Mr Michael McNamara,
To ask the Committee of Ministers,
How many and which member states hire professional lobbyists to engage with other member states on the Committee of Ministers and their parliamentarians in the Assembly ?
If, in the Committee’s view, this practise infringes the Statute of the Council of Europe which requires all member States to collaborate sincerely and effectively in the realisation of the aim of the Council, the realisation of greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are the common heritage of their peoples and the true source of individual freedom, political liberty and the rule of law, principles which form the basis of all genuine democracy ?