“The Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly bear a shared responsibility for preserving the Organisation’s unity, viability and effective capacity to deliver the results that our citizens and our governments expect from us,” Acting President Sir Roger Gale said in his opening speech of the autumn session.
Referring to the decision by the Russian Federation to suspend the payment of the remaining part of its 2017 financial contribution to the Council of Europe’s budget until the full and unconditional restoration of the credentials of its PACE delegation, he urged both Statutory Bodies to work together to address the current situation and recalled that a meeting of the Joint Committee, which brings together representatives from both bodies, is scheduled for 12 October.
The Acting President also announced the imminent election of a new PACE President and concluded: “together, we have demonstrated that in times of crisis and turmoil, our Assembly can act with courage and determination. As a pan-European Assembly founded on the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, we have an important mission to fulfill. We are going through a difficult period but I firmly believe that our commitment to the ideals of the Council of Europe is strong and our Assembly will not disappoint the hopes and expectations of Europeans.”