EU ready to extend sanctions against Lukashenka regime

• 13.06.2012, 10:08

Sanctions will be extended if political prisoners are not released.

Members of the Belarusian opposition heard this opinion from representatives of the European External Actions Service (EEAS) John Cayer and Stephen Tressing.

Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, Anatol Lyabedzka, Syarhei Kalyakim, Andrei Dzmitryeu, Alyaksei Yanukevich, Iryna Veshtardt and Vital Rymasheuski took part in a meeting in the office of the EU Delegation to Minsk.

“Representatives of the European External Actions Service assured us the EU's position on political prisoners remains firm. The EU insists on the release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners. If political prisoners are not freed in the nearest weeks, sanctions against the Belarusian authorities will be extended. The diplomats said they would monitor the parliamentary election campaign, but the Belarusian side expressed a view the campaign could already be considered non-democratic due to political prisoners and absence of minimal conditions for political activity,” Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, a coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign, told charter97.org website. Besides, the opposition representatives raised a question on facilitating the visa regime for Belarusians.

“We spoke about unilateral simplification of the order of obtaining visas and reduction of visa fees without readmission agreements, which Lukashenka will never sign, because he is not interested in giving ordinary Belarusians an opportunity to travel freely

I welcomed the actions of solidarity demonstrated by the EU countries, such as joint departure of ambassadors during the last diplomatic row and a clearly articulated demand to release political prisoners. It is due to such efforts that we will be able to gain the release of our friends in future,” Alyaksandr Atroshchankau said.