ROSTOV-ON-DON, July 1. /TASS/. The decision of Finland’s authorities to deny entry to the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, Sergey Naryshkin, has been imposed by the European Union, the speaker of the Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, has said.
Naryshkin was due to participate in the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (PA OSCE) due to take place in Helsinki on July 5-9.
"We are very disappointed by this decision, we are upset as this once again stresses that the EU countries under the guise of the so-called solidarity have lost sovereignty and lost independence," the upper house speaker said.
This shows that the EU countries "are unable to take decisions to allow the speaker of the lower house [of parliament] of such a state as Russia for an international event," Matviyenko said.
Matviyenko reminded that Finland is not only Russia’s neighbor and friend, but the countries also have "very good economic, political, humanitarian and humanitarian ties."
The senator said she is sure that "Finland understands its responsibility that an event of international importance takes place on its territory which is organized by the international organization."
She expressed confidence that Finland’s authorities "wanted and sought such permission."
The move to deny entry to Naryshkin to participate in July’s session of the PA OSCE might come amid fears that the EU may hear "the voice of truth and a powerful voice of Russia," Matviyenko said.
"By this, they insure themselves against the unpleasant truth for them which could be voiced there [at PA OSCE session]," she said.
The senator said "international parliamentary structures cannot but hold dialogue, they do not have the right not to hear various viewpoints and they should develop common decisions on these or those acute problems concerning the European security."
"Howe can any decisions be taken without Russia — a large European country that played, plays and will play an important role in ensuring the all-European security," she said.
"This is just strange. To tell you the truth, I am ashamed for those people who have made such a decision," the senator said.
Earlier in the day, Naryshkin said the Russian delegation would not participate in the session of the PA OSCE. "This is the expression of our protest against arbitrariness, against violation of principles of democracy and parliamentarism," he said.