Grigule seeks to justify herself and says 450 MEPs can’t be called pro-Russia minded

RIGA - It would be hilarious to call as pro-Russia minded about 450 MEPs, who voted against the European Parliament resolution on countering Russian propaganda, Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule (Greens/Farmers) said at a meeting of the local branch of the Latvian Farmers' Union today in an attempt to justify herself because she was one of the few Latvian MEPs, who voted against the resolution.

Apparently, she has counted in also the MEPs, who did not take part in the vote. The European Parliament passed the resolution with 304 votes for, 179 votes against and 208 abstentions.

Grigule claimed that the resolution was not about the Russian propaganda but about propaganda by third countries. Before that, she provided detailed explanations about her reasoning to the party's local branch during the meeting behind closed doors.

The New Riga Chapter of the Latvian Farmers' Union today took note of Grigule's explanations but did not impose any sanctions on the MEP for voting against the European Parliament resolution. The chapter did reproach Grigule for failing to inform the chapter sooner.

Valdis Veinbergs, the head of the chapter, told the press that, as long as he was the leader of the chapter, Grigule will remain a member of the Latvian Farmers' Union.

As reported, the board of the Latvian Farmers' Union, a member of the ruling Greens/Farmers block) earlier admonished Grigule for the failure to properly explain to the public her decision to vote against a European Parliament resolution calling to counter Russian propaganda.

Augusts Brigmanis, the leader of the Latvian Farmers' Union, said earlier that Grigule had explained her decision to vote against the resolution by saying that if it had been a separate resolution on Russia, she would have voted for its adoption, but that she could not accept the document because it covered both Russian and Daesh propaganda.

Grigule was one of the three Latvian MEPs, who voted against the resolution. The other two were representatives of pro-Russia parties - Andrejs Mamikins from the Harmony party and Tatjana Zdanoka from the Russian Union of Latvia.

By voting against the resolution, Grigule earned harsh criticism also from Latvian top state officials - Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis and Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis (Greens/Farmers).