Having spared the department, Georgia does not let two deputies from the Russian Federation let go to the elections. From Europe require sanctions

The official Tbilisi refused to enter Georgia to the deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vasily Likhachev and Sergey Kalashnikov as part of the PACE mission to observe the presidential election of this country. This was announced by the head of the Russian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs Alexei Pushkov.

In this regard, he called on the European Council to apply sanctions against Georgia. "Tearing the participation of Russian observers in the official mission PACE, Georgia violates its obligations to the Council of Europe," Interfax quotes Pushkov.

Tbilisi refused to enter the Russian parliamentarians, referring to the Georgian legislation, according to which persons entering the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (former republics within Georgia, who were separated from it after the Russian -Georgian military conflict in 2008. - NWSRU.com approx.) Could be arrested for four years or were fined if they were fined They will find themselves on the territory of Georgia.

The piquancy of this situation is given by a story with a recent visit to Georgia by the famous French actor and the owner of the Russian passport Gerard Depardieu, whom the Georgian authorities did not punish forvisiting Abkhazia without their coordination.

The refusal of the entrance to Likhachev and Kalashnikov "is conflicting with the obligations of Georgia to the Council of Europe," Pushkov is sure. “Within the framework of these obligations, Georgia should allow representatives of all countries of the Council of Europe, regardless of relations with them, if representatives of these countries are part of the official observation missions PACE,” he insists.

"The Russian delegation PACE emphasizes that neither Likhachev nor Kalashnikov refuse to participate in the observation mission PACE and are ready to go to Georgia in its composition. However, in the conditions of threats up to possible arrest from the Georgian side, such a trip is not possible," Pushkov said.

On September 30, Likhachev was denied the intersection of the Georgian border due to the fact that in 2009 he visited Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Georgia considers his regions. Subsequently, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that it did not prohibit the Russian parliamentarian with entry into the country. Pushkov, for his part, told reporters that in this way Tbilisi wants to avoid responsibility for his actions by the Council of Europe.

After that incident, PACE decided to refer this issue to the regulation committee, which should decide whether it is necessary to impose sanctions against Georgia, forbidden to carry out the activities of the body in the Georgian territory for two years. The decision should be announced at a meeting of the committee in November in Vienna.

Earlier, the parliamentary assembly has already warned Georgia for similar actions in relation to the Russian deputy in 2011.