Lithuanian diplomat defends EU sanctions against Belarus

Andrius Krivas, Lithuania`s deputy foreign minister, said that the European Union`s restrictive measures against Belarusian officials and companies are a call for taking essential steps to improve the human rights record, reports BelaPAN.

Mr Krivas said the measures were effective because they stopped Belarus from ignoring EU`s demands that all political prisoners be released and that the human rights situation be improved.

Euroradio reminds the EU imposed an embargo on weapons export from Belarus. Besides, the assets and economic resources of 30 Belarusian enterprises and 242 persons were frozen. The mentioned 242 people are also banned from entering the territory of the EU member states. The EU restrictive measures were resumed in the beginning of 2011.