By April Kent
The
European Union is preparing for a four-month suspension of sanctions on
Belarus, officials announced on Friday. This move
comes in the wake of shifting perceptions of Belarus’ President Lukashenko,
known as Europe’s “last dictator” and a close ally of Moscow, following his decision to release six jailed
political prisoners in August and hosting of peace talks for
Ukraine in February. A formal decision will be made by October 31, barring any
last-minute crackdown. As Lukashenko seems poised for re-election, the EU has emphasized that “the conduct of
the elections will be an important factor” in the decision to formally lift
sanctions. The newly gained access to European capital markets would help
Belarus attract EU investment, cutting its dependence on Russia. Lukashenko is
highly invested in boosting Belarus’ economy,
which is exposed to the recession in Russia and shrank by 4 percent in the
period from January to July 2015.
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