Lukashenko and others banned from entering EU

The European Union has banned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and 30 ministers, prosecutors and regional election officials from entering the 25-nation bloc. It took the decision to punish those they say were involved in rigging Belarus's March 19 presidential polls and a crackdown on opposition activists. The Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda was actively involved in the debate on what manner of sanctions should be introduced, stressing that they should be diplomatic sanctions which would not hurt the people of Belarus who are perceived as victims of the Lukashenko regime. The Czech Foreign Ministry has also announced plans to help Belarusian dissidents.

The European Union also decided to sever political contacts and temporarily suspend direct aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government on Monday to pressure it to recognise Israel, end violence and accept peace accords. But foreign ministers of the 25 member states, who met in Luxembourg, agreed to continue humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.