List of “travel banned” opposition members to be extended

• 21.03.2012, 13:44

The Belarusian authorities are going to make the list of travel banned to work at full capacity.

Lukashenka said it in an interview to Russia Today TV, Interfax reports.

Asked if the list was created, Lukashenka said: “We made such a list. But we haven't introduced it. It does not work at full throttle yet. But it will.”

He accused opposition members of inciting the West to imposing sanctions on Belarusian officials, businessmen and companies.

“It is them who tells the West the names, organizations and companies and insists on imposing economic sanctions. It is them,” Lukashenka stressed.

Asked to comment on the travel ban for former speaker of the Belarusian parliament Stanislau Shushkevich, Lukashenka answered: “As for the denied or not denied exit, the European Union has a list of people subject to travel restrictions and so on. Your humble servant is on this list. The list was made on the initiative of our fifth column headed by one of its leaders – Stanislau Shushkevich.”

It should be reminded a number of opposition politicians, human rights activists and journalists were banned from leaving Belarus in the last few weeks.