EU financial sanctions supported by 10 more states

On 18 May the Foreign Ministers of 25 EU countries resolved to freeze the assets and distress the property of 36 Belarusian officials from the travel ban list for violating international election standards, as well as harassment of civil society and democratic opposition in the 2006 presidential election.

According to the UN Councils press-service, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Macedonia, Romania, Norway, Serbia and Croatia declared their readiness to co-ordinate their national policies with the decision of the EU states. The EU welcomed such readiness, since, according to its officials, this will increase the efficiency of the sanctions.