The European Union has announced that it will be placing new sanctions on Belarus, following an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in the country. The move comes after ten days of protests in Minsk and other cities.
Following the video conference, European Council President Charles Michel said that the bloc would impose sanctions on Belarusian officials accused of being responsible for "shocking and unacceptable" acts perpetrated against anti-government protesters.
The penalties will be imposed on a “substantial number” of individuals. EU leaders also collectively agreed that the results of Belarus’ August 9 elections were “fraudulent.”
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there was unanimous support for the sanctions, and that the economic restrictions will be implemented without “hurting the people of Belarus.” A list of individuals to be included should be adopted “as soon as possible,” she added.
Officials declined to say whether Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko would be targeted directly by the measures.
Von der Leyen said the EU would support a peaceful transition of power in Belarus, and would allocate 53 million euros ($63.3 million) to support civil society and the country’s Covid-19 response.
Also on rt.com Tikhanovskaya urges EU not to recognize ‘fraudulent’ Belarus elections, vows to lead a ‘peaceful transition of power’The bloc also said that it wanted to see new elections in Belarus.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main opposition candidate in the disputed election, urged the European Council ahead of its meeting to not recognize Belarus’ the results. She said that a new ballot should be held under international supervision, but stressed that the EU should respect the choice of the Belarusian people.
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