Russia

The European Parliament today adopted a resolution on the situation in Russia, following the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. Commenting after the vote, Green foreign affairs spokesperson Tamás Meszerics said:

"The brutal and tragic murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has served to heighten concerns about the political direction in Russia. The European Parliament has today condemned this cowardly act and underlined concerns about democracy, pluralism, human rights and the rule of law in Russia, to which the EU cannot simply turn a blind eye.

"The EU has clearly been hampered by division and it is high time the EU presented a united approach towards Russia. This implies taking a consequent approach to sanctions. The EU must also do more to support civil society and pluralism in Russia, including financial support for civil society. Russia, for its part, must comply with its obligations as a member of the OSCE and the Council of Europe."