Bloomberg named options for EU sanctions against Minsk due to the landing of

EU leaders on Monday will discuss possible sanctions against Belarus (including travel restrictions and a possible flight ban) in connection with the forced landing in MINSK of a Ryanair aircraft carrying Roman Protasevich, co-founder of the Nexta TELEGRAM channel that covered the protests. it is reported by BLOOMBERG, citing two officials familiar with the situation.

According to one of the interlocutors of the agency, the simplest solution is to impose sanctions against individuals and legal entities. Also among the options are the suspension of flights of aircraft of European airlines over Belarusian territory, a ban on Belavia aircraft from landing at EU airports and the termination of all transit traffic. However, this may entail an increase in costs for European companies, he pointed out. In addition, flight restrictions may also affect ordinary Belarusians, Bloomberg notes.

The fact that the leaders of the European Union will consider options for sanctions pressure on Minsk after the incident with the Ryanair plane is also reported by The Financial Times. Among the measures being discussed are a ban on landing at the airports of the block for the national air carrier of Belarus, declaring the republic's airspace unsafe, as well as the extension of sanctions (such as a ban on entry and an asset freeze) that are already being applied to a number of Belarusian officials for violating human rights.

The European Union previously regarded the incident as a hijacking. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened Minsk with consequences.