Georgian parliamentary vice speaker at PACE: Russia must not be returned its right to vote

A Georgian delegation headed by First Vice Speaker of the parliament Tamar Chugoshvili is participating in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) autumn session in Strasbourg. 

While speaking at the autumn session yesterday, Chugoshvili said that Russia is trying to have returned its right to vote in PACE, of which it was stripped in 2014 because it is not meeting its international obligations - the withdrawal of its troops from the territories of sovereign countries. 

Today [during the voting in PACE] we will see if Russia has supporters on one hand and how the values of the Council of Europe are supported on the other hand”, said Tamar Chugoshvili. 

At its autumn session in Strasbourg, PACE is due to discuss the strengthening of its decision-making process concerning credentials and voting. The session will also decide whether to return voting rights to Russia.

Georgia, Ukraine and dozens of foreign states are against the decision which will benefit Russia, as the country continues to ignore its international obligations concerning the withdrawal of  its forces from Ukraine and Georgia.

In April 2014, the Russian delegation to PACE was stripped of its key rights, including the right to vote and take part in the assembly’s governing bodies following the confrontation in Ukraine and Crimea.