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Until now, Belarusian President Lukashenko has escaped any punitive measures by the EU. Brussels expected a dialogue between the head of state and the opposition. But that did not happen. That is why the EU is now increasing the pressure.
Due to the brutal repression of peaceful protesters in Belarus, the EU has launched sanctions against President Alexander Lukashenko.
According to diplomats, the EU ambassadors initiated the procedure to impose entry bans and account freezes on Lukashenko, his son Viktor and 13 government representatives, particularly from the internal leadership circle.
The procedure has yet to be confirmed in writing by the 27 member states, but this is a question of form. The deadline for this is Friday.
Brussels wants to increase the pressure
With the punitive measure, the EU wants to increase pressure on Lukashenko and show solidarity with the citizens of Belarus. Lukashenko was “responsible for the violent repression of the state apparatus before and after the 2020 presidential elections,” according to the reasoning for the sanction decision, cited by the AFP news agency.
The decision also accuses Lukashenko of being responsible for excluding key opposition candidates from the elections, for “arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment of peaceful protesters, as well as for intimidation and violence against journalists.”
Sanctions against more than 50 people
The EU is also targeting Lukashenko’s son, Viktor, who is the national security adviser in Belarus. Among the other 13 people affected are the head of the presidential administration, Igor Sergenko, the head of the KGB secret service, Iwan Tertel, and Lukashenko’s press spokesperson.
Among the 40 responsible persons previously sanctioned were the Minister of the Interior, Juri Karaeu, and members of the state electoral commission, the KGB and the special forces Omon and SOBR.
Hope for dialogue was disappointed
Lukashenko has faced massive protests since the presidential election on August 9. The opposition accuses the head of state, who has been in power for 26 years, of electoral fraud. Security forces regularly use force against protesters. Meanwhile, the protests have left several dead, hundreds injured and thousands arrested.
The EU does not recognize the re-election of Lukashenko. He and his closest circle of leaders had initially been exempted from sanctions so as not to obstruct a dialogue with the opposition on a peaceful solution.
Lukashenko’s unwavering adherence to the tough course against the opposition in recent weeks has led to a rethink in Brussels. In mid-October, the EU’s foreign ministers basically gave the green light to take action against the controversial head of state.
