The Ukrainian parliament’s foreign affairs committee has recommended that parliamentarians suspend the participation of Ukraine’s permanent delegation in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) until the conclusions are received from the Venice Commission.
“We propose the work of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE should be suspended until the Venice Commission issues its conclusions and recommend not to resume work until conditions in the most important resolutions adopted by the PACE over the past five years are fulfilled,” chairman of the Ukrainian delegation to the PACE and MP Volodymyr Ariev said in Kyiv on July 1.
Ariev said Russia should unconditionally free Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia and political prisoners held in Russia and Russia-occupied areas of Ukraine, including Crimea and Donbas.
Ariev said Russia should also ensure the rights of the Crimean Tatars.
The committee also asked Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy to withdraw the invitation to PACE observers at the snap parliamentary elections to be held in Ukraine on July 21.
Chairwoman of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee Hanna Hopko said Russia must comply with seven PACE resolutions.
