EU not to cancel trade restrictions for Belarus

The European Union will not cancel trade restrictions in exchange for the agreement of Belarus to open a representative office of the European Commission in Minsk.
One of EU officials informed about it in an interview with a Belgian edition “EUobserver”.

The diplomat stressed that the decision to allow opening a representative office of the European Commission in Minsk and exclusion of Belarus from the Generalised System of Preferences -  “are totally different issues”.

According to him, the opening of an office of the European Commission is a good step. But it cannot be considered a break through.

When they start releasing political prisoners it will be a break through.

The EU representative reminded that the decision to exclude Belarus from the Generalised System of Preferences will come into power on June 21.

He noted that without the benefits Belarus would be losing up to 400 million euro per year.