As proposed last month, the European Union (E.U.), as part of its sixth sanctions package against Russia and Belarus, has included direct sanctions against state-run potash producer OJSC Belaruskali and its potash marketing/export arm JSC Belarusian Potash Co. (BPC), the E.U.’s Official Journal reported.
The new sanctions were adopted on June 3 and published in the journal on the same day, bringing the sanctions into force (GM June 3, p. 1; May 6, p. 36).
A full ban on imports of Belarusian potash into the Bloc already is in place, implemented on March 2 (GM March 4, p. 30). The full ban closed loopholes under earlier E.U. sanctions on Belarusian potash imposed in June 2021 that came into force on June 25, 2021 (GM July 2, 2021; June 25, 2021).
Belaruskali’s Director-General Ivan Golovaty was also added to the latest E.U. list of sanctioned individuals. He was among 12 Belarusian individuals to be added, which include a number of representatives of law enforcement agencies and employees in state media.
Six other large Belarusian companies also were put under direct sanctions in this latest package.
The others include Beltamozhservice, Belarus’ biggest logistics operator; Belarusian state-owned oil refiner OJSC Naftan; and OJSC Holding Management Company Belkommunmash, a Belarusian manufacturer of electric public transport vehicles.
Sanctions have also been imposed against Grodno Tobacco Factory Nema, the country’s largest tobacco manufacturer, and private tobacco manufacturer Inter Tobacco LLC, as well as Belarus’ national state television and radio company, Belteleradio.
The European Commission said the additional restrictive measures against Belarus were in view of its involvement in the Russian aggression against Ukraine.