Posted: 06.06.2022 17:26:00

EU hybrid aggression aims to deprive Belarusians of sovereignty, Foreign Ministry states

Belarus’ Foreign Ministry has commented on a new package of sanctions adopted by the European Union, stating that they are aimed at worsening ordinary people’s well-being, but the Belarusian side will give an adequate response to all unfriendly steps

As noted by the Foreign Ministry’s press secretary, Anatoly Glaz, Belarusian experts attentively studied the new package of sanctions – ‘to register a clear logic in actions of European bureaucrats’. “If they actively talk about values and freedom of movement, then air travel is banned without any proceedings. If they talk about increasing mobility, then borders are closed, visas are not issued, and cargo transportation is prohibited – thus leaving logistics companies and their employees to the mercy of fate. If they talk about supporting freedom of speech, then journalists and media expressing alternative points of view are banned,” he commented.

According to the Foreign Ministry, in this regard, ‘when the European Union has begun to actively try to solve the problem of world hunger in words, the imposition of sanctions against the world's largest producer of potash fertilisers was predicted’. “This time, it will not evade responsibility: we will constantly remind that the EU officials are to blame for aggravation of the problem of world famine due to the lack of fertilisers, the increase in the number of victims of this disaster," it stated.

Mr. Glaz added, “The Head of the Central Election Commission has been included in the sanctions list for holding a referendum, which the EU did not even observe! What is this? I can answer: this is a primitive attempt to force us to follow their will – which is useless for our realities.”

The Foreign Ministry drew attention to the eloquence of sanctions against Belarus’ municipal transport manufacturer: Belkommunmash JSC. As reported, this well fits into the main goal of all packages of sanctions: to make ordinary people’s well-being as bad as possible. Since nothing has worked out over the past years, they have turned to public transport. “It is gratifying that the image of the EU in the eyes of ordinary Belarusians is increasingly gaining its true outlines against these steps,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Mr. Glaz congratulated his fellow journalists for ‘joining this nomination’, “This means that they are free from foreign dictates, are able to resist the bespoke mainstream and really guarantee the pluralism of opinions that the EU cares so much about in words.”

As stressed by the Foreign Ministry, clearly, the main goal of the EU hybrid aggression is to strangle Belarusians, subjugate their will and deprive them of sovereignty – replacing it with images and candy wrappers. It was originally utopian, and now it is completely comical. The sooner this realisation comes to heads of the European officials who are still capable of critical thinking, the less global troubles they will cause.

As reminded, unilateral coercive measures directly violate international law, run counter to the EU member states’ obligations within the framework of universal and regional international organisations such as the UN and OSCE.

"The Belarusian side will give an adequate response to all unfriendly steps. As in previous situations, the country's leadership will take effective measures to ensure that these acts of economic aggression practically do not affect the lives of Belarusians. Of course, many issues could be discussed and resolved within the framework of an equitable constructive dialogue. The European Union is aware of our terms and expectations for its start,” Belarus’ Foreign Ministry summed up.