Czech MEP awarded highest Russian honour by President Vladimir Putin

Czech Member of the European Parliament Jiří Maštálka has been awarded Russia’s highest honour for a foreigner, the Order of Friendship. The honour was bestowed by President Vladimir Putin on March 10. Maštálka, an MEP for the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, said the award was recognition of his efforts over around 20 years to build links between Czech and Russian schools and generally improve relations between the countries. At the European Parliament he has pushed for a softening of European sanctions against Russia over the annexation of Crimea and war in Eastern Ukraine.

Author: Chris Johnstone