24/06/2013 Session
When adopting its final agenda at the opening of the Summer Session 2013, PACE decided to hold on Thursday an urgent debate on “Popular protest and challenges to freedom of assembly, media and speech” and a current affairs debate on “State interference with privacy on the Internet”.
The credentials of the Icelandic delegation to the Assembly were challenged on procedural grounds. The Committee on Rules of Procedure should address the issue and the final decision by the Assembly is foreseen for Wednesday afternoon.
A decision on a request for the opening of a monitoring procedure in respect of Hungary and a debate on tackling discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity – to be addressed by the Women’s Rights Minister of France Najat Vallaud-Belkacem – are among the highlights of the PACE Summer Session.
Other topics on the agenda include the situation in the Middle East, corruption as a threat to the rule of law, and putting an end to coerced sterilisations and castrations. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will present the communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly and answer questions.