STRASBOURG: PACE suspends Russian right of vote. Russia faces embarrassment as PACE suspends its right of vote today until the end of the year, due to their annexing of Crimea, reports European media.
The Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe (PACE) decided that Russia will not be able to vote at the Council of Europe assembly until the end of 2014, after members decided to exclude the country after Crimea voted for leaving Ukraine and joining Russia. The Russian delegation will also be omitted from all positions of leadership, the Bureau, Presidential and Permanent committees. Russia’s right to attend in observer missions to the assembly was also suspended. Kiev post reports that the resolution was backed by 145 PACE members, 21 voted against it, and 22 abstained. In accordance with the PACE regulations, the Russian delegation did not vote on this issue concerning it.
