"Today, January 25, 2016, another regular session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was opened. This year, the Assembly will also work in absence of the parliamentary delegation of the Russian Federation, which continues staying under the Assembly's sanctions introduced after illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014 and due to continuing armed aggression against Ukraine in Donbas.
The decision of the Russian Parliament not to submit its authorities for approval of the PACE formally obviously follows its acknowledgement of the solid position of the European parliamentarians, who consistently support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Having shown its inability to follow the way of democratic dialogue and to be an equitable partner of the European Union, Russian parliamentarians decided to isolate themselves in their artificially created world of propaganda illusion.
By ignoring their obligation to follow the principles of democracy, protection of human rights and the supremacy of law — the fundamental values of the Council of Europe, the Russian deputies accuse Ukraine, Europe and almost the whole world of degradation and loss of spirituality. Unfortunately, Russia itself seems to be turning into the Soviet Union and more often recourses to persecution of its opposition representatives, elimination of its free press and the civil society. The Russian Parliament unconditionally supports all decisions of Kremlin: from approval to the illegal occupation of Crimea to cancellation of the primate of the international law and rejection of the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.
The Ukrainian parliamentary delegation to the PACE will continue following the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe and along with its colleagues will work on protection of democratic values on the whole European continent. We will oppose resumption of work of the parliamentary delegation of the Russian Federation as long as the illegal occupation of Crimea continues and Russian soldiers stay on the territory of Ukrainian Donbas."
Volodymyr ARIYEV