EU States, Including Malta, Vote Against Russian Resolution Combating Glorification Of Nazism Due To ‘Political Ploy’
Malta, along with all other EU states, recently voted against a resolution tabled by Russia combating the glorification of Nazism at the United Nations General Assembly.
Russia’s resolution was titled ‘Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fueling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance’.
Questions were immediately raised about the vote, with Russia having previously tabled this resolution in recent years and EU states abstaining from voting. The latest vote on the resolution garnered 120 votes in favour to 50 against, with 10 abstentions.
Lovin Malta reached out to Minister for Foreign Affairs and EU Affairs Ian Borg, to hear more about Malta’s decision to vote against the resolution.
“The EU member states, including Malta, voted against this resolution due to concerns that it seeks to legitimise longstanding Russian disinformation narratives on neighbouring countries under the guise of stopping Nazi glorification,” a spokesperson for the Minister told Lovin Malta.
“In the past, the EU abstained on the resolution, due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter. However, this year, given Russia’s efforts to justify its aggression against Ukraine using accusations of Nazism, the EU voted against it.”
“The EU construed that the Russian resolution was therefore not a serious effort to combat Nazism, antisemitism, racism, or xenophobia – all of which are abhorrent and unacceptable. It was instead a political ploy.”
The spokesperson explained how there were three resolutions on refugees which were handled by the Third Committee, tabled by different countries, which were all adopted without a vote.
“Two other resolutions on children (tackling the protection of children from bullying, and child, early and forced marriage) were adopted without a vote. Malta supported these resolutions and is a co-sponsor.”
“Hence, it is only the Resolution on ‘Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fueling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance’ that was tabled by Russia with the rest being adopted without a vote.”
What do you make of this vote?
READ NEXT: Loved It Or Hated It, Here's Five Things We Learned From The 2022 FIFA World Cup
