PACE did not receive any complaint from YAP related to Andreas Gross

As APA reports citing PACE specialist on interior regulations of PACE, lawyer Horst Shade, co-rapporteur is appointed by the Monitoring Committee, and the Committee can change him or deprive him from the responsibilities.

"Simply one of the committee members or a group of members should demand this issue to put to vote. For instance, Azerbaijani delegation head can forward this initiative. There must be majority of voices for the adoption of decision."

Despite this, Shade said that depriving Andreas Gross from co-rapporteur responsibility does not seem to be convincible. There is not any practice in Council of Europe history on changing or depriving the co-rapporteur of his responsibilities.

"However, I do not believe that Andreas Gross has said any humiliating words."

Mr.Shade added that even if this incident happened, according to interior rules, PACE leadership has not responsibility to impose sanction against co-rapporteur. PACE President and Discipline Committee can only impose sanction for the tough conducts of parliamentarians during the plenary meeting.

"This is legal side of the issue. But it has political sides too. These kinds of issues might be solved through the negotiations by the sides. If mutual confidence violated between co-rapporter and the delegation of any country, it would be better if the sides solved this problem without exaggeration."

Andreas Gross in his interview to Azerbaijani media for using humiliating words to the address of Azerbaijan authority, YAP made statement and asked PACE leadership to take adequate measures.