German ex-chancellor Schroeder under EU pressure to quit Rosneft

div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpBy Francesco Guarasciop

pBRUSSELS Reuters – The European Parliament is set to urge the blacklisting of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder if he does not quit as a board member of Russian stateowned oil company Rosneft.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

pThe draft resolution, which also applies to Karin Kneissl, a former Austrian foreign minister under the government of Sebastian Kurz, is supported by the four biggest political groups in the EU assembly but is still subject to minor changes.p

pCritics blame Schroeder, who as chancellor sponsored the building of more gas pipelines, for deepening Germanys energy dependence on a neighbour that has now turned hostile.p

pSchroeder was not immediately available for comment.p

pThe Parliament “notes that former politicians .. have recently resigned from their positions in Russian firms and strongly demands that others, such as Karin Kneissl and Gerhard Schroeder, do the same,” the draft document says.p

pThe text is set to be adopted later on Thursday. It is not binding, but it represents a significant pressure on the EU to act against Europeans seen as being close to the Kremlin.p

pSo 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.p

pThe 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.”p

p“By serving in top positions of Kremlinaffiliated corporations, the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is de facto closely cooperating with Russia,” said centreright lawmaker Markus Ferber, who helped draft the resolution. p

pA spokesman for the EU foreign policy department had no comment on the parliaments resolution but stressed that individual sanctions needed evidence and the backing of all 27 governments. p

pSchroeder is also chairman of the shareholders committee of the company in charge of building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Germany and Russia, a project now shelved.p

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pp Reporting by Francesco Guarascio fraguarascio, Additional reporting by John ODonnell in Frankfurt, Editing by William Macleanp

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