Ukraine raises objection to election of Tolstoy as PACE Vice President

The election of Russian State Duma member Pyotr Tolstoy as PACE Vice President according to Russia’s quota has been preliminarily blocked.

Maria Mezentseva, the representative of the Ukrainian delegation, raised objection to the nomination of Tolstoy, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Mr Tolstoy has repeatedly expressed his anti-Semitic views in public. Therefore, he is not worthy of being the PACE Vice President,” Mezentseva stressed.

According to the procedure, the vote on Tolstoy's nomination has been postponed to Monday afternoon and will be kept secret.

The remaining 18 vice presidents of the Assembly were elected automatically.

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