EU Parliament puts pressure on former German chancellor Schroeder to quit Russian oil company
Gerhard Schroeder sponsored the building of more gas pipelines to Russia during his time as German chancellor.
The European Parliament has urged that former German leader Gerhard Schroeder be blacklisted if he does not quit the board of Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft in a move also meant to dissuade him from taking a top job at Gazprom.
The draft resolution, which also explicitly mentioned Karin Kneissl, a former Austrian foreign minister under the government of Sebastian Kurz, was backed by the four biggest political groups in the EU assembly.
Critics say Mr Schroeder, who as chancellor sponsored the building of more gas pipelines, deepened Germany's energy dependence on a neighbour that has now turned hostile. Mr Schroeder was not immediately available for comment.
The text is not binding, but it represents a significant pressure on the EU to act against Europeans seen as being close to the Kremlin.
So far the EU has agreed to freeze the assets of hundreds of oligarchs and officials linked to the Kremlin, as part of steps against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but has refrained from directly targeting Europeans with top jobs at Russian firms which are seen as supporting the military operation in Ukraine.
The parliament urges "to extend the list of individuals targeted by EU sanctions to the European members of the boards of major Russian companies and to politicians who continue to receive Russian money".
"By serving in top positions of Kremlin-affiliated corporations, the former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is de facto closely cooperating with Russia," said centre-right lawmaker Markus Ferber, who helped draft the resolution.
