European Council Without Russia

VLADIVOSTOK. 18 September. VOSTOK-MEDIA. On Monday, German newspaper “Die Welt” and Tuesday’s “Ukrainska Pravda” published an article of East European politologists Andres Herkel and Mart Laar “European Council must act…” which harshly criticizes membership of Russia in European Council.
“Whatever exclusive role Russia plays, its membership in the most important European organization on human rights rays a lot of questions”, - says Herkel. “In fact, this club welcomes countries of open democracy and free mass-media if human and minority rights are of crucial importance in them. This is the reason why Byelorussia and Kazakhstan have never been members of EC. Membership gaining procedure follows with a lot of broken promises abd commitments”, - he said.
Russia suspended a reform that is aimed at facilitation of Court of Justice on Human Rights.
If opposition and free journalism oppression and exalting of Stalin in official school books could not make Western countries criticize Russia then attacks on Georgia made it clear that Russia refuses European values”, - said Herkel.