The Russian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will leave Strasbourg if its powers for the winter session are not confirmed in full, Leonid Slutsky, the head of the Russian lower chamber's international affairs committee and a member of the delegation, said on Monda
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th January, 2021) The Russian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will leave Strasbourg if its powers for the winter session are not confirmed in full, Leonid Slutsky, the head of the Russian lower chamber's international affairs committee and a member of the delegation, said on Monday.
PACE lawmakers did not confirm the powers of the Russian delegation for the winter session, as 38 lawmakers from five different delegations supported Kiev's initiative to challenge the mandate. A profile PACE committee will present a report on the Russian mandate, which will be discussed later this week.
"Once again, double standards and politicized approach prevail in the Council of Europe: PACE challenged the powers of the Russian delegation at Ukraine's initiative. A monitoring commission will present a report within 24 hours, which the assembly is due to study by the end of the session to make a final decision ... Our position remains unchanged: if Russia's mandate in the PACE is not confirmed in full, the delegation will leave Strasbourg and will no longer participate in PACE sessions. We do not accept any unlawful restrictions and sanctions. This is contrary to the very nature of parliamentarism. I hope the assembly will have enough common sense to prevent a new crisis in the relations with Russia," Slutsky told reports.
