Human Rights Group Urges Council of the European Union to Expand Sanctions Against Belarus

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Belarusians in Exile", a non-profit organization uniting Belarusians and their families who were forced to leave the Republic of Belarus because of systematic violations of human rights, urged the Council of the EU to give effect to the newly expanded economic sanctions against Belarus and include companies that are the leading contributors to Belarusian export earnings and which are most active in the UK and EU, as well as their General Managers.

The letter, sent today to foreign ministers of 27 countries-EU members states: "In 2012 the Council of the European Union expanded the types of individuals and companies that can be sanctioned to include "entities and bodies who… have been identified by the Council as benefiting from or supporting the Lukashenka regime, as well as legal persons, entities and bodies owned or controlled by them."  However, some of the largest financial contributors to the Lukashenka regime, State owned Belarusian companies that derive much of their profits by selling into the EU, remain unsanctioned.

We urge the Council to use the provisions of the expanded Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 and to expand the list of sanctioned companies and individuals in Belarus to include those companies financially supporting the regime; especially those that derive significant profits by selling into the EU.  Cutting off the flow of funds to the regime and sanctioning the people who run the companies providing finance to the regime is the only effective way of encouraging the development of democracy in our country.

The EU as a whole is Belarus' second largest export market and in 2010 accounted for 30.1% of all Belarusian exports and over 5.7 billion Euro in export earnings."

'Belarusians in Exile' submitted a list of companies and individuals responsible for most of Belarus' currency revenues. Those include:

Belarusian Oil Trade House: (Subject to sanctions imposed by the USA);

Belarusian Potash Company (World's largest exporter of potash supplying 43% of the world's potash.  50% owned by Belaruskali potash production company (which is State owned) and the Belorussian Railways);

Belaruskali (One of the world's largest producers of potash fertilizer.  Owned by the government of Belarus under Belneftekhim which is sanctioned by the USA);

Belneftekhim - Belarusian State Concern for Oil and Chemistry: (Subject to sanctions imposed by the USA);

Ivanov, Valery
General Director of the Belarusian Potash Company.

Kiriyenko, Valery
General Director of Belaruskali potash producer

Kupriyanov, Anatoly Alexandrovich
General Director of the Mozyr Refinery

Parkhomchik, Piotr Alexandrovich
General Director of Belarusian Autoworks OAO

Pukhovoi, Alexander Alexeevich
General Director of the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Minsk Tractor Works

"In order to foster a change in the political situation in Belarus, to stop political repression, and to provide a normal life for the citizens of our country; we ask you to give effect to the newly expanded economic sanctions against Belarus," states the letter to foreign ministers.

Belarusians in Exile
[email protected]
www.belorussians.org
US: +1 (646) 583-2525
UK:  07 515 695232

SOURCE Belarusians in Exile