EU Must Be Ready to Reject Results of Russian Parliamentary Elections, Draft Report Says

STRASBOURG (Sputnik) - In the draft report on the future strategy of relations with Russia, which is planned to be approved at the plenary session in Strasbourg, the members of the European Parliament call on the EU to prepare not to recognise the Russian parliament, "if the 2021 parliamentary elections in Russia are recognised as fraudulent."

"The EU must be prepared not to recognise the Parliament of Russia and to consider asking for Russia’s suspension from international organisations with parliamentary assemblies, in particular the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, if the 2021 parliamentary elections in Russia are recognised as fraudulent and having been conducted in violation of democratic principles and international law," the document says.

Before the plenary session in Strasbourg, which will be held on 13-16 September, political groups represented in the European Parliament tentatively agreed upon a "tough" report on EU relations with Russia prepared by former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. The report is expected to be discussed on 14 September, a vote will be held on 15 September, and its results will be announced on 16 September. The decisions of the European Parliament are not binding, they are a recommendation for EU countries.