Dutch leftist MP offered the bill that foresees evading any sanctions or restrictions on the Russian delegation; the document will be considered and voted on late January 29

PACE agreed upon the draft bill on the appeal against the authorities of the Russian delegation in the Assembly. The document will be considered and voted on late January 29, Yevropeiska Pravda reported.

The draft bill was prepared by one of Russia’s ley lobbyists in the PACE, Dutch leftist MP Tiny Cox. The lawmaker offers to avoid placing any sanctions on Russia, saying that Russia showed progress in terms of living up to PACE requirements.

The document reiterates that in June 2019, PACE decided to restore the rights of the Russian delegation, “urging it to constructive dialogue in terms of living up to the commitments”, and scheduled the consideration of the separate report on Russia’s actions. The preparations are still underway, and the Russian delegation “has been cooperating with the monitoring committee to the full extent”.

Tiny Cox believes that Russia has been fixing the issues that it allowed and thus faced sanctions pressure. He reiterated that the Russian side managed to provide an exchange of prisoners, including the return of Ukrainian sailors, captured near Kerch Strait in 2018, and resumed payments to the budget of the Council of Europe.

The document has already been preliminarily approved by the PACE Monitoring Committee. It, however, includes no mentions of numerous violations of human rights by Russia in the annexed Crimea and the occupied part of Donbas; systematic oppression of human rights in Russia itself; Russia’s intentions to change the Constitution, which could give this country an option not to abide by ECHR decisions, and so on.

“The Assembly underlines that it remains a crucial pan-European platform where the political dialogue with Russia (…) could be taking place, where the Russian Federation can be brought to responsibility based on principles and values of the Council of Europe”, the draft decision says. It offers to confirm the Russian delegation’s authorities without any sanctions and limitations.

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