Strasbourg, 13/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - Based on the principle that the outcome of elections in Russia is not legitimate due to irregularities in voting procedures, the European Parliament calls for reform to be undertaken there. The EP's draft resolution on elections in Russia will be discussed in plenary on Wednesday 14 March and voted on the following day.
Hannes Swoboda (S&D, Austria) wants support for a reform package, including electoral reform. Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE), who would like to seize this window of opportunity, states that what they are trying to do with the European Parliament is to reach a unanimous opinion in order to put pressure on the Russian authorities as soon as possible before 7 May, which is when the new Putin mandate begins. When asked about the options available to the EP if the Russian authorities do not keep to the track recommended in the resolution, Verhofstadt said that the EP could take up the fray again, or even not recognise the Duma delegation, and break off customary relations with Russia. His group has organised a hearing on the matter, allowing leaders of the Russian opposition to take the floor: Mikhail Kasyanov of the Russian People's Democratic Union, and Garry Kasparov of the United Civil Front. Although the former hopes Putin will resign, the latter is clearly less optimistic and does not expect the Putin regime to carry out reforms. (MD/transl.jl)