Europe concerned by freedom of speech situation in Russia, to continue supporting civil society - Usackas
ST. PETERSBURG. Oct 23 (Interfax) - The European Union ambassador to Russia, Vygaudas Usackas, has expressed concern over the state of the freedom of speech in Russia and European countries' support for its civil society.
"We are watching with astonishment and deep concern that the freedom of speech in Russia is increasingly being seen as a subversive activity, a political competition - as a source of instability and riots, and the civil society as a whole and human rights campaigners in particular are perceived rather as a threat to the political regime and not as some significant component of a democratic, active society. The freshest example is the placement of Levada Center on the so-called register of foreign agents," Usackas said during a conference, entitled "Russia's relations with the EU and NATO: from strategic partnership to a strategic challenge?" in St. Petersburg.
The register already contains over 140 nongovernmental organizations, he said.
The EU is concerned by the discrediting of the civil society and opposition political forces, Usackas said.
"Independent political voices are being suppressed, foreign relations are not welcomed or cut off, the West is being demonized as a threat to Russia, and the EU is often portrayed as failure both as a European peaceful project and in terms of our foreign policy. Nevertheless, the EU will continue providing support for the Russian civil society and promote contacts among people," the EU ambassador to Russia said.
