OREANDA-NEWS. Annalena Baerbock, a candidate for the post of German chancellor from the «Union-90/Green» party, called for expanding EU sanctions against the Belarusian authorities in connection with the hijacking of a Ryanair plane and the detention of a blogger and journalist Roman Protasevich. In an interview with «Bild» on Monday, May 31, she stated the need to introduce punitive measures against the oil industry of Belarus.

«The oil business is the most important source of financing for the Belarusian authorities. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to extend the sanctions, that are now aimed at individuals, to oil operations», she said.

At the same time, Berbok stressed, that the regime of Alexander Lukashenko is maintained, first of all, «due to the support of the Kremlin». Therefore, the «Nord Stream 2» gas pipeline project is «such a central geopolitical issue», she further noted.

At the same time, the leader of the «greens» accused the German government of a double strategy towards Ukraine. «On the one hand, they say, that they support the sanctions of the European Union, on the other hand, the federal government supports the «Nord Stream 2» gas pipeline, which crosses out these sanctions», she said and called for the rejection of the SP-2, a tough course towards the Russian Federation, but the continuation of the dialogue.

Berbok also expressed her readiness to negotiate the creation of a government coalition with all democratic parties, including the «Left Party», whose positions on a number of topics are significantly different from the «green» program. First of all, in foreign and European policy, the Greens have «big differences» with the left, as well as partly with the «Social Democrats» and the conservative «CDU/CSU» bloc, she noted, citing the policy towards Russia as an example.