European Council endorses measures on Belarus

The heads of state and government of the European Union’s member countries on Friday endorsed the conclusions on Belarus adopted by the EU’s foreign ministers five days before, including the decision to impose asset freezes and travel bans on nearly 160 Belarusian government officials and other individuals who are deemed involved in election frauds and a post-election crackdown on political opponents.

“The European Union reiterates its strong commitment to strengthening its engagement with Belarusian civil society,” the European Council says in its conclusions adopted as a result of the February 4 meeting. “The European Union remains committed to its policy of critical engagement, including through dialogue and the Eastern Partnership, conditional on respect for the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The Foreign Affairs Council will regularly re-examine the situation in Belarus and stand ready to consider further targeted measures in all areas as appropriate.”

The EU Foreign Affairs Council said in its January 31 conclusions that the Union’s sanctions and the list of targeted persons would be kept open and under constant review. “The release and rehabilitation of all people detained on political grounds would be an essential element in this regard,” the Council said. “This, along with progress towards further reforms of the Electoral Code, the freedom of expression and of the media, the freedom of assembly and association, would pave the way for the lifting of the restrictive measures.”

The Council also said that the European Union was working on measures to “provide urgent support to those repressed and detained on political grounds and their families,” would increase its support of Belarusian NGOs and students, and would encourage “the optimal use of the existing flexibilities offered by the Visa Code, in particular the possibilities for Member States to waive and reduce visa fees for certain categories of citizens,” for facilitating people-to-people contacts with Belarus to the benefit of the Belarusian population at large. 

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