Georgia refuses to attend the opening of PACE autumn session
Russia regained its voting right in PACE in June 2019, which was protested by Ukraine, Georgia and several other countries. Photo: euobserver.com.
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The Georgian delegation has refused to attend the opening ceremony of the PACE autumn session to “express solidarity to Ukraine” and to once again protest upon Russia’s regaining its voting right in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe back in June.
We have no plans to leave PACE. The refusal is related to Ukraine. The decision regarding Russia was unacceptable,” Georgian Vice Parliament Speaker Tamar Chugoshvili said.
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine also refused to attend the opening ceremony. The Ukrainian delegation said that they will not participate in the whole autumn season.
Members of the Georgian delegation and six other countries left a session of PACE in protest ON jUNE 26, 2019 as Russia regained its voting right after having lost it in 2014 following its annexation of the Crimea.
Russia, which earlier had declined to pay its membership dues, agreed to pay them, as well as fines, amounting to €75 million before regaining the right.
118 MPs voted for the return of Russia in PACE, 62 went against and ten refused to vote.
The delegations of Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia said that the PACE decision was unacceptable as Russia has not changed its attitudes and policy and continues to occupy the territories of sovereign countries.
“We are trying to make Georgia a regional hub for international business, tourism, logistics and education,” Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze said at a Q&A session in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
The Council of Europe places a commemorative star plaque in the memory of former Georgian prime minister Zurab Zhvania at its headquarters in Strasbourg, France, the Georgian parliament’s press office announced today.
Members of the Georgian delegation and six other countries left a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) yesterday in protest as Russia regained its voting right after having lost it in 2014 following its annexation of the Crimea.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, President Salome Zurabishvili, Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze and President of PACE Liliane Maury have made speeches in the Georgian parliament earlier today, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Georgia’s membership in the Council of Europe (CoE).
The CoE Committee of Ministers has urged Russia for the second time to pay €10 million compensation to Georgia for illegal deportation of Georgians from Russia back in 2006, and with the step abide by the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered against Russia on January 31, 2019. Russia had the obligation to pay the compensation before the end of April 2019, but refused to do so.
Georgia joined Lithuanian and Latvian delegates at PACE yesterday who have challenged Russia’s regaining of its voting right last year which it lost for the annexation of Crimea back in 2014.