The US Treasury suspended US sanctions against nine state-owned enterprises in Belarus and allowed a number of financial transactions with them until June 3. This is stated in a message published on Monday, April 19, on the agency’s website.
The decision was made by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. The suspension of sanctions will be in effect for 45 days from the date of the publication of the decision of the US Treasury.
On March 31, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Washington would reinstate previously lifted sanctions against nine state-owned enterprises in Belarus. As he noted, his office would not recommend further suspension of restrictions.
Washington imposed sanctions on Belarus in 2006. In 2015, the restrictions were partially suspended.
In December 2020, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the CEC of Belarus and a number of officials. later, restrictions were extended to 43 more citizens of Belarus, including high-ranking officials, for “undermining democracy” in the republic.
After the presidential elections in Belarus on August 9, in which Alexander Lukashenko won for the sixth time, who, according to the CEC, gained 80.1% of the vote, mass opposition protests began in the country. The US and the EU refused to recognize the election results. On April 17, Lukashenka announced the arrest of a group that was planning an attempt on the life of him and his children. The President noted that the American special services were involved in this.