Germany threatens stronger EU sanctions against protest-hit Belarus

On August 17, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government spokesperson said in a state televised address that Germany was prepared to support the European Union (EU) sanctions against Belarus over its violent crackdowns against the protesting citizens. Steffen Seibert’s statements come ahead of EU ministers’ agreement to impose a list of sanctions against Belarus. Seibert pushed for “stronger measures” in a live-streamed address. 

Speaking with the state broadcasters, the German spokesperson said that he was looking to expand the sanctions to some of the prominent Belarusian leaders. Further, he called the countrywide demonstrations against the authoritarian President Aleksandr Lukashenko who allegedly won the elections using “illegal” and “unfair "means as “impressive”. The European Union holds the leaders of the ex-soviet state “responsible” for the brutal crackdowns across the nation in which some 7000 protesters were arrested and subjected to torture by the security forces at a Minsk detention center. 

European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell condemned the "disproportionate" violence and the use of excessive force against the demonstrators who were seeking to have their voices heard, a state media report confirmed. Further, it reported that the German leaders were “determined” to take actions against those responsible for violence, unjustified arrests, and falsification of election results. Borrell was quoted as saying that Belarus elections were neither free nor fair, citing credible sources and domestic observers to support his statement. He alleged that the freedom of assembly, media, and expression was violated by the Belarusian leaders to squash the democratic forces.  

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Belarusian ambassador summoned

In a separate local report, the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas confirmed that Germany was backing the EU foreign ministers’ decision and will, in fact, "intensely" discuss the sanctions on Belarus. At a press conference, in which his Norwegian counterpart, Ine Eriksen Soreide was also present, Maas clarified that there would be a joint position from the leaders at a meeting in Brussels scheduled to be held on August 21. Maas reportedly condemned the “behaviour” of the Belarus armed forces, saying, that the security forces in Belarus were acting in a manner that was "not acceptable in 21st-century Europe." According to reports, Germany also summoned the Belarusian ambassador for “immediate discussion” about the country’s disputed elections.  

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