EU tightens sanctions against Belarus and targets marching industry

The European Union announced on Thursday that it has tightened sanctions on Belarus due to its support for Moscow in the Ukrainian war, expanding its blacklist and imposing restrictions on exports, especially drone technology.

The European Commission clarified that these new sanctions, unanimously approved by the 27 member states, aim to "ensure that the sanctions against Russia cannot be circumvented through Belarus" by targeting goods and "highly sensitive" technologies.

As a result, the ban on exporting firearms and ammunition to Belarus has been reinforced, as well as components and technology that can be used for aviation and aerospace, including drone manufacturing. In these areas, the European Union seeks to align the sanctions imposed on Belarus with the EU's sanctions against Russia.

Furthermore, the European Union will also restrict exports to Belarus of dual-use goods and technologies (civilian and military) and components used by Russia in its war efforts. This includes semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, manufacturing, testing equipment, and optical components.

However, these new sanctions are still without recommendations from the EU's Foreign Minister, Josep Borrell, whose "proposals are still on the table" for further tightening at a later time, as confirmed by the European Commission.

According to the official gazette, 38 individuals have been added to the EU's blacklist, considered "responsible for serious human rights violations" for their involvement in "suppressing civil society and democratic forces" or benefiting from President Alexander Lukashenko's regime.

Among them are judges, propaganda promoters, employees of government media, as well as officials of prisons facing accusations of "torture and ill-treatment of detainees," especially political prisoners.

Listing in this blacklist results in asset freezes and travel bans within the EU territory.

In addition, three Belarusian government companies were targeted, including a manufacturer of electrical equipment, a mining group, and a petrochemical group, accused of suppressing their employees who participated in protests and strikes against the regime.

The 27 member states strengthened their sanctions on the Belarusian regime following the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022, accusing Belarus of allowing Russia to use its territory, especially as Russian forces headed towards Kyiv.

Belarus had already been subjected to sanctions due to its repression of opposition against President Alexander Lukashenko following his controversial re-election in 2020 and for hijacking a European plane in June 2021, as well as for organizing the flow of migrants from the Middle East to the EU borders.

In total, the European Union's sanctions against Belarus now target 233 individuals and 37 entities.



AFP