MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th September, 2019) The refusal of the management of the German state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle to participate in a meeting of the Russian lower house's investigative commission on foreign interference shows that the principles of democracy are only words for Berlin, Andrey Isaev, a member of the commission, said on Monday.
Last Wednesday, Deutsche Welle refused the commission's invitation, citing legal restrictions.
"Refusing the invitation from the commission, these structures demonstrate that the principles of democracy and transparency are only words for them. The fact is we had invited them to talk. Refusing to talk never brought anyone any good," Isaev, who is also the first deputy head of the ruling United Russia party's parliamentary group, said after a meeting between the faction's leadership.
The commission will make conclusions on the issue, the parliamentarian said.
"They [the commission's conclusions] will � if the parliament decides so � translate into a decision of the State Duma, and into our concrete appeal to Russia's executive branch," he added.
The DW broadcaster has been covering this summer's unauthorized rallies in Moscow that were called over the disqualification of opposition figures from the city council election race. It was accused by Russian officials of interfering in the country's internal affairs by calling on local residents to take to the streets. The broadcaster has refuted the allegations, saying that it had not published any such articles.
Following the scandal, Russian lawmakers decided in August to establish a 12-member commission to investigate cases of foreign interference in domestic affairs.
