PACE proposes no-confidence vote against pro-Azeri president Agramunt

PanARMENIAN.Net - Several members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have proposed to hold a vote of no-confidence in PACE President Pedro Agramunt following his recent visit to Syria, Azeri media report.

Agramunt is a PACE co-rapporteur for Azerbaijan. According to the European Stability Initiative (ESI) think tank, since his accession to the CoE, Agramunt benefited from Baku’s caviar diplomacy, receiving costly presents and bribes to create a group promoting Azeri interests at PACE.

At a meeting of the PACE spring session, several deputies expressed their protest over Assembly President Agramunt’s recent visit to Syria and his meeting with President Bashar al-Assad. The deputies demanded his early resignation.

Agramunt, in turn, stated that his visit to Syria was a wrong step. “Let me admit that this visit was a wrong step, and, given its results, I recognize this,” he added.

However, the PACE president was forced to interrupt his speech and left the meeting hall as the deputies did not calm down and continued protesting him.

The meeting was continued by PACE Vice-President, Chairman of the European Conservatives Group Gale Roger.

Agramunt will not chair the April 24 meeting. Until April 25, the plenary session will be chaired by vice-presidents.

The issue will be clarified during a special meeting to be held April 25.

On March 20, PACE President Pedro Agramunt together with the Russian delegation led by State Duma Deputy Chairman Vladimir Vasiliev visited Syria to meet with President Bashar al-Assad.