PACE member: Plans to limit credentials of Azerbaijani delegation politically motivated

The decision to appeal against the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE seems to be politically motivated, Stefan Jovanović, a member of the Serbian delegation to PACE, told Report.

“While it is essential that all members of the Council of Europe honor their obligations and commitments, it is equally important for bodies like PACE and the Council of Europe to adhere to the fundamental principles of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of its member states,” he said.

“As far as the consequences for the Azerbaijani delegation are concerned, I understand that the request involves limiting their voting rights for one year. In my view, this would be an unfavorable decision.

Sanctions or punitive measures, such as limiting voting rights, are significant actions. Instead of moving towards sanctions, it would be more constructive to engage in dialogue and diplomatic discussions. Sanctions could potentially escalate tensions and might not contribute to a positive resolution of the issues at hand,” he added.

“It is crucial to consider long-term diplomatic relations and the broader implications of such decisions on the cooperation and unity among Council of Europe member states. The timing seems to be particularly counterproductive, given the ambitions of some CoE member states to facilitate ongoing talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the fact that Baku will preside over COP29 later this year.”