STRASBOURG, May 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia, which is set to assume the rotating presidency in the Council of Europe, said Friday the European Court of Human Rights needed reforms.
"We should work out a long-term strategy of reforming mechanisms of the European Court of Human Rights," the Russian side said in a statement comprising Moscow's priorities during the upcoming presidency.
Moscow said the court needed modernization and should be prevented from politicizing its activities.
"Without further progress in increasing the effectiveness of national means and interaction with states, it [the court] will be unable to overcome difficulties emerging with the growing number of complaints," the statement said.
Russia urged to strengthen links between the court's and national practice to resolve certain issues at a national level and to boost the Council of Europe's role in this sphere.
The statement also said non-judicial mechanisms including the European human rights commissioner, national and regional ombudsmen, should be consolidated to relieve the court from many cases.
