17/01/2011 Session
Strasbourg, 17.01.2011 – A report on illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo will be among the highlights of the winter plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (24-28 January 2011), along with addresses by the President of Turkey Abdullah Gül, the President of Serbia Boris Tadic, the President of Romania Traian Basescu and the Prime Minister of Albania Sali Berisha.
There will be a debate on the protection of journalists’ sources, with the participation of the President of the European Federation of Journalists Arne König. A series of reports concerning the former Yugoslavia are also due to be discussed, covering the protection of witnesses as a cornerstone for justice, the obligation to co-operate in prosecuting war crimes, and reconciliation and political dialogue between the countries of the region.
Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, will present the communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly. Thorbjørn Jagland, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, will also address the Assembly.
Two urgent debates have been requested, one on Christians in Iraq and other regions, and one on the situation in Belarus in the aftermath of the Presidential election.
* * *
Draft agenda
The final agenda is decided by the Assembly on the opening day of the session.
Monday 24 January (opening at 11.30am)
• Opening of the first part of the 2011 Ordinary Session
• Election of the President and of Vice-Presidents of the Assembly
• Communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Parliamentary Assembly, presented by Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers
• Communication from Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Tuesday 25 January
• [Possibly] Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Portugal
• The protection of journalists’ sources and statement by Arne König, President of the European Federation of Journalists
• Address by Abdullah Gül, President of Turkey
• Inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo
• Follow-up to the reform of the Council of Europe
Wednesday 26 January
• [Possibly 2nd round] Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Portugal
• Joint debate:
a. The protection of witnesses as a cornerstone for justice and reconciliation in the Balkans
b. The obligation of member states of the Council of Europe to co-operate in the prosecution of war crimes
c. Reconciliation and political dialogue between the countries of the former Yugoslavia
• Address by Boris Tadic, President of Serbia
• Joint debate:
a. Implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
b. Preventing harm to refugees and migrants in extradition and expulsion cases: Rule 39 indications by the European Court of Human Rights
• The death penalty in Council of Europe member and observer states – a violation of human rights
Thursday 27 January
• [Possibly] Urgent or current affairs debate
• Address by Traian Basescu, President of Romania
• Address by Sali Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania
• Rural women in Europe
• The need to assess progress in the implementation of the Bern Convention
Friday 28 January
• Monitoring of commitments concerning social rights
• Preventive health care policies in the Council of Europe member states
• Promoting active ageing – capitalising on older people’s working potential
Practical information
Press conferences: PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu will give a press conference on Monday 24 January at 10.30 am. Other press conferences will be announced on the spot. Press conferences can be viewed live at http://tv.coe.int/internet/press.html.
Further details: see the Assembly's website, http://assembly.coe.int. Additional information may also be found on the Council of Europe web portal.
For TV planning units: videos in broadcast quality summing up PACE highlights can be downloaded for free at http://dl.coe.int no later than two hours after the event. Further information from the Council of Europe Audiovisual Service on +33 3 88 41 25 64 (prior to the session) or +33 3 88 41 35 00 (during the session).
For accreditation: Directorate of Communication, [email protected],
tel. +33 3 88 41 25 44
Contact: PACE Communication Division: Tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93; [email protected]