The leaders of the European Union countries, at their summit in Brussels on March 2, called on the EU Council to take further measures toward Belarus, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy
The EU leaders expressed serious concern about the further deterioration of the situation in Belarus and welcomed the EU Council's most recent decision to add more people to the list of Belarusian individuals subject to EU visa bans and asset freezes, Ms. Kocijancic said.
In their statement, the leaders of the EU countries also expressed adherence to cooperation with Belarus' civil society and support for the Belarusian people's aspirations for democracy.
On February 27, the Council of the European Union added 21 new names to the EU’s list of Belarusians subject to restrictive measures in connection with the ongoing crackdown on government opponents.
In response, the Belarusian authorities asked the ambassadors of Poland and the EU to leave Minsk for consultations with "their leaderships", a move that prompted the 27-nation bloc to recall all ambassadors of EU countries from Minsk.
