European Union to continue cooperating with Belarusian authorities
EU Foreign Ministers have confirmed Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s right to enter Europe. A preliminary agreement on prolongation of the suspension of EU’s sanctions imposed on Belarus was reached by Foreign Ministers at a meeting of the EU Council on March 16. It means that all Belarusian officials including President Alyaksandr Lukashenka will be allowed to enter any of the 27 EU member states for at least 9 months more. Furthermore, the EU and Belarus will have an opportunity to continue political contacts on the high and highest levels – Ministers and higher.
EU’s sanctions were imposed on 42 representatives of the administration of Belarus after the presidential elections in March 2006. The European Union claimed that elections did not correspond to the standards of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and accused the administration of the country of pressure exercised on electors and repressions directed against the opposition. The sanctions were suspended in Mid-October 2008 in connection with the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
ITAR-TASS
EU’s sanctions were imposed on 42 representatives of the administration of Belarus after the presidential elections in March 2006. The European Union claimed that elections did not correspond to the standards of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and accused the administration of the country of pressure exercised on electors and repressions directed against the opposition. The sanctions were suspended in Mid-October 2008 in connection with the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
ITAR-TASS
