mr president we are discussing the situation in belarus for the fourth time this year yet the political prisoners who were apprehended in december have still not been released
we are grateful to the council for reintroducing visa sanctions and an asset freeze on the high belarusian officials which demonstrated that our deep concern for the people of belarus is not only empty rhetoric
perhaps we have not been clear enough
therefore we are calling on the european union to extend restrictive measures against lukashenko's regime
well-advised targeted economic sanctions against state-owned enterprises will have an effect that the belarusian authorities cannot disregard
the criminal regime of lukashenko relies greatly on the income from exports of chemicals heavy industry and textiles owned by state enterprises
by cutting off the european market we can demonstrate our determined intention to overthrow lukashenko's regime
it is within our capacity to make a difference
regime transition is desperately needed for the people of belarus
we should not deny them their long-awaited liberty
