Reports: EU to lift Belarus sanctions

The European Union will lift Belarus sanctions by the end of winter: it will apply to 170 people and 3 companies. Four security officials suspected of the abduction of people in our country in 1999-2000 will stay on the black list. The arms trade embargo will also remain in force, Radio Liberty reporter in Brussels Rikard Jozwiak wrote on Twitter.

The Council of the EU suspended Belarus sanctions for four months on October 29. Only the security officials mentioned above are still blacklisted. The decision was made after the release of political prisoners and the presidential election. Brussels decided to encourage Minsk to make more steps on the way to positive changes in the country and improvement of Belarus-EU relations.

The EU Foreign Ministers may discuss the future of Belarus sanctions on February 15, unofficial sources report.