Polish MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a vice-president of the European People's Party and president of the EPP group in the European Parliament, has called for a “political boycott” of the Sochi Olympics.
In an exclusive interview with EurActiv, Saryusz-Wolski said that since Russia “violates so many rules and principles of international relations”, it should not be honoured by the presence of top politicians, planning to attend the Sochi games.
“They don’t have to go there, and they should not go there out of their own will. Sports events, fine, but no political tribute,” the prominent Polish MEP said.
Poland, which co-hosted the UEFA European Championship with Ukraine in 2012, at that time resisted calls for a political boycott of the football championship, over the fate of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The president, Bronisław Komorowski, said that a boycott was an inappropriate response to the situation in Ukraine and himself attended the final match in Kyiv.
