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No sense in working at PACE for Russia without voting power — Duma speaker

"We had said a week ago that if the Russian delegation does not have the full powers, the work at the PACE venue becomes senseless for us," Stated Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin said
Speaker of the State Duma lower house of Russia’s parliament Sergey Naryshkin Anna Isakova/Russian State Duma's press service/TASS
Speaker of the State Duma lower house of Russia’s parliament Sergey Naryshkin
© Anna Isakova/Russian State Duma's press service/TASS

MOSCOW, January 29. /TASS/. Speaker of the State Duma lower house of Russia’s parliament Sergey Naryshkin has confirmed on Thursday that without the voting power, there is no sense for Russia to participate in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

"We had said a week ago that if the Russian delegation does not have the full powers, most importantly — the voting power, the work at the PACE venue becomes senseless for us and we would fully suspend our delegation’s work in the assembly in any formats for a year," Naryshkin said.

"And in a year, the issue of Russia’s membership in the Council of Europe may be possibly raised," the speaker said. "This prospect remains," he added.