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Lithuanian FM expects sanctions against Belarus to be lifted

Xinhua, February 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on Friday that the EU foreign ministers will probably decide on Monday to lift sanctions against Belarus.

In an interview with local news agency ELTA, Linkevicius said that judging from the positions of the EU member states, the sanctions against Belarus probably will not be extended in a meeting of the EU foreign ministers on Monday.

"In this case, a unanimous agreement of all member states is needed in order to extend them," Linkevicius told ELTA.

"If at least one country is against then sanctions do not get extended," the minister added.

In October 2015, the EU decided to prolong restrictive measures against persons and entities for four months, until Feb. 29, 2016, and at the same time suspended them for 170 persons and for three entities.

According to the European Council, the decision was taken in response to the release of all alleged Belarusian "political prisoners" and "in the context of improving EU-Belarus relations". Endit