BELARUS OPPOSITION LEADERS SEEKS HARSHER SANCTIONS VS LUKASHENKO

Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya hopes for tougher international sanctions on the government of authoritarian head of state Alexander Lukashenko, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported.

Lukashenko only understands the language of coercive measures and economic sanctions, she told Deutsche Welle (DW) while in Berlin on Saturday.

"These are the mechanisms of choice, and the sanctions must be harsh to the maximum." In contrast, the last three EU sanctions packages targeting Belarus had, in her view, rather a "moral character."

Tikhanovskaya currently lives in exile in Lithuania. She is considered by many to be the winner of the disputed presidential election of August 9, 2020, after which Lukashenko had himself proclaimed president again.

The EU no longer recognizes him as head of state.

On Thursday, the European Parliament called for further sanctions on Belarus. Punitive measures are to be taken against the crude oil processing industry and other industrial sectors.

Belarusian airlines have no longer been allowed to fly in EU airspace since last Saturday.

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