The European Parliament did not support Lithuania’s initiative to close Russian Houses.

The initiative of Lithuanian MEP Rasa Juknevičienė to close “Russian Houses” in EU countries did not receive broad support in the European Parliament: only 71 of 720 deputies signed the appeal to the EU leadership. The letter proposed developing a common European approach and legal mechanisms to shut down these institutions, which the authors of the appeal call “centers of Russian espionage” and tools of information influence.

“Russian Houses” continue to operate in 15 EU countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other states. At the same time, the European Commission had earlier indicated that the decision to close such centers remains within the competence of the member states themselves. Germany recently closed the “Russian House” in Berlin, but similar structures, including in Brussels, continue to operate.

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