The new package of sanctions of the European Union (EU) against Belarus will enter into force on December 2. This was stated by the Estonian Foreign Minister Eva Maria Liimets, reports ERR.
“Preparation of the fifth package of sanctions against Belarus is nearing completion, and it is planned to be accepted this week. It is planned that it will be December 2,” the Foreign Ministry reported.
Diplomat also indicated that the list of physical and legal entities who fell under sanctions will be published only with the agreed package. “Premature disclosure of this information can cause an unjustified confusion. It will also allow these persons to respond quickly and, for example, restructure assets or do something like that,” explained Liimets.
The EU’s intention to keep new sanctions against Minsk is known on November 9. The EU and NATO accuse President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to use migrants as an instrument to the west. The new round of sanctions is directed against Belarusian officials who, in the opinion of the European Union, organized the arrival of migrants to retaliation for restrictions on Minsk.
The official representative of the EU Foreign Service Peter stressed that in addition to airlines under sanctions, travel agencies and other intermediaries could enter. Ireland Foreign Minister Simon Kovney clarified that the European Union intends to break leasing contracts with the State Airline “Belavia” and Minsk will oblige to return 17 out of 29 aircraft.
The migration crisis on the border of the Belarusian and the European Union began at the end of May. Large groups of illegal migrants from Africa and the Middle East began to storm the borders of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia in the hope of getting refuge. It was alleged that Minsk uses his national tour operator “Centerkurort” for migrant moving to the EU borders and earns on it.