Since October 2020, the EU has&nbsp;progressively imposed restrictive measures&nbsp;against Belarus in response to the fraudulent nature&nbsp; presidential elections in&nbsp;2020, and the&nbsp;intimidation and violent repression&nbsp;of peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists.&nbsp;

The democratic opposition, including the opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was awarded the&nbsp;2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The Belarusian regime has became an ally&nbsp;with Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine. This includes the so-called referendum reinstating the country’s nuclear status, but also that Belarus has allowed Russian troops and weapons to move through its territory, use its airspace, refuel and store military ammunition.

Therefore, the EU has extended the sanctios package against Russia to Belarus. The EP has recently called that "all EU sanctions issued against Russia must be strictly mirrored for Belarus and implemented appropriately".

EU - Belarus

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded each year by the European Parliament. It was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Each nominee must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each individual Member may support only one nominee. Signed nominations accompanied by supporting evidence are then assessed in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Committee on Development (DEVE). A shortlist of three candidates is drawn up through a vote by AFET and DEVE committees, and then submitted to the Conference of Presidents for a final vote. The winner is announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in December at the plenary sitting in Strasbourg.

The nominations for the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought are:

The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by the Coordination Council, initiative of brave women and political and civil society figures, nominated by EPP, S&amp;D, Renew Europe 
Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq nominated by ID 
Guapinol activists and Berta Caceres in Honduras, nominated by Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL 
The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by Sviatlana Tsikhanouska, nominated by ECR 
Polish LGBTI activists Jakub Gawron, Paulina Pajak, Paweł Preneta and Kamil Maczuga, founders of the website Atlas of Hate, nominated by Malin Björk, Terry Reintke, Marc Angel, Rasmus Andresen and 39 other MEPs.

The democratic opposition in Belarus has been awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

Over the past years, there has been some progress in EU-Belarus relations.

The bilateral relationship will be strengthened through the EU-Belarus Partnership Priorities, which are currently being negotiated. This will set the strategic framework for cooperation in the coming years. Tangible steps taken by Belarus to respect universal freedoms, the rule of law, and human rights, including the freedoms of speech, expression and of media, and labour rights, will remain fundamental criteria for shaping the EU’s policy towards Belarus.

On 9 August 2020, presidential elections took place in the Republic of Belarus. Credible reports from domestic observers show that the process did not meet the international standards expected of a participating state of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe).

EU - Belarus (2019-2020)

On 24 and 25 May, EU leaders met physically in Brussels to discuss the most pressing issues.

On 24 May leaders discussed the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk and subsequent arrest of anti-government activist and journalist Roman Protasevich. EU leaders invited Council to adopt further sanctions and necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines. They also called on all EU-based carriers to avoid overflight of Belarus. Leaders also had the state of play of the coordination of the EU's response to COVID-19 on the agenda. They held a strategic debate on Russia and discussed the EU's relations with the UK, following the entry into force of the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement on 1 May 2021.

Special European Council, 24-25 May 2021

EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus

EP Plenary session - Need for targeted support to EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition

EP Plenary session - The need for actions to address the continued oppression and fake elections in Belarus

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus

Delegation for relations with Belarus Constitutive meeting

Belarus postcards to political prisoners

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144)

The European Parliament debates the need for targeted support for EU regions bordering Russia with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission. MEPs bring up Russian efforts to damage infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, and the need to detect and counter these acts of sabotage. Opening statements by Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for European Affairs and by Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Need for targeted support to EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine: Opening statements by Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for European Affairs, Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reform

The European Parliament debates the need for targeted support for EU regions bordering Russia with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission. MEPs bring up Russian efforts to damage infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, and the need to detect and counter these acts of sabotage. Closing statements by Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for European Affairs and by Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Need for targeted support to EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine: Closing statements by Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for European Affairs, Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reform

The European Parliament debates the need for targeted support for EU regions bordering Russia with representatives of the Polish Council Presidency and the European Commission. MEPs bring up Russian efforts to damage infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, and the need to detect and counter these acts of sabotage.

Need for targeted support to EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine: MEPs debate

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition in Brussels. This news item shows extracts from the family photo and the meeting in the European Parliament.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition: extracts from the meeting

Voting session on the need for actions on the continued oppression and fake elections in Belarus.

The need for actions on the continued oppression and fake elections in Belarus: Voting session

Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition makes a statement opening the High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus.

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus: Opening statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition

Marta KOS, European Commissioner for Enlargement, makes a statement opening the High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus.

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus: Opening statement by Marta KOS, European Commissioner for Enlargement

EP President Roberta Metsola, opens the High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus.

EU - Belarus (T)

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