Seimas adopted a Resolution on the Poisoning of Alexei Navalny and Nord Stream 2

Press release, 24 September 2020

The Seimas adopted a Resolution on the Poisoning of Alexei Navalny and the Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline, herein emphasising that democracy as well as universally recognised human rights and freedoms in the Russian Federation remain in a critical situation. The Resolution also urges the EU to adopt, and implement as soon as possible, a mechanism of human rights sanctions, modelled on the Magnitsky Act. The said mechanism should include a list of persons and provide for sector-specific sanctions against the Russian Federation regime.

‘The poisoning of Alexei Navalny by a neuroparalytic agent produced by Russian laboratories and prohibited by international treaties has very clearly demonstrated that the Kremlin is not willing to moderate its aggressive and cynical treatment of the political opposition,’ the Resolution notes. The Seimas highlights that the poisoning of Alexei Navalny reminds once again that it is crucial to stop the construction of Nord Stream 2.

The Seimas emphasises that export of energy resources is the main source of funding for Russia’s aggressive foreign policy initiatives that mostly target the Baltic States and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

‘Nord Stream 2 laid on the Baltic seabed has no economic basis and is a geopolitical project that will increase Europe’s dependence on natural gas supplied by the Russian Federation,’ reads the Seimas Resolution. It concurrently reminds that natural gas is often used by the Russian Federation as a tool of political and economic pressure on countries dependent on gas supply. Nord Stream 2 may potentially be also used for this purpose, which is a concern previously voiced by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The Seimas underlines the necessity to continue supporting dissidents, non-governmental and civil society organisations, as well as independent media and journalists in the Russian Federation, calls on the Federal Republic of Germany to abandon the Nord Stream 2 project, and urges the EU to diversify the sources and suppliers of energy as much as possible.

Rimas Rudaitis, Chief Specialist, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, tel. +370 5 239 6132, e-mail: [email protected]