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“The Kremlin continues to show complete disrespect for democratic principles and values. As the Duma elections approach, we are witnessing an increasingly aggressive crackdown on those whom the Kremlin considers a threat: some 200 municipal deputies they have been arrested, ”said the Lithuanian head of diplomacy.
“I believe that the EU’s relations with Russia will be based mainly on principles and values: respect for democracy and human rights and the sovereignty of other countries, not economic interests.” Until now, Europe has always reacted reactively to Russia’s actions, this time the EU may act differently, “he added.
He said this after a meeting of the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council, which took note of the Kremlin’s ongoing crackdown on civil society and the opposition, and called for a policy of values towards Russia.
According to the foreign minister, there is no opportunity to offer Russia a broader dialogue until the Kremlin begins to respect international law and the sovereignty of nations.
More than a week ago, the Russian police arrested about 200 people gathered in Moscow for a congress of independent municipal deputies, arguing that they were suspected of “violating sanitary and epidemiological requirements” and that they included members of “undesirable organizations”.
Opposition politicians and activists from more than 50 regions of the country intended to discuss the September parliamentary and local elections in the first forum of its kind.
An extensive geographical list of sanctions was approved at a meeting of foreign ministers. It has 11 natural persons and four legal entities from China, North Korea, Russia, Libya, Eritrea and South Sudan.
A political consensus was also reached on the extension of sanctions against 11 Myanmar officials responsible for the ongoing military coup and crackdown.
Among other things, the ministerial meeting discussed EU-Turkey relations, the EU’s Southern Neighborhood Policy, the situation in Russia, Sakartvele, the Western Balkans and the situation of human rights and democracy in Venezuela, Myanmar and Hong Kong.
Speaking about the political crisis in Sakartvele, the minister emphasized the importance of mediating EU involvement, highlighting that this was a very timely geopolitical step for the EU, which opened opportunities for dialogue between political forces.
“The EU partners are well aware of our concerns about the crisis in Sakartvele, and I have heard this very clearly from many colleagues today,” Landsbergis said.
Sakartvele has recently deepened the political crisis that followed last year’s parliamentary elections, when former Prime Minister Georgi Gachary resigned over government plans to arrest opposition leader Melia.
The attempt to arrest Melia, president of the United National Movement founded by former President Mikheil Saakashvili, sparked outrage from the opposition.
Some of Sakartwell’s allies in the West also issued alerts to Tbilisi.
The opposition believes that the October 31 parliamentary elections, won by a small margin by the ruler Sakartwell Dream, are rigged.
During a remote meeting of foreign ministers with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, Landsberg expressed concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in many regions of the world, including the vicinity of the EU: Russia, Belarus, the occupied territories of Ukraine and Sacartwell. .
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