[ad_1]
Germany stressed that Russia’s decision to expel several European diplomats is unjustified and further worsens relations with Europe.
The expulsion of a German diplomat from Russia for allegedly participating in demonstrations in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny is considered unreasonable in Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced this today at a press conference, France24 television channel reports.
“We consider that these expulsions are not reasonable. This is another aspect, as we can see, in which Russia is quite far from the rule of law,” emphasized the German chancellor.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also said that “if the Russian Federation does not reconsider this step, it will not go unanswered.” The department head emphasized that the German diplomat was only fulfilling his task stipulated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations: he legally received information about events on the ground.
“Russia’s decision to expel several diplomats from the EU, including an employee of the German embassy in Moscow, is in no way justified and further worsens relations with Europe,” he wrote.
Russia’s decision to expel several diplomats from the EU, including an employee of the Moscow embassy, is in no way justified and further damages relations with Europe. If * you don’t reconsider this step, you won’t go unanswered.
– Heiko Maas * (@HeikoMaas) February 5, 2021
On February 5, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation declared the employees of the diplomatic missions of Sweden, Poland and Germany persona non grata. The ambassadors of these countries protested “in relation to the participation of diplomatic employees of the consulates general in illegal actions of January 23”.
The Swedish embassy in Moscow noted that the diplomat did not participate in the protest, he saw it, that “it is standard diplomatic procedure.” The Polish Foreign Ministry has promised Russia retaliatory measures for the expulsion of the diplomat.
The decision to expel the diplomats was made during a visit to Moscow by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
After Navalny’s arrest, mass demonstrations began in the Russian Federation. According to the opposition team, 250-300 thousand people participated in the actions on January 23 across the country, on January 31 – 200-300 thousand. On February 2, the day of Navalny’s trial, new protests took place in Russia. Federation, but they weren’t that full … According to human rights activists, a total of more than 11,000 people were arrested in three protests in support of Navalny.
The arrested protesters denounce abuses in police stations and pre-trial detention centers, overcrowded cells and torture.
[ad_2]
