EU stands ready to take further restrictive measures against Lukashenka regime

EU Foreign Ministers, convened in Brussels on 19 February, have expressed the EU’s “continued and deep” concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus. 

In its conclusions, the Foreign Affairs Council strongly condemned the continuing persecution and intimidation campaigns against all segments of Belarusian society, the unprecedented level of repression, and restrictions on political participation, which “undermine the potential for fairness and legitimacy of the parliamentary and local elections scheduled to take place on 25 February 2024”.

The Council also expressed its deep concern about the Lukashenka regime’s actions affecting the national identity of Belarus, and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting and promoting the Belarusian language and culture.

The EU also strongly condemned the continued support provided by the Belarusian regime to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and called on Belarus to refrain from such actions and to abide by its international obligations. The EU also condemned the regime’s hybrid attacks at the EU’s external borders, including the instrumentalisation of migrants.

The Council’s Conclusions also remind that the EU has imposed targeted sanctions against the Lukashenka regime, and that the EU “stands ready to take further restrictive and targeted measures as long as the Belarusian authorities continue their actions”.

The Conclusions welcome the establishment of the EU Consultative Group with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society and recall the EU’s commitment to provide €3 billion to a future democratic Belarus through a comprehensive plan of economic support.

“A future democratic Belarus has a place in the European family,” the Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions said.

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