The Georgian delegation voted against the resolution that gives the possibility to the Russian delegation to return to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Members of the Georgian delegation made statements during the discussion of the resolution.

“In the 21^st century, Georgian territories remain occupied, families are divided by barbed wires, people are deprived of fundamental rights, human rights of locals residing across occupied territories are harshly violated, thousands of IDPs have no possibility to return to their homes,” Sophio Katsarava, a member of the Georgian delegation said.

“The ceasefire agreement reached with the mediation of the European Union is not fulfilled in Georgia; annexation of Crimea is not reversed,” Giorgi Kandelaki said.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted for the resolution to make it possible for Russia to return to the chamber.

A total of 118 parliamentarians agreed to welcome Russia back into PACE, 62 members voted against and 10 – abstained.

The vote took place early on June 25 following debate during PACE’s opening summer session in Strasbourg.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe deprived the Russian delegation of its voting rights in the body over the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region in March 2014.