Ukraine questions PACE President's ability to lead the assembly due to his stance on Russia
The Ukrainian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is preparing to question the power of the president of the Assembly, Pedro Agramunt. This was reported by the first deputy speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), Iryna Herashchenko, to a correspondent from Evropeyskaya Pravda in Strasbourg.
Herashchenko noted that recently Agramunt has made public statements that are fully in accordance with Russia’s position, including lifting the political sanctions against the Russian Federation imposed by the Assembly.
“We are concerned about a politician nominated by the European People’s Party [EPP] for this position. In his actions, he deviates from the position of this party and PACE’s principles. We cannot ignore this and are already having consultations with colleagues in the group. We had conversations regarding this not only in the EPP in the PACE, but also with the leadership of the European People’s Party, and they are indeed concerned with Agramunt’s position,” Herashchenko said.
Herashchenko noted that the Ukrainian delegation has not yet started the procedure of removing the president but is preparing for this step.
“Now we are studying the regulations in order to officially raise this issue in the Assembly. Agramunt is not concerned with his reputation but he is more interested in his position. That is why we will hit him where it hurts – his position,” Herashchenko added.
Legally, it is only possible to start the procedure of removing the president in January, after the opening of the regular session, when the leadership of the Assembly is confirmed. Under the existing rules, the PACE elects a new president every two years. 2016 is Agramunt’s first year as president. However, if the Ukrainian delegation receives significant support from colleagues from other countries, his powers may not be extended for 2017.