Renew Europe group leader slams Bulgarian Vuzrazhdane party’s deal with Putin’s party
Valérie Hayer, leader of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, has slammed Bulgaria’s pro-Russian opposition party Vuzrazhdane for its cooperation agreement with Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party.
Hayer told the European Parliament in a declaration on May 7 that there was information that some extremist MEPs had accepted an invitation to attend Putin’s military parade in Moscow on May 9.
Vuzrazhdane, which has 33 seats in Bulgaria’s 240-seat National Assembly, said in a statement on April 29 that a delegation had visited Moscow at the invitation of United Russia.
The delegation, consisting of Vuzrazhdane deputy leaders Tsoncho Ganev and Georgi Georgiev and MP Daniel Prodanov, signed an agreement on cooperation and partnership with United Russia.
Hayer told the European Parliament: “These are blatant attacks to our common values, but also to the Parliament’s integrity and reputation”.
She called for an investigation whether the three members of Vuzrazhdane received any financial contribution or donation from United Russia “to influence the Parliament’s work in their favour”.
Hayer asked European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to ensure that no trip to Moscow on May 8 was covered by the European Parliament in any way.
Metsola told the House that everyone should weigh their responsibility carefully because of how their actions might be interpreted and used, and with Ukrainians still fighting for their freedom, “I would urge everyone to tread carefully”.
“It is an honourable calling to serve Europe in this house of democracy and I would ask you all to respect that,” Metsola said.
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