PARIS, September 24. /TASS/. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is ready to receive all delegates vaccinated with any jab approved on the territory of the organization's member countries, PACE’s press service told TASS on Friday.
"Official visitors to Council of Europe premises may make use of ALL vaccines licensed by Council of Europe member states - which of course includes the Sputnik vaccine," the PACE press service reads. "All visitors are asked to fill in a "COVID self-declaration form" where they attest that they are either vaccinated with one of these vaccines, have a negative COVID test, or have recovered from COVID. This means that visitors can indeed enter CoE buildings if they can show a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours, or a negative antigen test of less than 48 hours. Of course, the usual hygiene measures also apply to all who are on the premises. Full details of the requirements, as well as the self-declaration form, can be found here."
A source in the diplomatic circles of France told TASS that given the background of the country’s current restrictions, an exception has been made for Russian senators as well as their simplified arrival conditions on French soil to work at the PACE session. He recalled that Moscow is "in the red zone" according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs as far as the risk of spreading coronavirus is concerned, and the usual sanitary control measures are fully extended on arrival.
"The exceptions provided on an exceptional basis, if there is a valid reason, allow entry [to] French territory under the conditions of simplified quarantine and self-isolation requirements. This exception was provided for the senator to participate in the PACE sessions in accordance with sanitary requirements," he said, commenting on the statement by Russian Senator Vladimir Krugly over the restriction of movement in Strasbourg for Russian senators to participate in the PACE autumn session.