Brussels, 03/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Tuesday 2 June, European Parliament President Martin Schulz announced he had taken measures against Russia due to the country's ban on 89 political figures (including 17 MEPs) entering its territory (see EUROPE 11325).
Consequently, “pending the lifting of the blacklist”, “free” access to the European Parliament is restricted to Russia's Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov and to “one other named diplomat”. This will always be the same person and will change according to the subject of the meeting. Schulz stated that the Russians currently have three permanent entry badges to the European Parliament. Request for access to the European Parliament by members of the Russian Duma and Federation Council will be assessed “on a case-by-case basis”. Schulz also decided to suspend the European Parliament's engagement with the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.
“Insofar as the Russian authorities have failed to ensure transparency in their decisions, in line with international law and legal obligations, and allow the targeted individuals the right of defence and of appeal, he [Schulz] considers that it is now justified to take appropriate measures in response”, the European Parliament's press office stated in a press release.
On 2 June, Schulz informed Chizhov of his decision and he will officially inform the European Parliament's conference of the presidents of the political groups of his decision on Thursday 4 June. Schulz's spokesperson told EUROPE that Schulz had discussed the situation with the president of the Parliament's ALDE Group, Guy Verhofstadt, with the co-president of the Greens Group, Rebecca Harms (both whom appear on the list of people banned from entering Russia) and with the “heads of the Socialists and EPP”.
According to Politico, Anna Corazza Bildt MEP (EPP, Sweden) reportedly sent an email response to Schulz saying that his decision was “unilateral and undemocratic”. “We have actually asked to meet with you but you went public before even listening to those concerned (…) We are on the list as individuals, the European Parliament is not sanctioned as an institution. I appreciate you asking the Russian authorities for clarification on the list and your wish to show your solidarity, but I deplore the retaliatory and counterproductive way you have decided to react”. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP (EPP, Poland) also believed Schulz's decision was “bad”.
Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, seemed insensitive to Schulz's measures.
“I don't indeed think we will visit this assembly, [given] there is nothing to do there - be there restrictions or not”, he said. Ryabkov added that he thought Schulz's decision reflected “intellectual political squalor”. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)