Resolution prepared to deprive Russia of rights in PACE again

Parliamentarians from the Netherlands have prepared a resolution to again deprive the Russian delegation of its rights in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Russian delegation members confirmed the information to the Izvestia daily and said they intended to defend Russia’s rights at the next PACE session (January 26-30).

The issue may be raised on the first day of the winter session, when rights of all delegations that were under sanctions will be restored automatically in accordance with the assembly regulations.

The Russian delegation lost some of its rights in April 2014 when European deputies demanded that Russia should abandon Crimea and refuse to interfere in the developments in south-eastern Ukraine. The Russian delegation in protest left the PACE session, saying that Russia could decrease financing for the organization.

“Some PACE leaders and heads of assembly committees are in Kiev now, trying to understand the situation and decide what to do to the Russian delegation in January. Ukrainians are flatly against even partial restoration of Russia’s rights. As a PACE member, I think our rights will not be restored,” deputy head of the Duma committee for international affairs Leonid Kalashnikov told the daily.
“We see the plan launched in 2014 for maximum discrimination of Russia in the economic and political spheres is extended to PACE activities,” he added.

State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin has said he is ready to participate in the PACE session. He will be in Strasbourg during the first two days of its work and plans to speak at the round table meeting that will discuss parliamentary institutions’ role in restoration of confidence in Europe. The fate of the Russian delegation may be decided by the time.