EU on course to lift Belarus sanctions despite vote concerns
The situation has not changed
Belarus’s election fell short of democratic standards, monitors said on Monday after President Alexander Lukashenko won a fifth term, but Europe still looked set to ease sanctions as France and Germany welcomed a lack of political repression.
Moves by Lukashenko, including the pardoning of six opposition figures before the election, suggest Lukashenko could be seeking to improve his image abroad to rely less on his ally Russia, which is under Western sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict.
“It is clear that Belarus still has a long way to go towards fulfilling its democratic commitments,” said Kent Hasted, head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s observer mission for the election, in a statement.
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Once a week, in coordination with a group of prominent Belarusian analysts, we provide analytical commentaries on the most topical and relevant issues, including the behind-the-scenes processes occurring in Belarus. These commentaries are available in Belarusian, Russian, and English.
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Situation in Belarus
April 22 – April 28
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April 12, 2022
Speakers: Anatoliy Lebedko, Andrei Kazakevich
Video
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Speakers: Aleh Hulak, Aleh Aheyeu, Viachaslau Kasinierau
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Paternalism In Decline, Belarusian Euroscepticism, And The Influence Of Russia
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EU readies 14th package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus
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The USA has directed sanctions at the Belarusian military-industrial complex
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Human Rights in Belarus Remain a Focus of Western Attention
April 1 – April 7
New military doctrine: the West is the enemy, Russia is the friend, nuclear weapons are to be used for attack
April 22 – April 28
Security Forces Establish a System of Intense Surveillance Over Belarusians
April 15 – April 21
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April 8 – April 14
Belarus Suspends CFE Treaty: Preparing for War?
April 1 – April 7
Coordinating Council elections: Demand demonstrated for a common platform for democratic forces
April 22 – April 28
Diplomatic Successes of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: Asset for Democratic Forces and Investment in the Future?
April 15 – April 21
The Coordination Council Returns to the Agenda of the Democratic Movement
April 8 – April 14
The Coordination Council: A Toxic Asset or a Key Element of the Democratic Forces’ Architecture?
April 1 – April 7
Lukashenka’s regime seems to last forever, until it ends
April 22 – April 28
Regime’s Guardians — Who Are They?
April 15 – April 21
Deficit of Loyal Staff, “Wolf Ticket” for Dissenters
April 8 – April 14
Lukashenka’s Social Contract-2024: Guarantees for the Security Forces, Whip for Others
April 1 – April 7