Meeting of the the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the state of EU-Russia relations, in the EP in Brussels. Vote and statement by Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS (EPP,LT) , Rapporteur at the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

statement

meeting

EU - Russia (T)

vote

LANDSBERGIS, Gabrielius (EPP, LT)

The state of EU-Russia relations: extracts from the vote and statement by Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS (EPP,LT) , Rapporteur at the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Views during the vote on amemdnements (9 shots)

E-vote: total voters 66 - in favour: 53 against: 10 , abstentions: 3 - Adopted, applause, congratulations to the rapporteur.

SOUNDBITE (English), Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS (EPP, LT), rapporteur, "My report is speaking strongly about people-to-people contact. We are saying that more students should come to Europe with the programmes that are existing already now like Erasmus +, and they could be extended, maybe even broaden. We have to involve more people, more social groups and the message that should be send to the society is that neither the sanctions, nor this report are against the society. It is not against the people, it is against the regime, which is actively fighting wars in its neighbourhood."

SOUNDBITE (English), Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS (EPP, LT), rapporteur, "I think that the EU sanctions combined with the low oil prices are shown to be a tough nut to crack for the Russian regime. I think that if we continue with the sanctions and if we gather to have enough strength to prolong the sanctions, I think that the regime will start at least to think of what it could expect in the future."