photo: top09.cz
PRAGUE -The European Union has frozen more than 200 billion euros (about 5 trillion crowns) worth of Russian assets. Some are calling for states to expropriate the frozen assets and send the profits to rebuild Ukraine. "This is a time when bold political decisions must be made," calls MEP Ondřej Kolář.
Should the Czech Republic expropriate frozen Russian assets?
I think she should do it. At least because it's the rest of the past we have left. It's long overdue, it's a debt we owe to our country.
Is it primarily a question of self-confidence and courage? Or are there risks or other problems that prevent the expropriation of Russian property in the Czech Republic?
Russia owns a huge amount of real estate here all over the country. Moreover, the name of the proposed law suggests that we want to address the security of the Czech Republic, because we consider it a security risk that a state that openly positions itself as our enemy owns so much real estate here. Latvia is taking a similar approach.
Pay compensation?
And is it enough to use the legal instruments we have, or is it necessary to adopt a new law?
If we want to act firmly and confidently towards Russia, the adoption of the new law is necessary and desirable. If we want to use all the tools that the rule of law gives us, we will end up in the state we are in now. That is to say, the State Department has filed several lawsuits through the diplomatic service and, unfortunately, is losing them.
I would like to see a serious discussion about this. Because it seems to me that we are very confident outwardly, but we are doing almost nothing at home. And I find it frightening to think that one day it will be said that the government of Andrej Babiš has done much more to limit Russian influence inside the Czech Republic than the government of Petr Fiala.
Minister for Legislation Michal Šalomoun (Pirates) told Lidové noviny: "In our Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms we are referring to Article 11, paragraph four, which explicitly states that expropriation is possible only on the basis of law in the public interest and for compensation." So is it possible to expropriate Russian property without breaking our own laws?
It's possible. Unfortunately, a large part of the public confuses the institution of expropriation and nationalization. Expropriation is always for compensation. A lot of people had a problem with compensation, which I understand, but it's not unsolvable.
We don't have to pay that compensation to Russia. All the State Department has to do is put Russia on a sanctions list or take some other measure that would allow the compensation to be frozen and never sent.
What assets does the Russian Federation have in the Czech Republic? And should there be a pan-European solution for dealing with frozen Russian assets? Jan Bumba asks.
You can listen to the whole discussion between MEP Ondřej Kolář and the chairman of the Parliamentary Security Committee Pavel Žáček (ODS) on the website Czech Radio.
JAN BUMBA, FOR AND AGAINST, 31. 7. 2024
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