Greens/EFA urge EP and Latvian authorities to investigate Tatjana Ždanoka’s dealings with FSB

The Greens/EFA Group is deeply concerned by reports that MEP Tatjana Ždanoka has been working on behalf of the FSB’s Fifth Service while also serving as a Member of the European Parliament. It is imperative that the European Parliament investigate this matter thoroughly, and together with the Latvian authorities, immediately assess whether or not Ms. Ždanoka can continue to sit as a Member of the European Parliament. 

The Greens/EFA Group is and has always been a leading champion for democracy and human rights, core values that Russia opposes. That a potential FSB agent can have access to benefits and information as a Member of the European Parliament is a threat to our security and we call for an immediate investigation into these matters, as well as a suspension of Ms. Ždanoka’s access while the investigation is ongoing. 

After Russia's full-scale war of aggression on Ukraine, the Greens/EFA Group has worked continuously and intensively to support Ukraine in all forms, including backing military support and the prospect for future membership in the EU. We are fully committed to Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion. 

Tatjana Ždanoka was a member of the European Free Alliance (EFA) faction of the Greens/EFA Group, which is not part of the Green political family nor a member of the European Green Party (EGP). The European Free Alliance (EFA) is a European political party consisting of various regionalists, autonomists, independentists and minorities political parties in Europe. 

The EFA faction of the group, who decides the composition of its members, asked Tatjana Ždanoka to leave after she failed to condemn the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Group fully supported this decision and condemned her statements.

Since the 4th of April 2022, she has not been part of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament. During her period in the Group, she had no part in forming Group policy on foreign affairs issues including policies related to Russia. 

Any events or activities organized by Ms. Ždanoka, whilst she was a member of the EFA faction, was funded by her individual budget, which is a right every sitting MEP receives in the framework of their mandate. The role of the Greens/EFA Group is mainly limited to check the respect of the financial rules of the EP. The presence of the logo is required by the EP financial rules but does not mean collective endorsement.