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“Belarus is always against confrontation in word and deed. We are in favor of dialogue and mutual understanding. But as a sovereign state, we will respond resolutely, albeit regrettably, to hostile actions to defend our national interests,” says the state agency of news from Belarus, BelTA, citing the document.
Following the EU’s announcement of sanctions against some Belarusian officials, Minsk will apply a list of sanctions in retaliation from Friday. “In accordance with established civilized diplomatic practice, we will not publish it,” the Belarusian Foreign Ministry noted.
According to the agency, if the EU turns the “wheel” further, the consequences could be even more dire. For example, Belarus can withdraw from joint programs and projects, review the level of diplomatic representation, and even consider whether diplomatic relations are appropriate.
“The EU is threatening to review its relations with Belarus. It will be its decision. Belarus, for its part, is also ready to review relations and will respond appropriately to any hostile action. Attempts to impose on the Belarusians some representatives approved by abroad, some “government exile” projects etc. doomed to fail. The fate of such structures is sad: even before the beginning, they are on the fringes of the historical process, “the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The European Union on Friday issued sanctions against some 40 Belarusian officials responsible for electoral fraud and human rights abuses. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced this at a press conference on the results of the first day of the EU summit.
For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the EU was not imposing sanctions on Aliaksandr Lukashenko, as this would hamper Brussels’ demand for dialogue with the Belarusian opposition through the OSCE and the release of political prisoners.
EU countries made the political decision to impose sanctions on Minsk in August, but could not reconcile the blacklist for a month and a half because it was blocked by Cyprus, which demanded restrictive measures against Turkey for its actions in the Mediterranean. So, at this EU summit, Cyprus landed in Brussels, promising sanctions against Ankara if it did not end its provocations before the end of the year.
In Belarus on August 9. Presidential elections were held, the results of which are considered rigged. Its winner was Lukashenko, the longtime leader of Belarus.
As soon as the first results of the vote were announced, mass protests began in Minsk and other Belarusian cities, which escalated into clashes with the militia. Thousands of people were arrested and many protesters were injured.
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