EU slaps visa ban on Belarussian leader over ‘rigged’ election

THE European Union told Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko yesterday that he was unwelcome in the 25-nation bloc after his re-election last month in a vote observers said was rigged.

It also imposed a visa ban on 30 other top officials in Belarus seen as having a hand in the government’s election campaign crackdown on the opposition.

Officials said further measures may follow, including more visa bans and a freeze on assets belonging to Mr Lukashenko and other Belarus officials.