In reaction to the protests in Russia today which saw one hundred thousand people take to the streets to demand reforms, Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE Leader says the Russian authorities should take immediate concrete steps to implement reform.

Guy Verhofstadt said "The one hundred thousand Russian citizens that came out on the streets of Moscow today to peacefully demonstrate represent a new Russia.  Russian authorities need to listen and take note by responding to their key demands: genuine political reform, free and fair elections and reform of the judiciary. The harassment of civil society leaders and political opposition must stop immediately. The European Union should speak frankly in support of these basic human rights that form the cornerstone of every functioning democracy, especially those countries members of the Council of Europe."
 
Alexander Graf Lambsdorff who is just back from Moscow  added "I have just visited Moscow and saw for myself  the deterioration of democracy in Russia, in particular the clamp down on the opposition and civil society activists.  Even the Putin appointed Russian Human Rights Council has now spoken against the oppression of peaceful opposition. As long as this continues, EU leaders cannot call Russia a strategic partner as such double standards in EU foreign policy undermine our credibility."

Kristiina Ojuland, ALDE Spokesperson on Russia said: "The recent decision by the State Duma to drastically increase persecution of peaceful protesters is not in line with European standards and international practice as authorities claim. There is nothing democratic about the 200 fold increase in fines for those willing to express their views freely and peacefully. This boils down to  yet another effort by the authorities to tighten their grip on power and suppress further fundamental rights of Russian citizens."