Stenbock House, 27 August 2020 – At today’s session, the government approved the directive submitted by the minister of foreign affairs imposing a prohibition on entry into Estonia under the International Sanctions Act against persons reasonably suspected to be responsible for or to have contributed to the falsification of the Belarusian presidential election results and the related violence and human rights abuses.
“The people of Belarus have the right to freely choose their own path and they have expressed a clear desire for democratic change. This can only be achieved by holding truly free and independent elections,” said Prime Minister Jüri Ratas. “The purpose of the targeted sanctions imposed by Estonia is to explicitly condemn the falsification of the election results and the violence used against peaceful protesters, and to ensure that the persons responsible cannot enter Estonia.”
In accordance with the positions on EU policy towards Belarus approved by the government at the session on 18 August 2020 and endorsed by the joint session of Riigikogu’s Foreign Affairs Committee and European Union Affairs Committee on 19 August 2020, Estonia does not recognise the results of the Belarusian presidential election held on 9 August 2020, as they were neither free nor fair.
The sanctions will be imposed in coordination with Latvia and Lithuania. The European Union is also preparing to impose sanctions.
The government regulation will enter into force pursuant to general procedure. The minister of foreign affairs will then establish the list of specific persons in a directive.
