Head of Liberals and Democrats in EU Parliament on how to help liberals in Russia

[pampango]

As Vladimir Putin tightens his stranglehold on the Russian people, it’s more important than ever for us to speak out and defend progressive, liberal values, while standing by those fighting for fundamental rights in Russia.

In Putin’s Russia, members of the LGBT community and other minorities have good reason to fear for their lives, as they are forced to hide from mobs who hunt them down in the streets of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Putin must be the world’s only head of state who is an honorary member of a motorcycle gang, the Night Wolves. Its leader, Alexander Zaldostanov, is a personal friend of Putin and a fierce defender of Stalin’s political heritage. He is the driving force behind the anti-Maidan movement, who has previously declared “death to faggots.” Putin regularly shows up at Night Wolves events, giving implied support to this kind of hate speech.

The EU and Russia are in a stand-off, launching measures and counter-measures. Europe must not back down. This is the time to stay united and strong. Bullies like Putin do not respect weakness. All too often, the European Council has been slow to react to Russian provocations, resulting in sanctions that are agreed on too late or too hesitantly. Regrettably, the extension of sanctions linked to the continued Russian military presence in eastern Ukraine is still pending. The EU must be more proactive and should develop a clearer strategy. There is little hope that Putin will change his behavior.

We must never forget that the true victims of the regime are the Russian people themselves. ...The Russian regime is suppressing the country’s talented people, as if they were under communist rule. If Putin does not value the potential of his own people, we should.

The European Commission should come forward with a proposal to set up a vast program of scholarships for Russian artists, scientists, and students. The EU should also do more to support civil society in Russia, by actively participating in peaceful human rights protests. Loudly and with conviction, we must reject Putin’s narrow authoritarianism and boldly offer the people of Russian an alternative liberal vision of a global society based on freedom, democratic values, equality and opportunity.

Guy Verhofstadt, European parliamentary group leader for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), was prime minister of Belgium from 1999-2008.

http://www.politico.eu/article/hit-putin-where-it-hurts-verhofstadt/

Nice to see a representative of the European left take a stand for public, but peaceful, measures to stand up for liberals in Russia. One cannot expect the far-right parties in Europe to do the same since they largely defend Putin and his policies of 'family values' and nationalist authoritarianism and want it for their own countries.

[DetlefK]

1. Actually, liberals are leaving Russia in droves.

Emigration numbers made a sharp six-fold jump when Putin was reelected: from 10,000-20,000 per year to 100,000-120,000 per year.
Investors are relocating their families to outside of Russia to escape the bad education-system and for monetary reasons.
Scientists and artists are leaving for greater freedom and security to just about anywhere. Russia has trouble filling positions in a brand-new state-of-the-art research-facility. About 20% of people with higher education said they would leave Russia if they could.

These are thinkers, intellectuals, inventors, makers that are leaving.

And Putin is happy about it because he's getting rid of troublemakers. He described it as "letting off steam".