Russia regains rights in PACE
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, June 26
The Russian delegation returns to the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE). Following almost 9 hour debate a total of 118 parliament deputies agreed to welcome Russia back into PACE immediately and to blunt the assembly's ability to impose sanctions similar to those on Russia in the future, 10 abstained - PACE adopted a resolution that restores Russian delegation’s right to vote, which was taken away after the annexation of Crimea.
The resolution reads that the rights of the members of the Assembly such as the right to vote, the right to make speeches and to have representatives in the Assembly and its units, should not be allowed to be interrupted or abolished.
The assembly said that the clarification of its rules was to “ensure that member states’ right and obligation to be represented and to participate in both statutory bodies of the CoE is respected.”
Germany and France have supported Russia’s reintroduction to PACE, arguing that it’s better to have Russia included to promote dialogue even if there are disagreements on issues.
PACE did not support any of more than 200 amendments introduced mostly by Ukrainian and British deputies. The purpose of the amendment was to keep the independence of PACE in the parliamentary dimension of the CoE, as well as the procedure of imposing sanctions on members that violate international law and their obligations.
In May of this year, 47 member states of the Council of Europe human rights group approved the agreement that would restore Russia's membership and vote, paving the way for the country to participate in the election of a new secretary-general for the CoE in June.
In 2014, Russia was stripped of its rights in PACE following Moscow’s takeover of Crimea and its backing of militant separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has killed some 13,000 people.
On April 10, 2014, PACE deprived the Russian delegation of its voting rights in the body, they also lost the rights to be represented in the Bureau of the Assembly, the PACE Presidential Committee, the PACE Standing Committee, and the rights to participate in election-observation missions.
Russia responded in 2016 by boycotting the assembly, and in June 2017 it resorted to financial blackmail of the CoE, explaining that sanctions were imposed on its delegation in the PACE –therefore, it refused to pay its annual contribution, leaving the council with a budget hole of some ˆ33 million – roughly 7% of the council’s budget. The country had also threatened to quit the body altogether if its delegation isn't reinstated and it can't vote on the next secretary-general election.
PACE's decision to reinstate Russia marked the first time that a major sanction imposed on Moscow for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014 has been reversed. This is a precedent, - the CoE is the first organization to open up restrictions on Russia.
Members of the Georgian delegation and leader of the party "European Georgia" Davit Bakradze went against the return of the right to vote for Russia in the Council of Europe and addressed participants during the discussion:
”Today we will discuss the issue which will have a fundamental impact on the future of this organization, it is not a procedural decision, we are referring to the return of the country that violates the fundamental principles of European security in the occupation of regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Crimean annexation, war in Donbas. We are discussing the return of the country, which daily kidnaps and tortures people in my country, Georgia. We are talking about the return of a country that has shown full disrespect towards all decisions taken by this organization over the past five years”- said Bakradze in his word.
Bakradze also referred to the economic sanctions that Russia has recently imposed on Georgia and announced, that welcoming Russia back would normalize its behavior.
The decision was followed by the protest of the Georgian delegation, and they did not support the document. All the members of Baltic States’ delegations also went against.
The decision was criticized by the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Volodymyr Ariyev, said the assembly's decision sent “a very bad message: do what you want, annex another country's territory, kill people there, and you will still leave with everything.”
The members of Georgian and Ukrainian delegations submitted appeals. The Head of Ukraine’s delegation referred to the fact that Russian delegation consists of members elected in a multi-member electoral district, in particular in occupied Crimea which doubts the legitimacy of their mandate. Georgian and Ukrainian delegations left the assembly in protest.
The rally was held against Russia’s delegation return near the building of the organization. The protesters brought Ukrainian and Georgian flags, some participates held posters with accusations of Russia for aggression against Ukraine and Georgia.
PACE is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, a 47-nation international organization dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Georgia became a member in 1999. The organisation is distinct from the 28-nation European Union.
