Russia resumes contributions to Council of Europe budget
Russia has resumed its payment of membership contributions to the Council of Europe’s budget, said COE Spokesperson Daniel Holtgen, as cited by Deutsche Welle. He expressed confidence that Russia would also repay what it owes for 2017 and 2018, which amounts to €55 million, as well as a penalty for late payment.
On 26 June, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) reinstated the Russian delegation through a resolution that did not include any sanctions.
The amendment to the organization’s regulations reads as follows: “Members’ rights to vote, to speak and to be represented in the Assembly and its bodies shall not be suspended or withdrawn in the context of a challenge to or reconsideration of credentials”. 118 delegates voted in favor of it, 62 against, and 10 abstained.
The PACE also confirmed the Russian delegation’s credentials in the June session. According to the general rule, delegations may only turn up in January.
Previously Moscow said that it would return to the PACE only if all of its delegations were guaranteed the right to vote, speak, and be represented in the assembly’s organs. Russia has not taken part in PACE sessions since April 2014, when its delegation’s voting right was taken away in connection with Russia’s capture of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine.