EU eyes Belarus sanctions over disputed election, protests crackdown

BRUSSELS, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The European Union will likely impose new sanctions on Belarus as soon as later this month, diplomats and officials said, after strongman President Alexander Lukashenko cracked down on protests triggered by a disputed vote.

Germany, Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden have spoken publicly in favour of sanctions and Austria was another hawk, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers on Friday.

With any EU decision on sanctions requiring unanimity of all 27 member states, Hungary was the main sceptic, according to the sources. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Additional reporting by Marton Dunai in Budapest and Gederts Gelzis in Riga; Editing by Alex Richardson)