President of Estonia – Russia’s return is an embarrassment to PACE

15:32, 25.06.2019

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid has criticized a decision approved by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to approve a resolution allowing the Russian Federation to return to the organization.

In a post on Twitter, Kersti Kaljulaid wrote: “Last night’s decision made by PACE – maneuvering Russia back behind the table with procedural moves – is an embarrassment to PACE. None of the reasons Russia was stripped of its voting rights have disappeared”.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted for the resolution to make it possible for the Russian delegation to return to the chamber. The vote took place early on June 25 following debate during PACE’s opening summer session in Strasbourg.

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

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.

World

Kersti Kaljulaid

PACE

Russia