The United States and its allies, including the European Union, imposed sanctions on dozens of individuals and entities in Belarus on Thursday (December 2), escalating their actions against President Alexander Lukashenko and his government in concerted action. Punishment action.
The latest round of sanctions aims to significantly increase the pressure on Lukashenko, who is accused of manipulating last year’s presidential election to maintain power, ordering a massive suppression of the opposition, and recently sending migrants to the border between Eastern European countries and the European Union. Efforts to create a crisis for the European Union.
Western countries accuse Russia of supporting him.
Thursday’s action was coordinated by the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union. In a joint statement, the organization called on the Lukashenko government to immediately and completely stop planning irregular immigration across its border with the European Union.
The statement said: “Those who facilitate illegal crossing of the EU’s external borders in Belarus or in a third country should know that this comes at a huge price.”
The US sanctions designated 20 individuals and 12 entities, targeting the country’s defense, security, and potash departments as well as government officials and Lukashenko’s son.
The United States has imposed new sanctions on the Lukashenko regime, targeting 32 individuals and entities: military manufacturers, traders and Belarusian partners, Guardservice PMC, and Tsentrkurort, which is responsible for issuing visas to immigrants. Full list:https://t.co/ZkaWmO1Q6A
-Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) December 2, 2021
Washington also restricts Americans from trading new Belarusian sovereign debt issued by the country’s Treasury or Development Bank on or after Thursday with a maturity of more than 90 days.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated that Ottawa has imposed new sanctions on 24 individuals and 7 entities.
As far as the European Union is concerned, it has imposed sanctions on the state-owned Belarusian airline Belavia.Blacklisted by the EU government 17 people and 11 entities, Targeting judges and senior Belarusian officials, increased the number of sanctions to 183 persons and 26 entities.
Belarus: In view of continuing human rights violations and the instrumentalization of immigration, the EU imposes restrictions on another 17 individuals and 11 entities https://t.co/e3MGNZjTBu
-European External Action Service-EEAS 🇪🇺 (@eu_eeas) December 2, 2021
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus stated that it will retaliate against EU sanctions, saying it is aimed at stifling the country and deteriorating the lives of its people.
“In response, as we said before, we will take severe, asymmetric but adequate measures.”
It did not immediately comment on the actions of the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom.
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As part of Thursday’s move, Washington imposed sanctions on Belarusian state-owned tourism companies and seven Belarusian government officials over the immigration crisis.
European Union countries accuse Belarus of encouraging thousands of people from the Middle East and Africa to try to cross the border into Poland and Lithuania in retaliation for Western sanctions on Minsk, thereby creating an immigration deadlock on the eastern border of the European Union.
Lukashenko denied doing so and blamed the crisis on the European Union.
Human rights groups say that at least 13 people have died due to migrants camping under cold conditions at the border.
On Thursday, entities related to the potash industry were also blacklisted to limit the economic benefits of the Lukashenko government from potash exports.
The goal of the United Kingdom is one of the world’s largest potash fertilizer producers, the state-owned Belarus.
Washington blacklisted Belarusian Potash Corporation in August and blacklisted its export arm, Belarusian Potash Corporation (BPC). After the news was announced, global potash fertilizer producers’ stock prices rose on Thursday.
BPC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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The United States also blacklisted the state-owned cargo airline Transaviaexport Airlines, accusing the airline of shipping thousands of tons of ammunition and weapons to foreign conflict zones such as Libya and five entities that produce or export defense materials.
The listed defense companies include manufacturers of riot barriers and armored vehicles deployed among crowds protesting the official results of the August 2020 presidential elections. Although the opposition claimed that he lost the game, Lukashenko still won with about 80% of the votes.
Brian O’Toole, a former Treasury official who now serves on the Atlantic Council, said Thursday’s move helped the United States catch up with the EU’s previous actions, while also leaving room for upgrades.
“This is exactly what you want to see from the United States. This is a major action that will have a great impact, and there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he said.
