A June session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is starting in Strasbourg. It will end on June 27. The Russian delegation will not attend the session.
The Assembly acknowledged powers of the Russian delegation on April
10, 2014, but deprived it of voting rights until the end of this year as
a way of condemnation and disapproval of the Russian conduct towards
Ukraine. Russian deputies are also unable to participate in the activity
of the Assembly ruling bodies and monitor elections.
Stricter sanctions – suspension of the Russian delegation for the same period – were not endorsed.
Nevertheless, the Russian delegation cut short its attendance at the
April session and reserved the right to consider its further involvement
in the Assembly activities. It was decided later not to take part in
the PACE work until the Russian delegation’s powers were restored
completely.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will visit Strasbourg on June 26.
The Council of Europe press service told Interfax the Ukrainian
president would address the Assembly on June 26 within the framework of
the PACE summer session. Poroshenko has been invited to speak at the
PACE by Assembly President Anne Brasseur.
