27/02/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 27 February, the Council of the EU decided to extend the restrictive measures against Vladimir Naumov, Dmitri Pavlichenko, Viktor Sheiman and Iury Sivakov for one year, in connection with the disappearance of two politicians, a businessman and a journalist in Belarus in 1999 and 2000. It also decided to extend the arms embargo on exports of weapons to this country for one year. These measures will now run until 28 February 2018. Introduced for the first time in 2004, the measures against the four people include an assets freeze and a travel ban within the EU. The Council also introduced an exemption to the restrictive measures to allow export of biathlon equipment to Belarus, which will remain subject to prior authorisation by national competent authorities on a case by case basis. (CG)