Georgia welcomes removal of some sanctions against Belarus

Georgia is welcoming the European Union’s (EU) decision to lift a large number of restrictive sanctions against Belarus that have been in place for more than a decade.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia issued a written statement in connection with the EU Foreign Affairs Council’s February 15 decision.

"This decision represents yet another step towards deepening cooperation between the partners that is in line with the interests of both Belarus and Europe,” the EU Foreign Affairs Council’s statement read.

Georgia welcomed the "strengthening of relations” between Belarus and the EU and believed this would contribute to the economic development of the region, as well as to the achievement of common goals of the Eastern Partnership.

Yesterday the EU abandoned a handful of 12-year sanctions on Belarus.

EU Foreign Ministers agreed unanimously to end asset freezes and travel bans against 170 individuals including the country’s president Alexander Lukashenko, citing "improving EU-Belarus relations”.

Sanctions were also lifted against three defence companies with close ties to the government in Minsk: Beltech Holding, Beltechexport and Spetspriborservice.

The ministers retained sanctions against four members of Lukashenko’s security service suspected of involvement in the disappearance of four political opponents between 1999 and 2000. An arms embargo also remained in place.