US President Obama extends Belarus sanctions
US President Barak Obama on June 12 extended the edict which envisages the arrest on the territory of the United States or under the US jurisdiction of the assets that belong to "a number of people who undermine democratic processes in Belarus"
The press office of the White House said Obama sent a communication to the US Congress, noting "some positive changes in the past year" in Belarus.
He also mentioned the release of all the internationally recognized political prisoners. "But despite that, the actions and the policy of certain government officials and other people who undermine the democratic processes and are associated with the state corruption, continue to present an extreme threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Therefore, I have decided that it is necessary to extend the sanctions that block their assets", the document said.
The financial sanctions against ten Belarus officials were introduced by former president George W. Bush on June 16, 2006 and have been extended annually so far.
The edict blocks the assets of those officials and their right for property in the US. American companies and private persons are banned to enter into agreements with those Belarus officials.
The edict is accompanied with the list of ten officials, including Alexander Lukashenka, his son Victor Lukashenka, deputy head of presidential administration Natalia Petkevich, justice minister Victor Golovanov, chairman of state television and radio company Alexander Zimovski, chairperson of Central Elections Commission Lidia Yarmoshyna.
The list also includes former KGB chief Stepan Sukhorenko, former Security Council chairman Victor Sheiman, former Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov and former commander of special police brigade Dmitri Pavliuchenko.
Photo — zman.com
