The Secretary General of the Council of Europe thorbjö?rn Jagland said that if not solved the issue of Russia's membership, it will be a defeat For the organization.

Jagland drew attention to the importance of preserving Russia's membership. He also expressed concern that in case of withdrawal of the capital of Russia's 140 million citizens of Russia will not be protected by European conventions and the ECHR.

Relations between Russia and the Council of Europe is going through a difficult period. The conflict escalated in the years 2014-2015, when the Russian Parliament was deprived of certain rights because of the position on the Crimea. Moscow said about the impossibility of operating in such conditions and ceased to attend the meetings.

at the end of June 2017, the confrontation intensified. Moscow has frozen payments to the organization until, as long as the range of capabilities of the delegation to PACE is completely restored. The Russian side continued its work on the ratification of the Convention documents.

PACE realized that measures of the Russian capital led to the financial difficulties, had nine % to freeze the organization's budget, the shortage amounted to 1, 5 million euros.

Jagland said that if the country does not pay contributions for 2 years, the statutory body, the Committee of Ministers may consider the issue of its exclusion.

For the Russian Federation, this period begins at the end of June 2019.



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sections: Politics