Brussels, 09/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 8 March, 57 MEPs called for the EU to issue sanctions against 29 people, including the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who are involved “in the kidnapping, unlawful detention, imprisonment and fabrication of charges against Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian citizen” and pilot (see EUROPE 11507).
In a letter initiated by Petras Austrevicius (ALDE, Lithuania) dated 8 March for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, the MEPs of 17 different nationalities, mostly from the EPP and ALDE, but also the ECR, the S&D and the Greens/EFA urge the EU to “take take all necessary steps in order to initiate at the EU level the imposition of personal sanctions against those officials of the Russian Federation who are involved” along with a visa ban. The MEPs explain the measures by the fact that they “are convinced that the EU must with no further delay react to this repeatedly shameful and blatant breach of international law and the Minsk Agreements by the Russian Federation.”
The MEPs calls for measures against six people responsible for taking political decisions against Nadiya Savchenko or who legitimised them before the international community. The six include the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the president of the Russian delegation to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Alexey Pushkov. The MEPs say measures should also be taken against eight people accused of fabricating proof during the preliminary investigation, 14 others responsible for presenting false evidence during the judicial proceedings or taking decisions about the legality of this evidence and prolongation of the detention period or implementing illegal decisions, including judges and public prosecutors and the director of the prison where Savchenko is held.
Asked about possible measures, the European External Action Service had not yet answered our questions as we went to press. Russia should be on the agenda of the Council meeting of European foreign ministers on Monday 14 March. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)