Russia to Be Expelled from PACE in 2019

The Russian delegation will not participate in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe next year, said Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland, Ukrinform reports. “If a member country does not submit an application for its powers in January, it will be outside the institution throughout the year. I do not agree with this position of the Russian side ... But what I heard from Russia is that they would not return in January. This is what I was told”, said Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland. In 2014, after the start of aggression against Ukraine, the Council of Europe imposed sanctions on the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, including deprivation of the right to vote. Russia has ceased to pay contributions to the organization's budget since then. The Council of Europe will discuss the possibility of funding and functioning of the organization in case of suspension of representative rights of Russia. Source: UKRINFORM