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Resolution on lifting anti-Russian sanctions submitted to Belgian parliament — MP

A draft resolution on lifting the European Union’s ssanctions has been submitted to the Belgian parliament, a lawmaker says

BRUSSELS, January 29. /TASS/. A draft resolution on lifting the European Union’s anti-Russian sanctions has been submitted to the Belgian parliament, Filip Dewinter, the leader of the Flemish Vlaams Belang party, told TASS on Monday.

"We have submitted to the Chamber of Representatives of the Belgian Federal Parliament a resolution demanding the national government initiate at the European Council lifting of the EU’s anti-Russian sanctions," he said.

"The draft will be first considered by the Chamber of Representatives’ commission on foreign affairs. The date for the hearings has not yet been appointed but we expect it may take place after Prime Minister Charles Michel returns from his visit to Russia on January 29-31. After that, the text will be referred to a plenary meeting," he said.

The draft resolution that is available to TASS stresses that the sanctions run counter to the international norms and have "inverse economic effect" as they tell adversely on European exports and the labor market. The resolution points that Russia implements all provisions of the Minsk agreements and calls to normalize relations with it as Russia should be "Europe’s key economic and political ally."

It is the Belgian parliament’s second attempt to pass a resolution against the European Union’s anti-Russian sanctions. The first one was made in mid-2017 but the draft resolution was turned down back then.