Implementation of Recommendation No. R(2000)13 of the Committee of Ministers and the access of "Trophy" archives of the Russian Federation

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15328 | 24 June 2021

Signatories:

Mr Dimitar GLAVCHEV, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Alexander CHRISTIANSSON, Sweden, EC/DA ; Mr Botond CSOMA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Ms Milena DAMYANOVA, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria-Gabriela HORGA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Yuriy KAMELCHUK, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Carmen LEYTE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Aleksandar NIKOLOSKI, North Macedonia, EPP/CD ; Mr Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Ms Catia POLIDORI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Ivelina VASSILEVA, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Mr Sergiy VLASENKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Yelyzaveta YASKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Two written questions have been tabled by members of the Parliamentary Assembly on Russian “Trophy” archives (written questions No. 644 and No. 754 and reply by the Committee of Ministers of 8 April 2021).

In its Opinion 193 (1996) on the application by Russian Federation for membership of the Council of Europe, the Assembly notes that:

“the Russian Federation shares fully its understanding and interpretation of commitments entered into as spelt out in paragraph 7, and intends:

• (...) to negotiate claims for the return of cultural property to other European countries on an ad hoc basis that differentiates between types of property (archives, works of art, buildings, etc.) and of ownership (public, private or institutional);
• (...) to settle rapidly all issues related to the return of property claimed by Council of Europe member States, in particular the archives transferred to Moscow in 1945.”

The Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) should conduct a study of the implementation of Recommendation No. R(2000)13 of the Committee of Ministers by member States.

The Assembly therefore asks the authorities of Russian Federation to grant free access without delay to these “Trophy” archives for all scientists, students and other citizens and particularly for those from the member States concerned.