Russia May Exit Council of Europe if PACE Voting Rights Denied

Russia may reconsider its membership in PACE and the Council of Europe if the Assembly does not reinstate Moscow's voting rights, the speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper house said.

MOSCOW, January 28 (Sputnik) — Reconsidering Russia's participation in the Council of Europe might be necessary if the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) decides not to reinstate the country’s voting rights, the speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper house said Wednesday.

"We don't need handouts and favors. If this chaos continues, it may be necessary to raise the question about the need for our presence both in PACE and the Council of Europe as a whole," Valentina Matviyenko told reporters Wednesday.

The statement comes ahead of Wednesday's discussion in PACE about the credentials of the Russian delegation in the assembly, including its voting rights.

In March 2014, PACE suspended Russia's voting rights in light of Crimea's reunification with Russia. In protest, the Russian delegation skipped PACE's spring and summer sessions.