Armenia to be deprived of vote in CSTO for debts

© Photo: Maria Novoselova/ Vestnik Kavkaza

Armenia has stopped fulfilling its financial obligations in the CSTO. In this regard, it may be deprived of its vote in the organization, the Russian Foreign Ministry informs.

CSTO member countries that do not fulfill their obligations to finance the organization may be deprived of their vote, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said, commenting on Armenia’s non-participation in the CSTO activities.

According to the CSTO rules, all its members are obliged to participate in financing, Maria Zakharova recalled. The organization’s budget is based on share payments.

The basis for depriving a state of its vote may be a 2-year debt. The diplomat noted that a similar measure is practiced in the UN.

“Russia covers half of the CSTO budget, while the other participants contribute 10% each. Any form of refusal or delay of payments is not provided: amounts not transferred for the current year form a debt,”

- Maria Zakharova said.