EU foreign ministers okay sanctions against seven key sectors of Belarus economy
<p> MINSK, Jun 21 - PrimePress. The Council of the European Union (EU) at the level of foreign ministers of EU member states approved on 21 June 2021 agreed to impose sanctions against seven sectors of the Belarusian economy, including exports of potash fertilizers and petrochemical products to the EU. </p> <p> </p> <p> “The EU Council on Monday unanimously decided to impose sanctions on seven sectors of Belarus' economy in order to affect the funding sources of the Lukashenko regime,” Agence France Presse reports. </p> <p> </p> <p> Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said the EU sanctions would, in particular, affect exports of potash, petrochemicals and tobacco products, as well as the financial sector. </p> <p> </p> <p> According to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the discussion of sectoral economic sanctions against Belarus will continue at a summit of the EU heads of state on June 24-25. He noted that the sectoral sanctions would be approved after the summit. </p> <p> </p> <p> German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview published on 21 June in German newspaper Die Welt that additional sanctions against Belarus were unavoidable, as one cannot expect a rapid and dramatic change in the behaviour of the Belarusian authorities. </p> <p> </p> <p> “We will no longer just sanction individuals. We will now also impose sectoral sanctions -- meaning that we will now get to work on the economic areas that are of particular significance for Belarus and for the regime’s income,.. We should extend the sanctions to parts of the Belarusian economy, such as the potash industry or the energy sector. And we should deprive the government in Minsk of the possibility to raise funds within the EU by issuing government bonds,” Heiko Maas said. </p> <p> </p> <p> As previously reported, the tentatively agreed package of EU sectoral sanctions against Belarus may affect the oil and gas sector, telecommunications, potash production and the tobacco industry. There are also plans to impose financial restrictions: refusal to grant new loans, a ban on securities trading, investment services, and export loans. End </p>
2021-06-22
Primepress
EU foreign ministers okay sanctions against seven key sectors of Belarus economy
MINSK, Jun 21 - PrimePress. The Council of the European Union (EU) at the level of foreign ministers of EU member states approved on 21 June 2021 agreed to impose sanctions against seven sectors of the Belarusian economy, including exports of potash fertilizers and petrochemical products to the EU.
“The EU Council on Monday unanimously decided to impose sanctions on seven sectors of Belarus' economy in order to affect the funding sources of the Lukashenko regime,” Agence France Presse reports.
Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said the EU sanctions would, in particular, affect exports of potash, petrochemicals and tobacco products, as well as the financial sector.
According to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the discussion of sectoral economic sanctions against Belarus will continue at a summit of the EU heads of state on June 24-25. He noted that the sectoral sanctions would be approved after the summit.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview published on 21 June in German newspaper Die Welt that additional sanctions against Belarus were unavoidable, as one cannot expect a rapid and dramatic change in the behaviour of the Belarusian authorities.
“We will no longer just sanction individuals. We will now also impose sectoral sanctions -- meaning that we will now get to work on the economic areas that are of particular significance for Belarus and for the regime’s income,.. We should extend the sanctions to parts of the Belarusian economy, such as the potash industry or the energy sector. And we should deprive the government in Minsk of the possibility to raise funds within the EU by issuing government bonds,” Heiko Maas said.
As previously reported, the tentatively agreed package of EU sectoral sanctions against Belarus may affect the oil and gas sector, telecommunications, potash production and the tobacco industry. There are also plans to impose financial restrictions: refusal to grant new loans, a ban on securities trading, investment services, and export loans. End