Russia deprived of PACE right to vote, leaves until December 2015
The sanctions have been impose in response to the annexation of Crimea and support of separatists in East Ukraine.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has left all Russia sanctions in force. They will be reconsidered in April but Russia has claimed that it will leave PACE until the end of 2015.
The PACE did not even give the right to vote to Russia on Wednesday evening although it had been suggested in the preliminary resolution project, BBC notes.
"We are leaving the PACE until the end of the year,” head of the Russian delegation Aleksei Pushkov said. The Russian delegation refused to take part in the work of the assembly in 2014 too. It was deprived of its mandate.
Russia is threatening to secede from the Council of Europe if the PACE sanctions are not lifted.
"Russia’s membership in the PACE will be reconsidered at the end of 2015 depending on the political situation,” Pushkov said.
The PACE sanctions deprive Russia of the right to vote, to take part in PACE delegations and representatives offices, assemblies and organizations and in election observation missions. Russians cannot make reports on issues considered by the PACE either.
