[ad_1]
Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya is visiting Brussels in anticipation of EU sanctions against her country’s leaders. Cyprus resists, with demands for tougher measures even against Turkey.
Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya at an election rally in August. Stock photo.
On Monday, Tichanovskaya will meet, among other things, with the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, and will appear in the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Above all, it begins the day with an informal breakfast with the EU’s foreign ministers, a strong testament to the support for his fight against dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who despite strong protests declared himself the winner of the questionable presidential elections of August.
Not least, neighboring countries Lithuania and Poland are firmly on Tichanovskaya’s side. A joint statement with Romania on Monday morning called for widespread support.
“We call on the EU to prepare a support package for a future democratic Belarus and contribute to its political, economic and social transformation,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda wrote on Twitter, vowing to address the issue at its EU summit. week in Brussels.
At the same time, however, the situation remains blocked in terms of the sanctions against the Lukashenko regime, which the EU leaders in principle have already agreed to. A list of 40 names has been drawn up for people who should be denied entry and their assets frozen in the EU.
However, Cyprus is opposed and refuses to give the go-ahead as long as EU leaders cannot simultaneously make similar decisions against Turkey.
The Nicosia government has long been outraged by Turkish test drilling for oil and gas outside the unrecognized breakaway republic of northern Cyprus. This has already led to EU sanctions, which, however, Cyprus now wants to increase significantly.
– Our reaction must be consistent, says Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, on his way to Monday’s meeting, while still opening himself up to a solution.
– I am here and I am ready to implement the political decision we made at Gymnich (meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in August), says Christodoulides.
However, the question is complicated. Sanctions against Turkey, which is a member of NATO and of great importance to EU migration policy, are much more sensitive than sanctions against an already isolated Belarus.
Furthermore, relations with Ankara will be discussed in detail as the main topic at this week’s EU summit from Thursday to Friday, which means that many countries want to avoid decisions before then.
Turkey will also be discussed by EU foreign ministers on Monday, as well as relations with Russia after the poisoning of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
