15/01/2021 (Agence Europe) – In a letter sent on 14 January to Konstantin Chuychenko, Russian Minister of Justice, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, expressed her “great concern” after the Association of Schools of Political Studies of the Council of Europe was placed on the list of “undesirable” non-governmental organisations in the Russian Federation. Russia is a member state, the Secretary General said, and she could not but find “problematic” the idea that an association devoted to organising activities based on the values and principles of the Council of Europe could be considered a “threat” by that member state. Stressing the “seriousness” of this development, she asked for clarification, said she was open to dialogue, and stated that she would keep the Committee of Ministers informed of developments in this new Russian case. (VL)