Belarus govt picks most adequate response to western sanctions – premier

<p> MINSK, Jun 22 - PrimePress. Belarus’ authorities are now choosing the most appropriate retaliatory measures in response to western sanctions, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko told reporters on June 22. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “We said earlier that the sanctions will not go unanswered. Now the appropriate agency is studying the text of sanctions against our citizens and businesses. We are choosing the most appropriate response from a set of tools which we have developed and about which we signaled to our partners. I think it will not be long when we make these decisions,” Golovchenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In his words, the practice of imposing sanctions discredits the EU policy towards Belarus. “Just look how they justify the sanctions against our enterprises. For example, the economic sanctions against MAZ are imposed because the president called it one of the country's flagships, against BelAZ because the head of state called it a national treasure and brand of Belarus. Is this a reason why these enterprises deserve economic punishment?” the prime minister said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “We have enough reserves and resources. We have been ready for these conditions for a long time,” said Golovchenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, the Council of the European Union (EU) at the level of foreign ministers of EU member states approved on 21 June 2021 the fourth package of individual sanctions on Belarus targeting 78 individuals and eight entities. The list of persons and entities hit by the sanctions includes MAZ, BelAZ, New Oil Company, Belaeronavigatsia air traffic service company, Bremino Group, Logex and Globalcustommanagement logistics companies, Sohra (exporter of Belarusian equipment), as well as the defence minister and the head of the Investigation Committee of Belarus, some judges, employees of security agencies and major businessmen. The EU Council also agreed to impose sanctions against seven sectors of the Belarusian economy, including exports of potash fertilizers and petrochemical products to the EU. The discussion of sectoral economic sanctions against Belarus will continue at a summit of the EU heads of state on June 24-25. The sectoral sanctions would be approved after the summit. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The United States on 21 June 2021 introduced sanctions against Belarus’ 16 individuals and 5 entities in response to human rights abuse and the Ryanair diversion incident. The United Kingdom (UK) on June 21 imposed sanctions against 11 individuals and two entities of Belarus after the Ryanair plane incident, as well as in response to human rights violations and suppression of democracy. Canada on 21 June 2021 imposed sanctions against 17 individuals and five entities of Belarus after the Ryanair plane incident and in response to human rights abuse. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, after the August 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, a political crisis began in the country. The authorities responded to the protests of citizens who disagreed with the election results with harsh repression and persecution. Since October 2020, the EU has already introduced three packages of sanctions against the Belarusian authorities, and after the Ryanair incident in Minsk a fourth package was in the pipeline. On May 23, a Vilnius-bound Ryanair plane that took off from Athens made an emergency landing at Minsk International Airport after a reported bomb threat. A MiG-29 fighter jet alert crew was scrambled to escort the plane. After the landing, the plane was inspected and no bomb was found on board. Among the passengers on that flight was Roman Protasevich, one of the co-founders of the Nexta Telegram channel recognized as extremist in Belarus. He is charged under three articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus. End </p>

2021-06-23

Primepress