MOSCOW, September 29. / TASS /. The Council of Europe has not changed for the better over the 25 years of Russia's membership, the organization’s mechanisms are used for meddling in the internal affairs of states, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights Rinat Alyautdinov stated on Wednesday.
"Over the years, we have seen [the Council of Europe] changing, and not for the better. We see that sectoral cooperation in various fields, in particular social, is being replaced by a purely human rights agenda, and how the mechanisms of Strasbourg are being used to interfere the sovereign affairs of the countries," the Russian diplomat said at a round table dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Russia's membership in the Council of Europe.
According to the Russian envoy, neoliberal ideology, which is not shared by all members, is being blatantly imposed through the organization’s mechanisms. "A policy of standardizing non-consensus documents and forcing states to upheld them is being pursued. And, finally, the Council of Europe’s interstate nature is blurring when different non-governmental organizations or experts believe they have the right to lay down the law," Alyautdinov noted.
"I would not like the European Social Charter’s system to slide down this path. The social sphere, especially amid the pandemic, should not become a source of new tension <...>. It is necessary to develop such mechanisms and tools that can be used by all countries and do not conflict with their national legislation," the Russian diplomat concluded.