The European Commission has today presented to the European Council its outline for a comprehensive plan of economic support to a future democratic Belarus. The plan, of up to €3 billion, reflects the European Union’s commitment to “support the Belarusian people’s wishes for a peaceful democratic transition in the country following the Presidential elections of August 2020, which were neither free nor fair”. “Once Belarus embarks on a democratic transition, the EU – a statement from Brussels reads – will activate the €3 billion package, a mix of grants and loans leveraging public and private investments, to help Belarus to stabilise its economy, reform its institutions to make them more democratic, and help increase the economy’s resilience, growth potential and job creation”. The package includes short- and medium-term measures and longer-term investments, also leveraging local resources. Different areas will be targeted for intervention, including the economic and social areas, public administration, justice and education.