So Should The Eu Be Congratulating Putin On "winning" The Election?

[youngmafbog]

Surely the best thing to do in the circumstances is to just keep quiet?

Ignoring the Salisbury incident clearly there were some dodgy goings on in the election.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5522407/Juncker-congratulates-Putin-despite-Salisbury-nerve-agent-outrage.html

[Mamyalynne]

Perfect use of quotes there -"winning".

Says it all.

[Jackdaw33]

Simply a case of one corrupt empire congratulating another. No surprise there. At least Putin was elected, unlike that toper Juncker.

[ichkeria]

Meaningless diplo-speak I should think/hope, although wishing him "every success" is a bit much: what, here's hoping the next dose of nerve agent will be a bit stronger? May the stranglers leave a fainter trace of their work on the necks of their victims next time?

In all honesty, the dodgy things that went on on election day are not really the point: Putin would have won anyway. Russia has no political system to speak of and Putin is the enemy of the west. That is more to the point.

[Jackdaw33]

Given that Russia is the largest country in the world it takes a strong man like Putin to control it. Basically, if you don't poke the Bear it won't come and defecate in your woods.

[andy-hughes]

Given the precarious state of the EU, I am sure they are covering all their options.

As I say many times on here, pragmatism is a core aspect of politics.

[sunny-dave]

"Putin Wins Election"

... in other news ...

Pope Still Catholic

Bears Still Refusing to Use Indoor Facilities

[emmie]

why would they keep quiet, some of the Russian people or should one say many Russians don't agree with his re election, and that they are vocal about it, sadly many of them have been killed in this very undemocratic process.

[Jackdaw33]

LOL @ s-d.

[Gladeian]

Perhaps Juncker a little "thirsty" before making his comment.

[dannyk13]

Last night's news showed one man voting three times.

[Jackdaw33]

Nothing new there. From Tsarist times through the Soviet era and beyond the word democracy has been but a mask in Russia.

[Jackdaw33]

He wan't from NI, was he, Danny?

[youngmafbog]

YEs Ick, by "the election" I meant th whole process including the bit his main opposition was not allowed to stand!

I still dont get why the election day fraud though, it just wasn't needed or is it so ingrained into the ex-KGB that they feel they have to do it?

[ToraToraTora]

yes I think the EU should congratulate the seemless rigging effort, a work of art worthy of the EUSSR itself which has long since done away with this rather tedious "election" performance. Junckett and co should invite Vlad over for tiffin.

[ichkeria]

"
I still dont get why the election day fraud though, it just wasn't needed or is it so ingrained into the ex-KGB that they feel they have to do it? "

I think you're right ymb. Also, Putin was desperate to win big, with a high percentage and a high turnout.
It makes me smile when I hear observers say they "saw no irregularities". Unless you are with the boxes on the way to the count, and beyond, you cannot possibly tell what goes on.
Does anyone see the votes being counted I wonder?

As for "poking the bear" I am struggling to see how Britain was doing that. A lot of what the Kremlin does I'm convinced is deliberately to rile the west: provoke a reaction (a classic case being NATO troops to the Baltic states etc) and then claim the west is being hostile. These actions do play into their hands, but they have to be taken.