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The main leader of Belarus’s opposition suggested Monday that the European Union approve sanctions against officials accused of manipulating last month’s presidential election, traveling to Brussels to tell the bloc’s foreign ministers to show courage.
Despite a sixth consecutive weekend of mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko following the disputed vote on 9 August, the EU has yet to respond to the risk of imposing sanctions on a list of some 40 Belarusian officials.
“EU leaders have an explanation as to why impose sanctions, but I asked them to be braver,” Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the election, told reporters.
“Sanctions are in our fight because they are a component of tension that can simply force the so-called government to start an argument with us on the opposition council. “
The EU said at the end of August that it would impose asset freezes and bans on Belarusian officials, but sanctions require agreement between the 27 member states, and the Belarusian factor has become entangled in a debate on separate sanctions opposed to Turkey, sought through Cyprus in an energy resource dispute.
Cyprus says it supports sanctions that oppose Belarus, but that the bloc will also act on Turkey.
“Our reaction to any kind of violation of our basic and basic values and principles cannot be on the letter of angels. It will have to be consistent,” Said Chancellor Nikos Christodoulides.
EU leaders will talk about the Cyprus factor at a summit on Thursday. European diplomats say Germany fears sanctions could undermine diplomatic progress aimed at easing tensions with Ankara.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, one of the most powerful defenders of the sanctions opposed to Belarus, said he hoped that other EU countries would “not keep the European Union in limbo and take it hostage. “
The presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania said on Monday that they would ask EU leaders at this week’s summit to offer an economic package to Belarus if it holds democratic elections, which would come with a favorable industrial regime with the EU, visa-free travel. and as a candidate for the World Trade Organization.
(REUTERS)