Russia walks on the edge of the abyss: Brussels already prepares a harsh response

More than a decade ago, Navaln began harshly criticizing the Russian government and its president, Vladimir Putin. By holding demonstrations and not being afraid to strongly criticize the government, he became the leader of the opposition. In 2020, the life of A. Navaln was attacked with Novičiok poison, but due to favorable circumstances, he survived. Navaln and his comrades proved that the poisoning was the work of six Russian officials accountable to the Kremlin authorities.

However, after returning to Russia, the opposition leader was arrested. In an urgent debate in the European Parliament in late January, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, said that Navaln’s arrest was unacceptable to Europe and the international community. He called for the immediate release of Navalna. A resolution adopted by the European Parliament on the arrest of Russian opponent Alexei Navaln calls on EU countries to review relations with Russia and suspend construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The document was adopted by 581 votes to 50.

However, Navaln, 44, was sentenced in February to two and a half years in prison for embezzlement of old money. He is imprisoned in a Pokrov colony, about 100 kilometers from Moscow.
March 31, the man began a hunger strike, demanding adequate treatment for back pain and numbness in his legs and arms. April 18 The AFP news agency reported that Navaln doctors warned of a rapid deterioration in health. According to the doctors, his heart can stop at any time, so they ask permission to help him. There is no more news yet, but a debate on this issue is scheduled at the last plenary session of the European Parliament (EP) in April.

Petras Auštrevičius, a member of the European Parliament, emphasized to the Delfi portal that it is also planned to discuss other issues related to Russian politics in the discussion.

“There will be a plenary session next week and a debate on so-called quick reaction tools is planned.” Our group, ‘Renewing Europe’, has put forward a proposal to respond to Navalno, Ukraine and all other matters related to Russia. “At least I expect a little debate, but I am almost certain that we will have a resolution on those issues,” said the politician.

When asked what sanctions could be imposed on Russia, Auštrevičius noted that it was first necessary to agree on what and when to do.

“First of all, a debate is needed to form a common position. Sanctions are already a consequence of consensus. For Navalno, everything is so clear. As for having to communicate with colleagues, I would describe the situation as follows: We believe that Russia is walking on the edge of the abyss. The Navaln issue is a cornerstone that can affect the position and mood towards Russia. Many did not even believe that circumstances could arise in this way and that the Russian authorities could take action. so brutal.

I think overall, this story could strongly push the issue of enriching Magnicki’s sanctions package with the crime of corruption. We are working in this direction, consulting with the commission and convening a group of like-minded people who are working hard on this issue. I think this is inevitable. Navaln is, I would say, a political symbol in the fight against corruption, which reveals it. It has suffered and is suffering from the disclosure of corruption.

Let’s remember the list of thirty-various names that the Navaln team circulated, those corrupt people who ate the money and created all those schemes. Special attention should be paid to this. I hope this is not an anger or a one-day surprise; we need very precise and specific actions on corruption crimes. In fact, all this can radically change the situation in Russia “, P. Auštrevičius did not hesitate.

What languages ​​does Russia go or speak to itself? Is there an absolute no conversation after all? Of these two phrases, the politician highlighted the second.

“I think there is a second option. It is not conversation and closure. The best example is the situation in the Czech Republic. When all the information was revealed, I can truly say that many colleagues accepted the situation without saying a word. They did not expect such crimes to be committed on the territory of the European Union, and we even started a solidarity action with the Czech Republic in our “Renew Europe” group. This can be equated with 2016, when we showed our solidarity with France in the wake of the terrorist attacks there. Terrorism has returned to Europe in all its cruelty and with all the most cynical derivations of the Russian government.

They do not speak to us and are unlikely to speak. Knowing their attitude about their supposed prestige, he is supposed to start speaking to them with humility and humility … Well, they lead to an even higher branch, from which it will be even more difficult to get out, ”Fr Auštrevičius is convinced.

The new decisions of the EP on relations with Russia should be made clear by the end of April.