MINSK, June 22. /TASS/. Belarus will take reciprocal measures against countries who imposed sanctions on Belarusian citizens and companies, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said Tuesday.
"We have warned previously that sanctions will not be left without response. A corresponding agency is currently examining the text of sanctions against our people and companies. We pick the most adequate reaction measures from the set we’ve developed, and which we made our partners aware of," the Prime Minister said, according to BelTA. "I believe it won’t take long before we make those decisions."
He called the imposition of sanctions ahead of the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War ‘cynical.’
"They could have waited one more day, to make it even more cynical," Golovchenko noted.
According to the Prime Minister, these sanctions discredit the EU.
"It is at the very least cynical and unscrupulous to simultaneously declare a mission ‘for the Belarusian people.’ Just look how they justify their sanctions against our enterprises," the Prime Minister noted.
In particular, he explained, the document contains "language so wild" it proves its authors are poorly informed about the situation in Belarus.
"And those who give them advice and recommendations are even less informed. For example, they justified economic sanctions against MAZ [Belarusian truck maker — TASS] by the president naming it as one of the lead machine-building enterprises. Or, because the president named BelAZ [Belarusian mining haul truck maker — TASS] as a national treasure and a Belarusian brand," Golovchenko noted.
"We keep on living and working. We have enough reserves and resources, and we have long been ready for these conditions," the Prime Minister concluded.
On Monday, the EU imposed economic sanctions against eight sectors of the Belarusian economy. The fourth sanctions package covered 86 persons and companies. Similar sanctions were also imposed by the US, the UK and Canada.