Viacheslav Volodin: if the PACE regulations are not changed, it makes no sense for the Russian Federation to participate in this organization

Viacheslav Volodin Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast) believes that it makes no sense for Russia to return to PACE if the rights of our delegation are not fully restored.

“Now they say in PACE: we can give you back the right to vote but in a shortcut form. What kind of trust can we talk about there?” said the Chairman of the State Duma. He noted that decisions in the organization are made by a majority vote of those present in the meeting room. “Forty people can deprive an entire country of the right to vote with a total number of members of the Assembly of 324 people! By this, PACE has discredited itself, the assembly should provide each country an opportunity to state its position. And today they are more afraid that we can say something in general,” said Viacheslav Volodin. Such a situation “leaves no room for applying for participation in the work of PACE” for the Russian Federation.

“If the regulations of the Assembly are not changed, then it makes no sense for us to participate in this organization and transfer large amounts of money for its needs as contributions,” said Viacheslav Volodin.

He reminded that Russia is among the top three countries that pay the largest contributions to PACE.

At the same time, the Chairman of the State Duma declared that the Russian parliament would continue the dialogue with national delegations. “I think we attach too much importance to PACE — it’s a supra-parliamentary structure that lives thanks to contributions, and its work comes down to the functioning of a number of institutions and commissions. For us, this [Russia's participation in PACE] is an important question, but in the current situation, we cannot do otherwise. Moreover, new interesting platforms have already appeared, for example, the Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments, which will take place in Astana this year,” said Viacheslav Volodin.