Large state-owned enterprises appealed to the European Union court with a protest against the restrictive measures introduced against them for supporting Lukashenka's regime.
On the official portal of the European Union, the statements registered by the Court of Appeal of the EU from two major car factories of Belarus - OAO "Minsk Autozavod" (MAZ) and OAO "Management Company BelAZ Holding BelAZ" (BELAZ) appeared. State-owned enterprises have decided to once again protest against the sanctions introduced in June 2021.
Let us remind you that then European companies were forbidden to cooperate with these enterprises, and the assets of Belarusian enterprises were frozen. Lukashenko said that the imposition of sanctions against Belarus by "scumbags" of the West shows their powerlessness. His press secretary Eismant then said: "Belarus will not remain in debt. We will retaliate as soon as possible."
At the beginning of September 2021, both companies already sent lawsuits to the court of the European Union with the demand to exclude them from the "black list", but in October 2023 the European Court decided to leave the sanctions in force.
As stated in the rationale for the previously imposed sanctions, MAZ and BELAZ are one of the largest state-owned enterprises in Belarus and are a source of significant income for the regime. Both factories provided their premises and equipment for a political campaign in support of Lukashenka. Lukashenko himself called MAZ "one of the most important industrial enterprises of the country", BELAZ - a "Belarusian brand" and "part of the national heritage", and promised that the government will always support the plant.
Thus, according to EC officials, BELAZ and MAZ companies use and support Lukashenka's regime. This is also stated in the materials of the relevant cases.
The report also said that during strikes and peaceful protests following the rigged 2020 presidential election, employees of both companies were locked in their offices to prevent them from joining other protesters. Workers were intimidated and fired.
Thus, MAZ and BELAZ bear full "responsibility for repression against civil society and support for Lukashenka's regime." The factories failed to prove otherwise and separate from the regime.
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