Russia Warned of Halting CoE Contribution Payments If Not Restored in PACE

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian side notified the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) last year that it would not pay the contributions to the Council of Europe (CoE) in case the Russian delegation did not participate in the assembly's sessions, Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Russia, which is one of the main contributors to the CoE budget, blocked the transfer of year-end CoE dues totaling 11 million euros ($12.39 million).

"Russia had warned the PACE representatives that it would not pay the contribution if the Russian delegation did not take part in the PACE sessions, and it is obvious that the Russian side will not take part in the PACE sessions this year," Tolstoy said.

Tolstoy specified that the country's contribution consisted of three parts, adding that Russia had paid out the other two parts to the Council of Europe. He added that the issue of payments would be reviewed when Russia's return to the assembly would be on the agenda.

Russia left the PACE in late 2015 following the assembly's resolutions in 2014 and 2015 depriving the Russian delegation of the right to vote at the Assembly’s sessions, as well as to participate in the work of its three key bodies: the Bureau, the Presidential Committee and the Standing Committee, over Crimea's reunification with Russia.

Russia did not renew its credentials ahead of the Assembly’s 2016 and 2017 winter sessions and made its return conditional on the full restoration of its delegates' voting rights.