05/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg, the president of the EPP/ED Group at the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, awarded to Elena Bonner, the widow of the dissident and Nobel Prizewiner Andrej Sakharov, the Robert Schuman Medal that the group awards to personalities who fight for democracy and human rights. Mr Pöttering, who recalled that the European Parliament gave the name of Sakharov to the prize for freedom of spirit that it created in 1988, noted that Elena Bonner has resolutely pursued her husband's mission. Andrej Sakharov died in 1989, faithful to his devise "do not accept the unacceptable". Ms Bonner, for example, has been tireless in launching appeals against the war in Chechnya.