Zakharova: The CSTO can strip Armenia of voting rights for unpaid debts

At a press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova referred to the statement made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin, who had stated that Armenia could have outstanding debts related to CSTO membership fees and could go unpaid for two years, after which appropriate decisions would be made. He noted that the CSTO funding is not significantly different from that of other international organizations. The funding of the organization is the obligation of each member.

Zakharova noted that Russia contributes 50% of CSTO funding, while the remaining portion is provided by the rest of the member states, each contributing 10%. She pointed out that failure to meet obligations and not clearing debts within two years may lead the organization’s council to make appropriate decisions regarding that country, potentially including the stripping of voting rights. According to her, Armenia had previously given its consent and had no objections.

“Will Armenia pay or not? That question should be addressed to Yerevan,” Zakharova stated, adding that Armenia has not submitted any official documents to withdraw from the CSTO.