Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is too early to make that assessment because we only made the decision at the start of this week. It will take time for those decisions to take effect. The debate within the EU around sanctions is always a delicate one because if sanctions are applied in the wrong way they can be counterproductive. In the case of Belarus, the EU is very united on the need to target its sanctions at people who are responsible for anti-democratic practices and repression, and those who benefit from the Lukashenko regime remaining intact, so they are appropriate. A fifth sanctions measure is currently under consideration, around looking at other economic sectors we may be able to put pressure on to force a change of approach in Belarus and a move towards allowing the Belarusian people to have the power to elect their own leadership democratically and transparently. Time will tell how effective those sanctions will be.

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