May 19: Russian leaders have expressed concerns over the treatment received by minorities in member states of European Union EU, Estonia and Latvia. In a recent summit of EU, leaders from Russia and Germany expressed their resentment about the state of affairs and human rights violations. The recent confrontation took place following the violence that erupted in the member states after the removal of War Memorial last month.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Russian President Vladimir Putin observed some bitter comments which give an insight of the differences shared by the two. Merkel, in her statement, expressed her concern about the detention of the protestors opposed to the Russian government. The Russian President reacted strongly and accused the two states, Estonia and Latvia, of human rights violations against ethnic Russian minorities.
Last month the Estonian government removed Red Army war memorial, a bronze statue of a Russian soldier, in the capital Tallin. The removal of the memorial was followed by severe protest, which resulted in injuring about 40 people and the arrest of 300 more. Russian officials strongly condemned this act of the Estonian authorities and called for a resolution to cut their ties with this state.
Relations between the two nations, Russia and Germany, are turning off. Besides the recent crisis at Tallinn, there are other issues that need to be resolved, to put the mood back. The status of Kosova has been a major contention, apart from recent strife.
At the same time the European Commission President Jose Manual Borrosa has cautioned Russia of any action against a member state. The President said that such an act would be considered as action on the whole bloc. Putin’s government is now under pressure as tension with the states keeps mounting. Also Russia has been having hard time with another state Lithuania over energy supplies.
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