Yulia Navalnaya: Navalny widow to address EU Parliament

The European Parliament is set to the honor the life of Alexei Navalny following his death earlier this month, with his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, to deliver the plenary speech.

Yulia Navalnaya steps into a new role at a time the Russian opposition is reeling from the loss of a leader

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, is set to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday.

Members of Parliament are gathering to honor Navalny’s life. European lawmakers are later expected to debate Navalny’s death and condemn the Russian regime and President Vladimir Putin, a statement read.

They will discuss the dangerous situation facing opposition figures, journalists and human rights defenders in Russia. A resolution will be put to vote on Thursday.

Navalnaya steps up to a new role after Navalny’s death

Navalnaya, who had long steered clear of the spotlight, has stepped up to a new role following Navalny’s death in a remote penal colony in the Russian Arctic on February 16.

In a lengthy video she released three days later, Navalnaya blamed Putin for her husband’s death, saying: “Putin killed half of me, half of my heart, half of my soul.”

“But I have the other half left, and it’s telling me that I don’t have the right to give up,” she said during the 9-minute address, adding: “I will continue Alexei Navalny’s work, I will continue the struggle for our country.”

Russian authorities have denied any role into Navalny’s death, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying the accusation was “unfounded” and “insolent.”

She and Navalny were married for more than 20 years and she was at his side as he helped lead the biggest protests in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 2011.

rm/wd (Reuters, AP)