At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, as part of debates on violations of human rights, democratic principles, and the rule of law, a discussion was held on the Russian Federation’s 11-year occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The discussion focused on the deteriorating human rights situation in occupied Crimea, and in particular on the cases of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziyev, and Amet Suleimanov. Arkadiusz Mularczyk, a PiS MEP and co-author of the resolution on this matter, spoke during the debate.
Arkadiusz Mularczyk noted that the Russian Federation’s illegal annexation of Crimea was not the beginning, but rather yet another act of Russian aggression. He recalled the invasion of Chechnya in the 1990s, where the war claimed tens of thousands of lives, including women and children. He also pointed to Russia’s military attack on Georgia in 2009 and the thousands of people wounded and killed in that conflict. “Russia has never changed. It remains the heir to the Soviet Union, always employing the same political method—imperial conquest,” stated the co-author of the resolution.
“We in Poland know these methods well, but even if we assume that the masks only came off after the annexation of Crimea—because Russia’s imperialist ambitions weren’t clear to everyone from the start—then why were the Germans striking deals with Putin at that time?” —wondered the PiS MEP. He noted that the construction of Nord Stream 2 took place after the invasion of Crimea, “and yet many members of this House supported the German government’s policy.” “Were profits more important than the security of Europe, the world, and human rights?” he asked his fellow MEPs, adding that everyone should answer that question for themselves.
