Target oligarchs around Putin, Navalny to European Parliament
Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Putin
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who was poisoned in Russia in August addressed the European Parliament committee of foreign affairs on Friday and asserted that, "I'm definitely not the first one and unfortunately, I will not be the last one who poisoned to kill."
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"It sounds radical, but especially from my own personal point of view. I think it's a very fine defining what they are. They are bunch of criminals temporarily to cover the power in our country," Navalny,44, told the Russian Parliament referring to the Putin regime.
"The main question we should ask ourselves why are people poisoning and the answer is very very simple money. So the European Union should target the money and Russian oligarchs, not just all oligarchs, but also new ones like these circle of Mr Putin," Navalny told European parliamentarians.
Last week the German government had criticised Russia move to impose retaliatory sanctions on German and French officials over the poisoning of Navalny calling it "unjustified". EU had said that Navalny's poisoning could not have been carried out without complicity of Russia's security service.
Kremlin has denied allegations that it was behind Navalny's poisoning. The Russian opposition leader was treated in a Berlin's Charite hospital after being flown in from Russia where his condition was critical. Russian doctors had said that Navalny was suffering from metabolic issues and pancreatitis and wasn't poisoned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had said earlier that he had personally authorised Navalny to travel to Germany for treatment. "As soon as the wife of this citizen appealed to me, straight away I told prosecutors to check the possibility of him going abroad for treatment," Putin said.
Russian foreign minister Lavrov had asserted that he had "reason to believe" that nerve agent entered Navalny's system while he was in Germany or during his stay at the Charite hospital. Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh had said the allegation that he was poisoned in Germany was "the most idiotic of them all".
Navalny had fallen ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow in August and was flown to Germany for treatment where doctors said he was poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok.
Navalny is currently in Germany for treatment but has vowed to return home after recovering fully.