Brussels, 22/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - European foreign ministers are likely on Friday 23 March to impose restrictive measures on 12 people, including judges and prosecutors, and 29 Belarusian companies. Businessman Yuriy Chizh could have sanctions imposed on him after Slovenian minister Karl Erjavec vetoed proposed sanctions against him at the February Council. According to a European diplomat, sanctions adopted on Friday will “in broad terms be in line with the decision that was to be taken the last time”.
In response to the toughening of EU sanctions, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has already prevented several human rights activists and journalists from leaving the country. “Lukashenko is preventing people from leaving the country, that's not a good sign. It's further justification that the EU has to take action”, a diplomat said.
While the subject is not on the Council agenda, the 2014 world ice hockey championship is dividing the EU. Some MEPs have called for a boycott of these championships, due to be held in Belarus, but the European Commission prefers to remain neutral. Noting that there are serious infringements of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus, the spokeswoman for EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said on Wednesday 21 March that “the International Ice Hockey Federation observes political, racial and religious neutrality, and the EU fully respects the decision-making independence of national and international associations”. Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said that it could not be ruled out that the Belarusian regime might use the attention around the championship for its own political ends nor could it be denied that many sporting associations in the country were closely linked to the regime. Unless Belarus amends its current repressive policies, attention on the situation will increase as 2014 approaches, she said arguing that this presents opportunities to make people internationally aware of what is going on. On Wednesday, Lukashenko, himself a hockey fan, vented his spleen at the call by MEPs. “This is political manoeuvring, nothing more. It has nothing to do with sport”, he railed. “If the boycott comes to pass, it will be a serious blow to the image of the International Ice Hockey Federation”, he added, stating that his country had every right to host this championship. (CG/transl.rt)