Ukraine's delegation to PACE leaves meeting hall

Ukrainian MPs left the meeting hall during the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

French Bureau of Report informs that the reason is PACE resolution on “Strengthening the decision-making process of the Parliamentary Assembly concerning credentials and voting” adopted within the summer session on June 25.

The document adopted on the basis of the report of Belgian MP, Petra De Sutter, with 118 people voting for it, 62 against and 10 abstained, does not allow PACE to remove states from the organization or temporally restrict their activities. The resolution will lead to the elimination of sanctions against Russia and the return of the delegation.

Objecting this decision, Ukraine's PACE delegation left the meeting and announced that they would not participate in the discussions. It is not yet clear whether they will participate or not in the elections of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on June 26.

Earlier, head of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE, Vladimir Aryev wrote on his Facebook page that his country would suspend its participation if Russia’s authority was restored in this organization.