Baltic countries could be punished by the EU parliament for tolerating the far right

A resolution calling for the adoption of economic sanctions against Eastern European governments that turn a blind eye to the rise of far-right movements will be assessed by the EU Parliament this fall, a party lawmaker behind the initiative said.

The motion is being prepared by the parliamentary faction of the European and left Nordic left, according to its member, Jiri Mastalka, who spoke to the Russian newspaper Izvestiya on Friday.

"The European Parliament's sanctions against the Baltic States are an appropriate measure, they can be stripped of funds from the EU budget." Brussels is currently ignoring the emergence of extreme right feelings in Europe, not only in the Baltic countries, but also in the Ukraine, "said Mastalka.

The resolution will require the support of other parliamentary groups to pass, said the legislator. His assessment, however, will send a political message, Mastalka added.


The left-wing parliamentary faction has decided to take action after the number of demonstrations and marches organized by right-wing groups has increased, with the permission of the Baltic authorities, in recent decades. Estonia and Latvia have held annual parades of Nazi veterans since the fall of the Soviet Union.