EU must take immediate action in the case of Nadiya Savchenko - Main contents
Following the decision of Moscow's city court to keep Ukrainian pilot, Nadiya Savchenko, in custody until 13th of May 2015, MEP Hans van Baalen (VVD, The Netherlands), ALDE Group’ spokesman on Russia and Ukraine, said:
"Military pilot Nadiya Savchenko is an elected Member of the Ukrainian Parliament. The Russian court's decision is in breach of the Minsk II Agreement.
This is yet another example that Vladimir Putin is not committed to it. The Minsk agreement is threatened by this case and by the fact the cease fire was not respected in Debaltseve and Mariupol. Putin must immediately fully uphold the Minsk II agreement."
ALDE Vice-President, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Liberal's Movement of Lithuania), calls the EU to take immediate action in this case:
"The Russian court's decision yesterday is yet more proof of Moscow's pathetic cynicism. Moscow shows this attitude in its own lacklustre commitment to the recently brokered in Minsk on releasing of all prisoners of war. I appeal to the HR/VP Mogherini to take immediate action and deliver a demarche to the Russian authorities regarding the continued detention of Ms. Savchenko. I also ask the Council and the Commission to include into the next list of sanctions the names of all those in Russia responsible for harassment and illegal actions against Ms. Savchenko."
"In analogue to "Magnitsky list", EU must introduce and implement without delay a "Savchenko list."
Since her detention, Nadiya Savchenko, an air force helicopter pilot, has been elected to the Ukrainian parliament. Her defence asked the court to replace detention with home arrest, as she agreed to live in the premises of Ukrainian Embassy or in the flat of her lawyer. The court rejected Ms. Savchenko's request, whose life is at risk after 75 days on hunger strike.