On Monday, 30 September, the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) together with representatives from like-minded countries (the Baltic+ Group) met Amélie de Montchalin, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg. The delegates reiterated their protest against restoring the voting rights of Russia and pointed out that Russia must strictly adhere to the principles, standards and binding resolutions of the CoE.
On behalf of the Baltic+ Group, the Latvian delegation emphasised that the joint response mechanism to violations of Member States currently elaborated by France is, according to the Baltic+ Group, an unsatisfactory solution. It does not allow for an early response of the PACE to systematic and blatant violations of the CoE principles, such as those committed by Russia.
The Heads of delegations representing the five countries of the Baltic+ Group, namely, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Georgia, are preparing a joint statement to inform the PACE that the signatory countries will abstain from taking part in the official celebrations in honour of the 70th anniversary of the CoE. The Heads of delegations point out that the Baltic+ Group will meet in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, in November to discuss the joint action for the next session of the Council of Europe where extending the voting rights of Russia will be discussed.
The Latvian delegation is the only Member State to abstain from participating in the Plenary Sessions of the following part-session, in solidarity with Ukraine and in response to the request of the Ukrainian delegation, but it will continue working in the political groups and committees, noted Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and the Head of the Latvian delegation to the PACE.
Saeima Press Service