The Slovak Parliament may consider a resolution on the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions and the normalization of relations with the Russian Federation within two months. The Speaker of the National Council of Slovakia Andrej Danko, noted that “sanctions policy has failed to meet its goal. I believe that they it soon be ended, just as the restrictions measures in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have been recently lifted. ”
Need to be realistic
Leonid Slutskiy
Leonid Eduardovich
called the Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, Andrej Danko, “a courageous man, a serious European politician, who could easily initiate the adoption of such a resolution together with his colleagues”.
At the same time, the member of the State Duma stressed that there are colleagues in the Slovak Parliament who will not support such resolution. “But I would assume that highly likely they will be outnumbered,” said Leonid Slutskiy.
At the same time, he urged to be realistic. “Earlier, similar resolutions were adopted by both chambers of the French Parliament — the Senate and the National Assembly. And despite this, then the Secretary of State [for European Affairs] of the French Foreign Ministry, Harlem Désir, who is now working in the OSCE, just said that this is not a reason for the executive authorities of the French Republic, the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to change their position in the European Union,” said the Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs.
He recalled the statement of the new President of the European Parliament, David Maria Sassoli, that it is premature to even think about revising of the anti-Russian sanctions in the European Council. “Therefore, of course, those resolutions of national parliaments, including in Bratislava, are able to rock these completely archaic, unreasonable and contradicting the very nature of parliamentarism sanctions. We, as realists, should understand that this will not give an immediate result, and I do not think that the leadership of Slovakia will break the consensus at the next voting on anti-Russian sanctions in Brussels. However, such resolutions are necessary, useful. Such resolutions show the position of large number of the country's population, that sooner or later it will have a positive reverse effect on Brussels and will help to review this completely inverted and unreasonable decision,” said the parliamentarian.
He also said that he wanted to express his respect to Andrej Danko and his colleagues, “who are ready to take such a bold decision.”
“Of course, it would serve to return Europe to reason regarding affairs with Russia. This process is already taking place, and it is quite rapid,” concluded Leonid Slutskiy.
Positive message that fits well with the trends
“It is difficult
to say something about the prospects of consideration of the resolution at the Slovak Parliament, but the very fact that such an idea was announced by the first person of the National Council is a bright positive message that fits
well with the general trends,” said First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma
Ivan Melnikov
Ivan Ivanovich
.
“We, in the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, inter-parliamentary meetings and forums, have already heard from colleagues from various states for a couple of years that sanctions are bad, this is not an option, this is not a tool. First they whispered it, and then spoke louder and louder. Many forces that rely on the support of large number of their voters have a negative attitude towards sanctions, but their will is still hampered by the European bureaucracy,” he noted.
“I am glad that we heard such words from Slovakia, a country whose people have historically been very friendly with Russia,” said Ivan Melnikov.
Returning together to the civilized dialogue
Member of the Committee on International Affairs Sergei Zhelezniak
Sergei Vladimiroviсh
called the intention of members
of the Parliament of Slovakia to submit a resolution on lifting of anti-Russian
sanctions a bold and respectable step.
“Such an initiative speaks of a long-overdue situation, when the reasonable part of the political establishment of Europe begins to declare openly the inferiority of illegal restrictions affecting the national economies of the states of the region. At the same time, it is obvious that the attempts of colleagues from the Slovak Parliament will face resistance of the Russophobic part of European officials and their patrons from Washington,” he said.
He stressed: “Russia respects the efforts of European political forces that support a constructive dialogue with our country. We have always been against the sanctions policy, the policy of rampant protectionism, unfair economic and political competition. There is no doubt that lifting of anti-Russian sanctions will entail the elimination of restrictions imposed by Russia against European states.”
“We should return all together to a civilized dialogue, full-fledged economic and humanitarian cooperation in the interests of peace and well-being of the citizens of our countries,” said Sergei Zhelezniak.
Only direct communication, discussion, exchange of views and the search for new common growth points can restore confidence and lead the international situation out of the crisis which was organized by the destructive forces of the US and its EU satellites, as the parliamentarian believes.
“The goal of this policy is transparent, even if it is described with beautiful words — to keep a unipolar world order and to avoid strengthening of new centers of power,” concluded Sergei Zhelezniak.
Early warnings
Member of the Committee on International Affairs Elena Panina
Elena Vladimirovna
stressed that “the sanctions policy
against Russia has been ineffective from the very beginning.”
“Moreover, it turned out to be unprofitable and very unfavorable for European countries, many of which supported these sanctions under US pressure. It is clear that these sanctions should be lifted,” she said.
According to the parliamentarian, Slovakia can become the first state, but not the only state that is trying to lift the sanctions as completely inappropriate for the economic, political and cultural development of the country.
“I believe that the return of the Russian delegation to the PACE without any restriction measures (…) shows that many European countries are ready to lift these sanctions. (…) This is just the beginning, and we see it,” she concluded.
At the same time, Elena Panina noted that she “doubts that the draft law proposed by the member of the Slovak Parliament will be adopted, because “the US pressure will be very strong in this case”.
