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Vladimir Putin has been the Russian President since 2012
Photo: Alexei Nikolsky / dpa
Moscow defends itself against accusations from the EU Parliament, which Russia describes in a report as a corrupt "regime".
"The nature of this document can only cause regret," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday.
There is »unfortunately« no emphasis on the fact that problems and differences of opinion have to be resolved on the path of dialogue in different channels.
In the approved report, the parliamentarians in Strasbourg called on the EU to defend itself against the "aggressive policies of the Kremlin".
Putin's regime is a "stagnant authoritarian kleptocracy"
Parliament stressed that it made a distinction "between the Russian people and the Russian regime of President Putin as a stagnant authoritarian kleptocracy, led by a president for life, surrounded by a circle of oligarchs." A "kleptocracy" is a system in which the powerful enrich themselves personally by using their privileges. Cooperation with civil society should therefore be strengthened in order to promote democratic forces in Russia.
The text, which is only a recommendation for the EU, was adopted by 494 votes in favor, 103 against and 72 abstentions, it said.
The EU is also called upon to reduce its dependence on gas and oil from Russia, a major energy power.
The EU must expand its capabilities to "uncover flows of dirty money from Russia and to expose the hidden riches and assets that are owned by autocrats of the Russian regime and corrupt oligarchs in the EU member states."
Navalny opposition praises EU report
With a view to the parliamentary elections in Russia, which starts this Friday and lasts until Sunday, MPs called for the results not to be recognized in the case of fraud.
The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma, Leonid Sluzki, criticized the report as electoral interference.
"This is total political and legal nonsense," he said.
On the other hand, the opposition around the imprisoned Kremlin opponent Alexej Navalny, who was excluded from the election, praised the report of the EU Parliament as correct.
"It's good that Putin's regime is finally being called by its name," said Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Jarmysch.
muk / dpa