The European house has become a stranger

Next week in Strasbourg, the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will take place, where representatives from Russia will not be present again. In addition, the State Duma announced the intention to continue not to pay contributions to the Council of Europe, even despite the fact that the Russian delegations were proposed to partially return the powers.

“As a result of a protracted anti -Russian campaign, the interaction of Russia with the Council of Europe on the parliamentary line was actually suspended, and the parliamentary assembly itself, violating the basics of parliamentarism, was in a deep systemic crisis,” the text of the statement of the State Duma RIA Novosti quotes . “In view of the situation, in particular, more than half of the composition of the judges of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) were elected PACE without the participation of Russian representatives, which questions the legitimacy of the decision of the ECHR in relation to Russia.”

Crimea, Belogorsky district / pixabay.com

Recall that the disagreements of Russia with European parliamentarians began immediately after the accession of Crimea in 2014. Then the Russian delegation was deprived of the right to vote and participate in the meetings of the authorized bodies of the Council of Europe, as well as to participate in the monitoring activity of PACE. In 2016, the Moscow delegation refused to participate in PACA. And in June 2017, Moscow notified the Council of Europe that Russia suspends the payment of contributions (one contribution is € 33 million) until the restoration of the powers of its delegation. Talks about the possible withdrawal of the Russian Federation from an international organization have become more frequent. “The internal decision is ripening from us to leave the Council of Europe. I tell you this sincerely, ” said the chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko last fall.

In October 2018, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Turbirn Jagund urged Russia to return to the payment of contributions and participation in meetings in order not to allow Ruxit. At the same time, Jagland emphasized that this is not about the fact that the organization needs Russian co -financing. “Russia is part of Europe and takes its place in this unique pan -European organization,” the Secretary General said. “We need each other: Europe needs Russia, and Russia needs Europe.” The chapter added that membership in the organization contributes to the development of business, trade, cultural ties, sports, and also helps to fight terrorism and crime. “We are not talking about the budget,” said Jagund.

Peter Tolstoy / duma.gov.ru

According to the Vice-Speaker of the State Duma, Peter Tolstoy, the West is mitigating precisely because of the desire to return Russian money. “Any dialogue began only when we stopped paying a fee,” the deputy said . On January 14, Russian parliamentarians met with PACE chairman Lilian Mori Pasquier. She suggested that the Russian Federation return the delegation with the opportunity to vote when the judges of the ECHR and Secretary General of the CE. “Russia is partially not going to play games and use its rights,” said Tolstoy at a meeting of the profile Duma committee.

On the eve of the State Duma chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met with the speaker of the Finland Parliament Paula Risikko and said that Russia "has no requirements that would be related to the conditions for creating a special status." Volodin emphasized that Russia is specifically against the norm of the PACE Rules, which gives the opportunity to deprive of authority, in particular, the rights of vote for national delegations. “Based on the fact that the regulations have not been changed, and this norm has remained in it, we consider it impossible for ourselves to participate in the work of the parliamentary assembly, where we are afraid to hear another point of view,” the deputy said.

Vyacheslav Volodin and Paula Risikko / duma.gov.ru

Recall that the Winter Session PACE will be held from January 21 to January 25 in Strasbourg. Public media will be discussed in the context of misinformation and propaganda, media freedom as a condition for democratic elections, Internet management and human rights. Parliamentarians plan to update the leading principles of fair referenda and verify Sharia laws for compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights. Other discussions will be focused on combating impunity by applying targeted sanctions and ensuring the implementation of the recommendations of the torture prevention committee.

The rights of the Russian Federation to a representative office in the Committee of Ministers of CE and PACE may be suspended since June 2019 for a systematic non -payment of membership dues. This can affect first of all the relevant departments working with the ECHR, in particular the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General.