”Listdrabbade” svenskar är kritiska mot portningen av Rysslands EU-ambassadör

Hökmark (M)

Talmannen Martin Schulz beslut att stoppa Rysslands EU-ambassadör från att besöka Europaparlamentet får kritik nu från flera av de parlamentariker som portats från Ryssland. På twitter säger Gunnar Hökmark (M) att ”I sak borde vi kalla ambassadören och förklara den Rysslandspolitik som vi beslutar, inte falla i listlogik” medan den andra svenska europaparlamentariker som inte får resa till Ryssland, Anna-Maria Corrazza Bildt tycker att Schulz haft för bråttom och skulle ha förankrat beslutet först. I ett brev kallar hon Schulzs beslut för odemokratiskt. Nedan kan du läsa vad Corrazza Bildt skriver.

Dear President Schulz,

I have been dismayed to learn that the European Parliament is imposing sanctions to a third country without a formal decision by the Conference of Presidents.

Your unilateral decision is arbitrary and undemocratic.

FOTO © European Union 2014 – EP

Furthermore, you have informed the Russian Ambassador about retaliatory measures, before informing your own MEPs, not even those who are on the Russian list. We have actually asked to meet with you but you went public before even listening to those concerned. Let me remind you that 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.

We should instead show our resolve constructively. The EP should not enter the vicious circle of tick for tac and escalating rhetoric that we have been condemning. The EU has protested the Russian list as non-legally based and detrimental to the already weak channel of communication between the EU and Russia. Should the Parliament, house of the people of Europe that we represent, be the EU institution that imposes restrictions on dialogue?

With your countersanctions we are doing exactly what we deplored, adopting sanctions that are not based on international law.

An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth can never be a way to show EP resolve, it rather undermines our credibility at a time when there is war in Europe and a humanitarian crisis of Bosnian war dimensions.

I would have expected a reaction from our President that would spare no effort on building consensus in the European Parliament, to stand up for freedom of expression as well as peace and freedom in Ukraine. The Resolution on the state of EU – Russia relations under vote next week in plenary is a good first step.

In my view, the EP should actively put pressure on the Member States to stand united and firm at the upcoming European Council on the 25^th  of June, in adopting appropriate measures, including renewing the sanctions against Russia until the Minsk agreement is fully implemented. We should work together with the Council, the European High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security and the Commission to explore possibilities to expand the EU list of individuals, for example with those responsible for the illegal detention of Nadya Savchenko. Our counter-measures should be based on breaches of international law, not on revenge. I will be happy to provide you with additional measures I am working on with my blacklisted colleagues.

I hope you will share my concerns and take up this issue at the Conference of Presidents on the 4^th of June and reconsider your position.

Best regards

Anna Maria