Original title: The EU imposes new sanctions on Belarus involving multiple individuals and business entities
China News Service, June 21, reported that on the 21st local time, the European Union announced that it would impose a travel ban and asset freeze on 86 Belarusian individuals and companies, and is preparing to impose economic sanctions on Belarus.
European Union foreign policy chief Borrell said when he arrived in Luxembourg on the same day to participate in the EU foreign ministers’ meeting: “Today we will approve the new sanctions plan, which is a broader plan involving about 86 individuals and business entities.”
In addition, the EU will soon impose economic sanctions on Belarus’ financial, petroleum, tobacco and potash fertilizer industries. Belarus is one of the world‘s largest potash fertilizer exporters. In 2020, the European Union imported 1.2 billion euros worth of chemicals from Belarus, as well as crude oil and related products worth more than 1 billion euros.
Borrell stated that economic sanctions will not be approved by the EU Foreign Minister, but will be submitted to the European Council at the next meeting, the summit to be held in Brussels on the 24th.
An Irish Ryanair passenger plane made an emergency landing at Minsk International Airport on May 23 due to bomb threats. According to Western media reports, the White side claimed that there might be a bomb on the passenger plane and sent a fighter plane to “force” the plane to land in Minsk, and then arrested the Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich who was flying on the plane and supporting the Belarusian opposition.
After the incident, the United States and the European Union announced new sanctions against some individuals and companies in Belarus. The Belarusian side subsequently announced countermeasures against the United States.
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