28/01/2022 Session
In adopting a resolution today, based on a report by Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE) – a report taking stock of the PACE monitoring activities in 2021 and making a series of assessments of the countries under monitoring procedure or engaged in post-monitoring dialogue, as well as of countries that are currently subject to the procedure for the periodic review of membership obligations to the Council of Europe – the Assembly welcomed positive developments and progress made, and expressed concern at remaining shortcomings in each of the countries concerned, as well as making specific recommendations.
The adopted text recalls that there are eleven countries subject to the full monitoring procedure (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine), and three countries engaged in post-monitoring dialogue (Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia). The periodic monitoring is currently being carried out for six States (France, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and San Marino).
PACE underlined that, despite sanitary and travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several fact-finding visits had taken place – including to Armenia, Georgia, Malta, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine – and that rapporteurs' work had continued including through online meetings. It added that in-person meetings were a necessary condition for a meaningful political dialogue.
Finally, the parliamentarians stressed the need for a more balanced gender representation in the nominations by the groups, both for Committee members and for rapporteur positions.