Russia’s voting right confirmed at PACE, Georgia, Ukraine ‘not surprised’
Several countries, including Georgia, challenged Russia’s regaining its voting right at PACE on Monday, stating that the country continues the occupation of Georgian and Ukrainian territories and the violation of international laws and obligations. Photo: PACE.
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Russia has its voting right confirmed in PACE despite Georgia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia challenged this earlier this week, once again protesting Russia’s regaining the right seven months ago which it lost for annexation of Crimea back in 2014.
With 96 votes for and 44 against Russia can now vote in PACE, the decision late yesterday which ‘was not surprising’ for Georgian and Ukrainian delegates after the country [Russia] agreed to pay €75 million last year for regaining the right.
The Georgian delegation members said that “we, together with our allies, continue to create obstacles for Russia at PACE,” while Ukrainian delegates once again accused the Council of Europe “of selling its values.”
Before the voting took place Russia threatened to leave.
Responding to the accusations of occupying the territories of independent states and violating international law, Russian delegates told Georgian and Ukrainian delegations that ‘you used force against your citizens and the violation remains ignored [by the international community].’
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.
“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).
Today’s session in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe opened with the Georgian polyphonic folk song Chakrulo, as Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze addressed the assembly on the 20th anniversary of Georgia’s membership in the body.
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.
United States Ambassador to the OSCE James Gilmore said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council earlier today that “Georgia’s leadership of the important European organisation” demonstrates its contributions to the international community. "Foreign Minister [David] Zalkaliani, the United States warmly welcomes you to the Permanent Council as the representative of Georgia's Presidency of the Council of Europe”, he said.
The recently adopted resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which covers the period between January and December of 2019, has welcomed amendments which ‘reinforce parliamentary oversight in Georgia and political accountability of the executive.’PACE also welcomed “a broad agreement with all stakeholders’ about the adopted fourth wave of judicial reforms ‘with the aim of further strengthening the independence of the judiciary and efficiency of the administration of justice.’