Russian propagandist's verbal attack on EP VP sparks outrage

Russian propagandist Vladimir Soloviev verbally attacked the vice president of the European Parliament, Pina Picierno, during a live program on the State-owned Rossija 1 television, the staff of the centre-left Democratic Party's MEP said.

Soloviev insulted Picierno after the Italian lawmaker protested against his scheduled participation in the program "Lo Stat0 delle Cose" (the state of things) on the third channel of Italian State broadcaster RAI, which was later cancelled, her staff said, CE Report quotes ANSA.

Soloviev slammed the MEP as a "miserable disgusting beast" and a "shame for the human race".

Along with other slurs, he also said "Picierno's mouth stinks of tyranny".

The European Parliament expressed solidarity with a post on its official X profile saying the attacks were "unacceptable" and stressing that it firmly supports democracy and freedom of expression, opposing all forms of incitement to hatred.