Brussels, 22/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Austrian Presidency of the EU Council is currently considering further sanctions which the EU could impose over the coming weeks on members of the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, following the Presidential elections of 19 March, which OSCE observers have said did not meet international democratic standards (see EUROPE 9155, p4). The Presidency is contemplating extending the list of people subject to a visa ban or whose assets in Europe are frozen, but “there are other possibilities” for sanctions against those responsible for multiple violations of the rights of the opposition during the Presidential campaign, the Austrian Secretary of State for European Affairs Hans Winkler told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on Tuesday. “I don't want to speculate on the kinds of measures the EU could take, but there are others” than EU visa bans, said Mr Winkler. He said that it was not “a visa ban that would bring down the Lukashenko regime”. Further sanctions needed to be carefully considered, because it was important to avoid “collateral damage” which would affect the population more than the leaders. “This decision will have to be taken with great care,” said Mr Winkler.