legal persons, entities and bodies owned or controlled by them."  However, some of the largest financial contributors to the Lukashenka regime, State owned Belarusian companies that derive much of their profits by selling into the EU, remain unsanctioned.

We urge the Council to use the provisions of the expanded Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 and to expand the list of sanctioned companies and individuals in Belarus to include those companies financially supporting the regime; especially those that derive significant profits by selling into the EU.  Cutting off the flow of funds to the regime and sanctioning the people who run the companies providing finance to the regime is the only effective way of encouraging the development of democracy in our country.

The EU as a whole is Belarus' second largest export market and in 2010 accounted for 30.1% of all Belarusian exports and over 5.7 billion Euro in export earnings."

'Belarusians in Exile' submitted a list of companies and individuals responsible for most of Belarus' currency revenues. Those include:

- Belarusian Autoworks OAO (“Every third mining dump truck in the world” Dump trucks, road building equipment, mining equipment. State owned.);

- Belarusian Oil Company: (The principal exporter of oil products from Belarus.);

- Belarusian Oil Trade House: (Subject to sanctions imposed by the USA);

- Belarusian Potash Company (World’s largest exporter of potash supplying 43% of the world’s potash. 50% owned by Belaruskali potash production company (which is State owned) and the Belorussian Railways);

- Belaruskali (One of the world’s largest producers of potash fertilizer. Owned by the government of Belarus under Belneftekhim which is sanctioned by the USA);

- Belneftekhim - Belarusian State Concern for Oil and Chemistry: (Subject to sanctions imposed by the USA);

- Belshina OAO: (Belarusian Tire Works one of the largest enterprises in Europe. Owned by the Government of Belarus under Belneftekhim. Subject to sanctions imposed by the USA);

- MAZ OAO – Minsk Automobile Plant: Heavy trucks and tractors, buses, trailers and special vehicles. State owned.

- Mozyr Refinery; Producer of Gasoline, Diesel fuel, furnace fuel and liquefied gas. The State owns 42.76% of the refinery’s shares;

- Naftan OAO: (Naftan is a subsidiary of Belneftekhim Concern that supplies petroleum products to Belarus in addition to producing and refining diesel fuel. 99.8% of its shares are owned by the State. Subject to sanctions imposed by the USA);

- Republican Unitary Enterprise "Minsk Tractor Works" One of the world’s 10 largest tractor producers. State owned.