Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management Pavel Latushka has called on the European Union and Poland to respond with sanctions after Belarusian authorities declared several European media outlets “extremist.”
In recent weeks, Belarus’ Ministry of Information has added Poland’s state news agency PAP, Euronews, Delfi and several other media outlets to the list of “extremist materials.”
As the United Transitional Cabinet reported, Pavel Latushka sent appeals to Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior and Administration, as well as the European External Action Service. In the letters, he stressed that by declaring European media “extremist,” the regime not only deprives people of access to truthful information but also creates a direct threat of criminal prosecution for citizens of Belarus and EU countries who use these media outlets.
Pavel Latushka and the National Anti-Crisis Management team proposed that the EU and Poland impose sanctions, including entry bans and asset freezes, on actors involved in information aggression:
- the state-run BelTA news agency and propagandists,
- judges who issued unlawful rulings declaring media outlets “extremist,”
- the leadership of the Ministry of Information, which oversees repression against the media.
Latushka also noted that the EU has not imposed sanctions for human rights violations in Belarus since March 2025. He also called on partners to resume sanctions pressure. Detailed dossiers and supporting arguments were submitted along with the appeals.
In its response to the letter, Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration said the materials received had already been forwarded for assessment for possible subsequent inclusion of the individuals concerned in national sanctions lists.
