EU Developing Sanctions against Triple, Belneftekhim and Belaruskali

16.05.2011 12:10
Архив Редакция

The European Union is developing new sanctions against Belarus. EU Heads of Mission in Brussels sent a preliminary list of individuals and commercial entities to be covered by the new measures. Diplomatic sources say petroleum products companies Belneftekhim and Triple, arms firm Beltechexport and fertiliser maker Belaruskalii are in the frame. 

According to a source, the list is not yet at the implementable stage. EU wants to examine it thoroughly and make sure the companies really are owned by the people, considered guilty of «political repression in Belarus,» passes the EUobserver.

The European diplomat says that economic sanctions are unlikely to damage the president’s private fortune, said to be salted away in Russian and Ukrainian banks, fish and real estate companies as well as offshore accounts in Russia and in at least one EU country. «To track down these funds would take a serious intelligence operation and there is no EU member state right now willing to commit resources to such a task,» the EU diplomat added.

Nevertheless, the new list may be ready in time for EU foreign ministers to rubber stamp it at their meeting in Brussels next week (May 23), with the jailing on Saturday for five years of leading opposition figure Andrei Sannikov likely to galvanise agreement.

As Telegraf previously reported, May 14, Partysanski district court of Minsk convicted persons involved in «the case on December 19. Former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov was sentenced to five years in the reinforced regime colony, while protestors at Independence Square Ilya Vasilevich, Fiodor Mirzoyan and Vladimir Yaromenko — three years, another «Square» participant Oleh Hnedchik — 3.5 years in the reinforced regime colony.

Monday, May 16, Zavadski district court of Minsk sentenced the wife of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, journalist Irina Khalip, to two years imprisonment with a two-year suspension of execution. Former candidates Vital Rymasheuski, Nikolai Statkevich, Pavel Seviarynets (three years of imprisonment in the open type institution) and Sergei Martseleu (two years imprisonment with two years of trial period) were convicted on the «case on December 19» together with Irina Khalip. All three were released from custody in the courtroom. Their preventive measure was changed into their recognizance not to leave until the sentence comes into force.

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