05/11/2016 President
At the end of his official visit to Monaco (3-4 November 2016), PACE President Pedro Agramunt congratulated the Monegasque authorities on the progress made since 2004.
“Just over a month ago, Monaco celebrated its twelfth anniversary as a member of our organisation. Over these past twelve years, Monaco has demonstrated a genuine commitment to our fundamental values: I particularly wish to commend it for the energy and drive displayed by the Monaco delegation to the PACE; the close co-operation with the Council of Europe’s monitoring mechanisms, such as GRECO and ECRI; and the ratification of 49 Council of Europe conventions, including, just recently, the Additional Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism. I would urge the Monegasque authorities to continue moving down this path and to become even more involved in the work of our organisation,” said Mr Agramunt.
“During my meetings, I also raised the issue of outstanding commitments, including ratification of the European Social Charter.” Mr Agramunt continued: “The Assembly fully recognises Monaco’s uniqueness and could play a key role in the discussions to find an arrangement that would allow it to ratify this major instrument. In this context, I have invited my interlocutors to resume discussions at parliamentary level as well, and have made it clear that the PACE, and in particular our Social Affairs Committees, stands ready to provide the National Council with all the support it needs.”
During his visit, Mr Agramunt also discussed topical issues such as the fight against terrorism, migration and the refugee crisis, the attempted coup d'état in Turkey and relations with the Russian Parliament. In this context, he welcomed the decision by Monegasque MPs to launch the #NoHateNoFear initiative at national level. “I greatly appreciate the way in which the National Council has supported my Terrorism: #NoHateNoFear initiative. Unfortunately, inhuman acts of terror and hatred have occurred in Paris, Tunis, Brussels, Istanbul, Nice and many other places, one after another, proof that no country is immune to the threat of terrorism. In the face of this challenge, we need a strong signal from all European states,” said Mr Agramunt.
As part of the #NoHateNoFear initiative, on Friday 4 November the PACE President travelled to Nice to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack on 14 July. He laid a wreath on behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, at a ceremony attended by, inter alia, Christian Estrosi, President of the Nice metropolitan area and head of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur; Philippe Pradal, Mayor of Nice; Rudy Salles, Deputy Mayor of Nice, MP for Alpes-Maritimes and member of the PACE; and Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.
During his visit to Monaco, Mr Agramunt met the Government Counsellor, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, Gilles Tonelli, the President of the National Council, Christophe Steiner, and members of the Monaco delegation to the PACE. He also held an exchange of views with the National Council’s Committee on External Relations and had an audience with His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.