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The European Union has decided to keep its sanctions on Zimbabwe in place, despite resuming aid to the country this week. The 28-member EU bloc announced Friday that sanctions including a travel ban and a freeze on the assets of President Robert Mugabe and his wife have been renewed for another year, Reuters reported.

EU governments made clear they were not yet convinced that Mugabes record of human rights abuses and electoral fraud had improved enough to merit a lifting of sanctions, according to a notice in the EUs Official Journal, Reuters said. The bloc has imposed sanctions on the country since 2002, when Mugabes Zanu-PF government was linked to widespread abuses around an election, including intimidation and violence against political opponents as well as a crackdown on freedom of expression. While some of these sanctions, including asset freezes on other prominent Zimbabwean officials, have been eased in recent years to promote democratic reform, an arms embargo has remained in place along with travel bans on Mugabe and his wife, Grace.

The decision to continue sanctions comes just days after the EU offered a 234 million-euro aid package to Zimbabwe, the first time the bloc has offered the African state financial aid since sanctions were imposed. The aid, which is intended to boost agricultural development, health services and institutional building, will be channeled through the United Nations Development Program and the World Bank, the Guardian reported. However, Zimbabwes government could eventually receive direct budgetary assistance if it meets conditions around good governance and the rule of law.

Zimbabwean officials had been pressing for the EU to lift its sanctions on Mugabe, warning that they impeded the development of relations between the government and the EU. "For as long as sanctions remain, dialogue will unnecessarily remain contentious and might retard progress toward normalization of relations," Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa told Deutsche Welle earlier this week. "The European Union is saying to us: 'Ministers and others, you can visit us, but do not bring your father.' That is not how relations should be conducted."

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Zimbabwe Sanctions: European Union Renews Mugabe Travel Ban After Offering Development Aid

THE European Union renewed for another year its sanctions against Zimbabwe, including a travel ban and asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe and his wife, according to a notice on Friday in the EU's Official Journal.

According to the notice deceased Zanu PF politicians Edward Chindori Chininga, Stanley Sakupwanya, and Nathan Shamuyarira were removed from the sanctions list.

"The restrictive measures should be renewed until Feb. 20, 2016," the notice read.

"The application of the travel ban and asset freeze should be maintained for two persons."

Zanu PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo condemned the decision.

The sanctions against the First Family are illegal, he told state media Friday.

We have maintained that they should be removed because they arent justified. Zimbabwe isnt excited by such nonsensical statements.

These illegal sanctions have done nothing but to destroy our economy. It doesnt matter what they try to do to us, we will persevere just like we have been doing all these years.

Were a resilient nation. The country will continue with its indigenisation policy and implementation of ZimAsset. If we need assistance, that assistance will come from our friends all over the world.

Since imposing sanctions in 2002 over electoral fraud and human rights abuses, the EU has eased measures to encourage political reform in Zimbabwe, although it has kept its ban on Mugabe and his wife Grace, as well as an arms embargo.

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European Union renews Mugabe, Grace travel bans

BRUSSELS: The European Union renewed for another year its sanctions against Zimbabwe, including a travel ban and asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe and his wife, according to a notice on Friday in the EU's Official Journal.

"The restrictive measures should be renewed until Feb. 20, 2016," the notice read. "The application of the travel ban and asset freeze should be maintained for two persons."

Since imposing sanctions in 2002 over electoral fraud and human rights abuses, the EU has eased measures to encourage political reform in Zimbabwe, although it has kept its ban on Mugabe and his wife Grace, as well as an arms embargo.

This week it gave Zimbabwe 234 million euros (173.62 million pounds) in aid, its first since sanctions were imposed. And earlier this month, EU officials said that the 90-year-old president might be allowed in on an exceptional basis during his year-long chairmanship of the African Union, if travelling on AU business.

The Official Journal, however, made clear EU governments are not yet convinced that Mugabe had changed enough to merit a final lifting of restrictions. Representatives of the 28 member states had "carried out a review" of sanctions "taking into account political developments in Zimbabwe", the notice read.

And they would remain in force.

Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since it gained independence from Britain in 1980 and has frequently clashed with the West. EU states were divided in their response when Mugabe won a fifth term in a 2013 election that was endorsed as free by African observers but denounced as fraudulent by the opposition.

The EU invited Mugabe to attend an EU-Africa summit in Brussels last April, but he stayed away because his wife was not invited. Following Mugabe's protest, South African President Jacob Zuma also decided to stay at home.

(Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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EU renews sanctions on Zimbabwe, Mugabe

Christian Keszthelyi

Wednesday, February 18, 2015, 9:50 AM CET

European Unions top energy official Maros Sefcovic said that Hungary should include the European Commission in negotiations regarding Hungarys long-term gas contract with Russia, as the European Union is working on the integration of the members energy market, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

The Wall Street Journal said that Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orbn and Russias President Vladimir Putin could have made agreements that violate the competition rules and energy market regulations of the European Union.

Sefcovic said that in an ideal case, the European Commission should also be involved in the negotiations and maximum transparency should be provided regarding issues on the agenda. The energy official promised that the EU would do everything to ensure that the energy deal between Hungary and Russia conforms with EU rules and regulations.

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EU official questions Hungary-Russia energy deal

BRUSSELS, Feb 20 (Reuters) The European Union will consider "reframing" energy relations based on market conditions with Russia when the time is right and for now is focusing on building a strategic gas partnership with Ukraine, a draft document shows.

The European Commission, the EU executive, is seeking to create a single energy market, based on cross-border connections to improve security of supply and reduce dependence on Russia, which supplies roughly one third of EU energy.

Next week, the Commission is expected to publish formally its strategy on an energy union.

"When the conditions are right, the EU will consider reframing the energy relationship with Russia based on a level playing field in terms of market opening, fair competition, environmental protection and safety, for the mutual benefit of both sides," a draft of the Energy Union Package seen by Reuters says.

For now, it says particular attention will be paid to upgrading "the strategic partnership on energy" with Ukraine.

It says it will address Ukraine's importance as a transit country, as well as improving infrastructure and Ukraine's energy efficiency to reduce its dependence on imports.

Russia's long-standing gas relations with the EU and Ukraine, the main transit route for Russian gas to the EU, have deteriorated since Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region last year.

Fighting has persisted in Ukraine despite European efforts to ensure a ceasefire takes hold.

Russian gas giant Gazprom last June cut off supplies to Ukraine over a pricing dispute, only resuming them after the European Commission brokered a temporary deal that lasts until the end of March.

On Thursday, Russia started supplying gas to rebel-held eastern Ukraine after Kiev suspended deliveries, citing damage to the networks.

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EU to 'Reframe' Russian Energy Ties When Time is Right