site.btaBulgarian Foreign Minister: EU Does Not Perceive Demand for Navalny's Release as Interference in Russian Internal Affairs

January 25 (BTA corr. Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Speaking to Bulgarian reporters after a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council here on Monday, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said that the common demand of the EU member states is that Alexei Navalny should be released and that this is not perceived as interference in Russia's internal affairs.

In Zaharieva's words, the EU member states concurred hat Navalny's detention is yet another proof that with their acts the Russian authorities deter pluralism. She said that a discussion of sanctions against Russia was not held. Some member states proposed if Navalny is not releases after the 30-day detention, to start a discussion on measures against Russian individuals under the new European legislation concerning sanctions against persons who breach human rights, Zaharieva said.

She noted that consensus is absent in the Council of the EU about sanctions against Russia as a country and such had not been discussed.

Zaharieva said that the announced visit to Moscow of the EU High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, had been prepared since long ago and that Borrell is expected to send a clear message that for there to be constructive relations with Russia, encroachments against peaceful protesters and against opposition leaders should end. RI/ZH//