Sanctions Against Lawmakers to Be Reconsidered at Next OSCE PA Session

The resolution to reconsider sanctions against lawmakers will be discussed at the next session of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), Richard Solash, director of Communications at OSCE PA told Sputnik Sunday.

HELSINKI (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Earlier in the day, President of the OSCE PA, Ilkka Kanerva, stressed the need to address the European Union to reconsider rules in relation to sanctions against parliamentarians, so that every member country could get free access to the PA sessions.

Kanerva's statement came after several members of the Russian delegation scheduled to take part in an OSCE PA meeting in Helsinki on July 5-9 were denied travel visas on Wednesday.

"The President vowed to consider ways to communicate with the EU about effects of sanctions on international events involving parliamentarians…It could be at the next session," Solash said.

There are several mechanisms to address the European Union on the issue, Solash added.

"It could be as simple as writing a letter, expressing the thoughts of the President, or it could be a little bit more extensive measure, such as an item on the agenda on the next annual session, that can be discussed by the parliamentarians and then sent to the EU," he stated.

After Finnish authorities had denied travel visas to several members of the Russian delegation, including Russian State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, the Russian delegation decided to refrain from participating in the summer session.

Naryshkin is on the EU travel ban list of persons, accused of alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.