EU weighs imposing sanctions on Belarus
BRUSSELS — The way is clear for the European Union to impose sanctions on individuals with links to election fraud and repression in Belarus after Cyprus dropped its veto, ending weeks of deadlock.
“It is very important. It is a clear signal that we send that we are credible,” European Council President Charles Michel announced early on Friday morning at an EU summit.
Nicosia had been blocking the measures — agreed in August — and demanding further sanctions against Turkey for its gas exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean.
The two issues are not directly related, but Cyprus had argued the EU must act consistently when responding to the violation of core principles.
There have been daily protests met with a violent crackdown in Belarus since a disputed presidential election on Aug. 9, which the EU says was illegitimate.
The EU sanctions are to target 40 people, according to Michel — not including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko — and can be introduced immediately.
Some EU states had previously pushed to have Lukashenko, who has led the former Soviet republic for more than a quarter of a century and tolerated little dissent, listed himself.
What exactly convinced Cyprus to abandon its veto was not immediately clear.
EU leaders did not commit to further sanctions at present, but kept the option open for the future.
Before the summit, EU sources had said the country needed a signal that it had the full support of its EU partners.
The delay in imposing the sanctions was a source of embarrassment for Brussels, which has been trying to show it can flex its muscles on the world stage.
A number of EU states, particularly those sharing a border with Belarus, voiced their frustration at the situation arising from Cyprus’ veto in recent weeks.