Press release
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EFA group condems the comparison between Putin's Regime, the extreme far-right and the self-determination movements
The EFA Group regrets the topical debate proposed by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats parliamentary group. The discussion titled "Cooperation and similarities between the Putin regime and extreme right and separatist movements in Europe" compares the regime of Putin and the extreme far-right to the pacific and democratic movements of self-determination.
We denounce the use of a proposal debate in this chamber for national political gain and condemn the defamatory allegations of links between the Catalan independence movement and the regime of Putin. We take serious offence in being compared to the extreme far-right, a movement that historically fought to eradicate our existence.
We in the EFA Group have been and will always be strong defenders of democracy, sovereignty and the right to self-determination.
EFA Group President Jordi Solé said:
"Including democratic self-determination movements in a debate on Putin's regime and their supposed allies in the EU is just ridiculous."
"That the proposal comes from the S&D, with prominent figures like former German Chancellor Schröder and others with very close ties with Putin's regime, is more than ironic."
"The Spanish socialists should refrain from using plenary debates in the EP for pure internal political, opportunists reasons, and learn for once and for all that true democracies are not afraid of letting people vote on their future."
EFA MEP Diana Riba:
"Yes, Russian influence in Europe worries us- We are worried that the PP will incorporate the extreme right of Vox, Putin's puppets in Spain, into the government of Castilla y León and that this is just the prelude to a future reactionary government."
"We are concerned that Josep Borrell, in 2018, as Foreign Minister, thought that the best idea to fight fake news was to agree with Putin's regime to create a security group against disinformation."
"Our political commitments are transparent: we are working towards being a full Member State in a federal, diverse, socially just, green, feminist and radically democratic European Union."
