Europe

Europe

European Parliament adopts resolution calling for new free and fair elections to Russian Stat Duma

14 December 2011 16:14 (UTC +04:00)

MPs stress that the running of the election showed that Russia does not meet election standards as defined by the OSCE, and express deep concern about reports of fraud and the preliminary findings of the OSCE/ODIHR report on procedural violations, lack of media impartiality, harassment of independent monitors and lack of separation between party and state. The resolution underlines that the registration process led to the exclusion of several opposition parties and has seriously undermined freedom of association, political competition and pluralism from the beginning. Parliament calls for new free and fair elections to be held after registration of all opposition parties.

MPs welcome the demonstrations in Russia as an expression of the will of the Russian people for more democracy and condemn the crackdown by the police on peaceful demonstrations. Parliament calls for an immediate and full investigation of all reports of fraud and intimidation, and penalties for those found responsible. The necessary recommendations were sent to President of the Council of Europe van Rompuy, Head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton