Moscow has decided to throw off the “tentacles of international organizations”
On February 21, the annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly starts. Russia has already prepared a double “gift” for her from the State Duma and the Federation Council: she is leaving, and gracefully. There will be no more dues paid. Let the Russophobes in the European parliaments think about it. True, we have not yet put a lock on the door to the OSCE. We'll take a walk and come back: if they come to their senses, of course.
Why break into places where they are not invited? – the State Duma deputies thought. And really, there is no need. Humiliating — once. Pointless — two. You also have to pay money for humiliation — three. It's easier to leave.
“We are not invited anywhere,” complained the head of the international committee of the lower house, Leonid Slutsky, “The effectiveness of our participation is very measured, they are trying to counteract us, block our initiatives.
“We would be ready to participate in the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,” the LDPR leader emphasized. But what kind of cooperation can there be here, when the main concerns of Russia — precisely in the field of security — on the other side prefer to be ignored point-blank? They also demand money. Russia is one of the largest payers of contributions to the OSCE. In general, the European parliamentarians have settled down well, there is nothing to say.
“Paying a considerable fee with such an attitude towards us is beneath our dignity,” said the Duma members, and it is difficult to disagree with them.
All The OSCE has turned into a “clone of the Verkhovna Rada,” the State Duma stated with regret.
“Instead of making decisions in the field of security, our country is accused of all mortal sins,” emphasized Vice-Speaker of the Lower House Pyotr Tolstoy. He heads the Russian delegation to the OSCE PA and knows exactly how they treat us there.
Russia convinced, talked about the problems of Russians in Ukraine, the oppression of national minorities. About how disregarding the Russian-speaking population is in Kyiv. She posed broader problems – about disarmament on the European continent. I thought that the OSCE would at least live up to its name and act in a spirit of cooperation. All in vain.
— All problems are ignored. The organization has become blatantly Russophobic and is critical to the point of making it impossible to be there,” noted the deputy chairman of the lower chamber. It got to the point that our delegation was simply denied visas. Although the OSCE regulations clearly state: there must be free access for all delegations.
Russia has long behaved like a bear that they are annoyingly trying to provoke with a stick. Well, or as a victim of domestic violence. I tried to build relationships with the organization through different channels. I endured it. I hoped that the “Western partners” would come to their senses, but that refusal of visas and smirks in response to logical security concerns — all this happened for the last time.
It is not clear, however, why exactly we waited and why for so long. Now we’ve finally decided that we’ve had enough. True, now this “enough is enough” needs to be formalized. That is, we still need to think, weigh everything.
— We must finally show our will! – called Peter Tolstoy.
It’s true, otherwise it turns out to be some kind of Stockholm syndrome.
The Duma members took a week to prepare the text of the appeal to the OSCE PA. This will be a warning document: we are, they say, about to leave. And so that, God forbid, they are not happy, we must write that we are suspending the payment of membership fees along with membership. Deputies expect that senators will prepare a similar paper. That is, it will be a double blow.
The matter, of course, is not only about pride and the desire to save money. We have taken on so many obligations that they still do not allow us to feel our independence, Tolstoy emphasized.
“The tentacles of international organizations determine the policies of a number of ministries and departments,” the vice speaker noted and suggested that the State Duma, and at the same time the Federation Council, decide on Russia’s membership not only in the OSCE. We have these membership cards a dime a dozen. WHO, IOC, WADA — we pay fees everywhere, and in return we get… We just “get.”
“It’s time for us to say goodbye to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,” agreed Vyacheslav Volodin. “The organization is absolutely dependent, politicized, dances to the tune, performs all the dances of Washington.” What should we do there? But the worst thing in this situation is that we are still paying money, and we are one of the largest payers, so we need to go out and stop transferring funds.
We are leaving the OSCE PA, but we are slightly holding the door with our foot. We'll come to our senses and come back. Moreover, Europeans have someone to follow by example. BRICS, SCO, EurAsEC — they hear Russia, and Russia hears its partners.
— And what is here? There is absolutely a dead end to which Washington's policies have led, especially during Biden's presidency. He himself is insane, and all these institutions are the same,” noted the State Duma speaker.
It will be possible to talk about a return to the OSCE sites only when the organization remembers that it is impossible to interfere in the affairs of sovereign states. It won't happen soon. But not “when the cancer whistles on the mountain.”
— Elections to the European Parliament will be held in June, look, there will be no one left there from those who are pursuing this Russophobic policy, imposing alien values on us, interfering in internal affairs. They won’t be elected, you’ll see,” Vyacheslav Volodin predicted.