EU ministers agree on sanctions against Belarus

European Union foreign ministers have said during a meeting Friday in Berlin that they have agreed to impose sanctions on 20 senior Belarusan officials, who are allegedly involved in election fraud and brutal police crackdown on protesters, from holding the August 9th presidential elections.

EU ministers have said that Belarusn President Alyaxander Lucasenka may soon be included on the sanctioned list.

Meanwhile, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has offered access to mediation between the Lukashenka government and opposition leaders, who have pressed charges that election fraud has been made in the best interests of Lucasenkas.

Albania's prime minister, at the same time foreign minister of this state, Edi Rama, who is in charge of OSCE, has told delegates during a meeting in Vienna that this organisation should not intervene “on internal issues”.

However, he has added that he must end human rights abuse.

The incoming chairman of the OSCE, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, has said she can visit the Belarusian government on behalf of opening a constructive dialogue in this state.

EU and O Decisions The OSCE is part of international efforts to help solve the political crisis in Belarus, after nearly three weeks of protests, through which official results of presidential elections are being challenged.

In them, Lucashenka has won over 80 percent of the vote.

The adoption of sanctions on the part of EU ministers allows them official approval by the European bloc.

Meanwhile, Lucasenka has pledged to respond by imposing sanctions against two neighbouring states, EU member states, Poland and Lithuania.

Lukashenka has accused the West of launching <x0) diplomatic war” against Belarus, claiming Western powers are aiming to create instability in his country and to annex territory.