EU slaps new sanctions on Belarus, targets its economy

European Union foreign ministers have agreed to impose sanctions on scores of officials and several organizations in Belarus and prepared a series of economic measures aimed at hitting President Alexander Lukashenko and his allies

BRUSSELS -- European Union foreign ministers agreed Monday to impose sanctions on scores of officials and several organizations in Belarus, and prepared a series of economic measures aimed at hitting President Alexander Lukashenko and his allies. The EU has gradually ratcheted up sanctions since Lukashenko – dubbed the last dictator in Europe – won a sixth term last August in elections it says were fraudulent. The measures have targeted people accused of electoral misconduct and responsibility for the police crackdown that followed. But the EU has taken a harder approach since Belarus’ authorities forced a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk last month, and over the country's alleged use of migrants to pressure neighboring Lithuania, which has provided a safe-haven to Belarusian opposition figures and is one of Lukashenko’s most vocal critics. The ministers imposed travel bans and asset freezes on 78 Belarus officials and froze the assets of 8 “entities,” which are usually companies, banks, or associations. It means that a total of 166 people and 15 entities are now under EU restrictive measures.