Belarus and EU Sanctions
Cyprus voted against so this is an interesting statementNearly one month after the EU took a political decision to sanction Belarusian officials accused of falsifying the 9 August presidential poll and orchestrating a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters, the bloc failed to agree the legal text.
Cyprus, with just 0.2% of the EU population, denies wielding a veto.A Cypriot diplomat said it was “unfair” to blame Cyprus, adding that Nicosia had submitted a list of Turkish officials and entities to hit with EU sanctions on 18 June, but had yet to see a response. Cyprus says it supports sanctions on Belarus, but argues that the EU had promised parallel action against Turkey.Other EU member states, however, have voiced dismay and anger at the Cypriot move. One diplomat accused Cyprus of “effectively shield[ing] the Lukashenko regime from the consequences of its undemocratic and oppressive behaviour”.Speaking to the European parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Tikhanovskaya showed MEPs a photograph of a man with large bruises and bloody welts on his back, telling them that peaceful protesters had been “tortured, harassed and raped [and] some of them were killed” in state prisons.Earlier in the day, EU foreign ministers met Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the Belarusian opposition leader in exile, who is leading the call for new elections. The teacher-turned-politician, told journalists she had urged ministers to “be more brave in their decisions”.“Sanctions are very important in our fight, because sanctions are part of pressure that will force the so-called authorities to start dialogue with us,” she said.
You really can't make this nonsense up.Last week the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, called for an end to the unanimity rule in EU foreign policy on human rights and sanctions. But national governments have traditionally resisted any move to qualified-majority voting in foreign policy, fearing being outvoted on vital national interests.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks