By Vestnik Kavkaza
In early February the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Vladimir Groisman, stated that the participation of a Crimean senator in the Russian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE was unacceptable. Within two weeks the bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE decided to deprive the Russian delegate, the Crimean senator Olga Kovtidi, of her mandate as a participant in the Assembly. The PA OSCE explained its position was due to the fact that “a member of the parliament who is nominated to the Parliamentary Assembly should represent the country which submits him or her, rather than the country which establishes control over territories through methods which are recognized as illegal by the majority of the OSCE countries.”
However, Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the Federation Council Committee for International Affairs, stated yesterday that Russia wouldn’t exclude Kovitidi from its delegation. According to him, “Kovitidi’s casus” shouldn’t be a precedent which could become a foundation for depriving any member of the delegation of his or her authority.
Sergei Mamedov, the deputy head of the Federation Council Committee for Regulations and Organization of Parliamentary Activity, spoke about behind-the-scenes events at the session of the PA OSCE: “It was a solid vote for expelling Kovitidi by the participants of the PA. However, many delegates later came to us and said: “You should understand us. We couldn’t make another decision, as any other decision would mean that we recognized Crimea as a part of the Russian Federation. We cannot do this.” An absolutely unique decision was made for the first time in the history of the Parliamentary Assembly. Olga Fedorovna is not only the first senator from Crimea, she is also the first person who is deprived of their rights in the PA OSCE.”
Mamedov believes that the representatives of European countries remain in n information vacuum, thinking that Russia is an aggressor, while Ukraine is fighting not its own people, but the Russian regular army on its territory. “We asked our colleagues to try to listen to another point of view. Sometimes we succeeded. The only person who stood against depriving Kovitidi of her rights was a representative of France, who said clearly: “I think it is Russia’s right to choose nominees; and we shouldn’t discuss the issue and open a Pandora's Box.” Germany’s position was very soft. Georgia, Lithuania, and the Scandinavian countries stood radically against the Russian position. However, the Scandinavian states changed their view at the end of our visit. We had warm goodbyes with everybody, promised each other to communicate till the next session in summer, discuss some problems, and exchange our views. Let’s not forget that the OSCE is the last platform for us in Europe. So we will do our best to declare and explain our position there,” Mamedov said.
