By denouncing “a flagrant violation of the Statute of the Council of Europe” in her statement condemning Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe is paving the way for Russia’s suspension, or even exclusion. This would be the ultimate sanction, historically unprecedented for this pan-European organisation created in 1949, of which Ukraine (since 1995) and Russia (since 1996) are members.
The founding statute to which Marija Pejčinović Burić refers provides that in the event of a serious breach of the Rule of law and the values of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Committee of Ministers may ultimately “decide that the member in question has ceased to be a member of the Council of Europe from such date as the Committee may determine”.
In reaction to Thursday’s events, the Committee of Ministers, which brings together the permanent representatives of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, met in the afternoon to “discuss the next steps in its response to the Russian attack on Ukraine”.
Earlier this morning in the press, Borys Tarassiouk, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and representative of Ukraine to the Committee, announced that he expected the Council of Europe “to take the right decision”, namely “that Russia be excluded from the Council of Europe”.
Through its President, Tiny Kox, the Parliamentary Assembly is calling for “a robust and consolidated response” to this “clear breach of the principles and values that the Council of Europe and its member states stand for”. He therefore convened a meeting of the Joint Committee between the Committee of Ministers, which had met today, and the Parliamentary Assembly at 11 a.m. tomorrow to coordinate a “concerted reaction to this unprecedented crisis in Europe”.
The call was accompanied by a proposal to bring forward the spring plenary to “address the situation and its consequences immediately”.
This synergy between the three statutory bodies of the Council of Europe - the Secretary General, the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly - is necessary to launch the process of deciding on sanctions against Russia.
Faced with “what had seemed unthinkable in Europe in the 21st century”, the Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Russian authorities to “prevent this human rights catastrophe”.
Dunja Mijatović calls on all Council of Europe member states to: “stand in unity and solidarity with Ukraine” and to “receive with open arms” all those who flee the country. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)