PACE Has Not Yet Received Documents For Accreditation Of New Ukrainian Delegation - Source

The Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has not yet received from the new Ukrainian delegation any documents for its accreditation to the upcoming session, a source in PACE told RIA Novosti on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2019) The Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has not yet received from the new Ukrainian delegation any documents for its accreditation to the upcoming session, a source in PACE told RIA Novosti on Monday.

PACE will hold its autumn session from September 30 to October 4 in Strasbourg. Bogdan Yaremenko, a member of Ukraine's ruling Servant of the People party, has said that the country will not participate in the session because Kiev sees PACE's decision to restore Russia's membership as a violation of PACE principles. Russia has slammed Ukraine's refusal to participate in the session as blackmailing the Council of Europe.

"According to the information I have, the Assembly Secretariat has not yet received the credentials of any new Ukrainian parliamentary delegation. As you know, our rules say that the credentials of any new delegation should be submitted, if possible, one week before the opening of the session � which is today � but indeed they may be submitted later," the source said.

"This means that ... the existing delegation remains accredited and in place (our Rules say that an existing PACE delegation may remain accredited for up to six months from the date of an election)," the source explained.

Meanwhile, a source in the Council of Europe told Sputnik that the appointment of a new delegation meant the termination of the authorities of the previous one.

"If the delegation is not present in October, this means it will not take part in sessions before January," the source explained.

Meanwhile, Oleksiy Honcharenko, a lawmaker from the European Solidarity faction, has said that several members of the Ukrainian delegation plan to attend the session at their own initiative.

Commenting on the matter, a source told RIA Novosti that they could come as tourists, but then they would only have access to the common platform. One can also come as an expert. In this case, an entry permit should be obtained, and the access regime should be established.

PACE restored in June the rights of the Russian delegation, suspended since 2014 over the Ukrainian crisis and Crimea referendum. This triggered protest of the Ukrainian delegation.