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EU envoys pass fifth package of sanctions against Belarus, says source

It includes sanctions imposed against Minsk for the presidential vote in August 2020 that was not properly held from the EU’s viewpoint

BRUSSELS, December 1. /TASS/. Permanent representatives of 27 EU countries have passed the fifth package of sanctions against Belarusian authorities, a source in the delegation of one of the European Union’s countries in the EU Council told TASS on Wednesday.

"EU envoys greenlighted the fifth package of sanctions that includes around 25 individuals and legal entities, at a meeting this morning," he said, adding that the decision is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the EU and come into force on Thursday.

The fifth package includes sanctions imposed against Minsk for the presidential vote in August 2020 that was not properly held from the EU’s viewpoint, and the following detentions and court processes against participants of antigovernmental rallies. Those sanctions are of individual nature, targeting the country’s top leadership, including President Alexander Lukashenko and members of his family, as well as government members, security officials, prosecutors, representatives of the judiciary and election systems.

As of today, the European Union has already introduced four packages of individual sanctions, which list 166 individuals and 15 legal entities.

Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said earlier that Minsk goes easy on the EU’s intention to introduce new packages of restrictions, adding that the country’s economy successfully copes with this pressure.

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EU Belarus Sanctions

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