The EU has suspended its support for development projects in Myanmar to avoid providing financial assistance to the military after it seized power last month, officials said on Thursday.

The 27-nation EU informed a committee of the World Trade Organisation that it had put on hold all development cooperation that would support the military authorities, a Geneva-based trade official said.

The European Commission, the EU executive, confirmed it had suspended the budgetary support, which in past years has involved more than 200 million euros ($240.7 million) in separate programmes often running typically for four years.

The EU’s decision follows international condemnation of the February 1 military coup in Myanmar that overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. As protests continue against the junta, the UN special envoy on Myanmar said 38 people had been killed on Wednesday.

EU development assistance to Myanmar has focused on education, justice, elections and supporting nutrition in rural areas, in one of Asia’s poorest countries.

EU foreign ministers agreed last month to look into sanctions that could target businesses owned by the army, but ruled out any curtailing of trade preferences for Myanmar to avoid hurting the poorest workers in textiles. Myanmar benefits from the EU’s “Everything But Arms” scheme, which grants duty-free, quota-free access for all its exports, except arms and ammunition, to the EU market of 450 million consumers.

Boris horrified

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was horrified by the escalation of violence in Myanmar and he called for a restoration of democracy.

“I’m horrified by the escalation of violence in Myanmar and the killing of pro-democracy protesters,” Johnson said on Twitter.

“We stand with the people of Myanmar in calling for an immediate end to military repression, the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and others, and the restoration of democracy.”