Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny, the victim of an EU-sanctioned poisoning attempt, called on Europeans on Friday November 27 to hit oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin in the pockets to be credible.
Read also: Navalny affair: relatives of Putin sanctioned by the EU
"
It is time to develop a new strategy (towards Russia) in two parts: the Russians, who must be welcomed and treated very warmly by the European Union, and the Russian state, which must be treated like a gang of criminals having temporarily taken power,
”he pleaded during a videoconference with elected officials from the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
Alexeï Navalny recommended a review of European sanctions and advocated targeting the money of those who are close to Putin.
"
The European Union should target the money, the oligarchs, not just the old oligarchs, but the new ones, members of Putin's inner circle
," he said.
"
As long as Mr. (Alicher) Ousmanov's yachts continue to anchor in Barcelona or Monaco, no one in Russia or the Kremlin will take European sanctions seriously,
" he explained.
"
This approach will be very effective
", he assured.
"
There is no sense in sanctioning colonels or generals or people who do not travel a lot and who do not have a lot of goods or bank accounts in Europe
", he stressed.
Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent from the Novichok group, a substance designed for military purposes.
The Russian president was forced to accept his evacuation to Germany where he was rescued.
Read also: Navalny case: Berlin considers any sanction from Moscow "unjustified"
The European Union struck for the first time directly the Kremlin by sanctioning with a ban on visas and a freeze of their assets eight close to the president, including the businessman Evguéni Prigojine and several members of the presidential administration.
"
It is reasonable to conclude that the poisoning of Alexey Navalny was only possible with the consent of the presidential administration
," EU leaders said after the adoption of these measures.
“
I want to recover and I want to return to Russia to act from the inside.
I'm not even trying to develop the means to try to act from abroad
”, assured Mr. Navalny.
The opponent asked the EU not to recognize the results of the forthcoming legislative elections in Russia "
if certain people are not allowed to participate
".
The EU must make this clear to Russian representatives "
at all levels
", he insisted.
“
For now, it is more important than protesting against election rigging, because electoral fraud is an inevitable part of all Russian elections,
” he lamented.
