18/07/2011 | Monitoring
John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC) and Axel Fischer (Germany, EPP/CD), PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Armenia, will make a fact-finding visit to the country from 19 to 21 July. In Yerevan they are due to discuss the latest developments regarding the normalisation of the political environment, as well as the reform programme started by the authorities, in particular election reform ahead of the 2012 parliamentary elections.
12/07/2011 | Monitoring
György Frunda (Romania, EPP/CD) and Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of the Russian Federation, will make a fact-finding visit to Moscow on 13-14 July to discuss with Duma representatives the road-map for fulfilment of Russia’s obligations and commitments to the Council of Europe.
11/07/2011 | Monitoring
The co-rapporteurs of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s Monitoring Committee for Georgia, Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE) and Kastriot Islami (Albania, SOC), today hailed the adoption of the amendments to the civil code that allows for other faiths and denominations than the Georgian Orthodox Church to be registered as legal entities of public law.
04/07/2011 | Monitoring
Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE) and Jana Fischerová (Czech Republic, EDG), PACE co-rapporteurs who have been appointed to assess the request for the opening of a monitoring procedure in respect of Hungary, will make a fact-finding visit to the country from 6 to 8 July. A January 2011 motion, signed by 24 members of the Assembly, raised “serious concern” about recent developments in Hungary in four areas related to human rights, the rule of law and the functioning of democratic institutions.
01/07/2011 | Monitoring
Josette Durrieu (France, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the post-monitoring dialogue with Turkey, voiced her concern about the situation in the country following the refusal of 170 opposition MPs belonging to the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) to take the oath at the inaugural sitting of parliament.
24/06/2011 | Monitoring
In an information note declassified by PACE Monitoring Committee on 21 June 2011, the co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Montenegro, Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD) and Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE), welcomed Montenegro’s willingness to honour its commitments and obligations and meet the requirements of the European Union in the field of human rights, the rule of law and democracy in order to begin the EU accession negotiation process.
09/06/2011 | Monitoring
“While we congratulate Montenegro for undertaking many essential reforms and understand that the country is eager to open the negotiations to join the EU, we consider that serious issues still need to be addressed by the authorities if Montenegro is to honour its commitments and obligations to the Council of Europe,” declared Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD) and Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE), co-rapporteurs for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), following a fact-finding visit to Podgorica from 31 May to 2 June 2011.
01/06/2011 | Monitoring
PACE rapporteurs for the honouring of commitments by Ukraine, Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALDE) and Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin (Sweden, EPP/CD), welcomed the authorities “considerable efforts” and “political will” to honour their accession obligations to the Council of Europe. “The initiation of a profound constitutional reform process should be welcomed in this context”, they underline in an information note. However, “developments with regard to electoral reform are of serious concern”, especially in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2012.
30/05/2011 | Monitoring
Grigore Petrenco (Moldova, UEL) has been appointed as a co-rapporteur for PACE’s monitoring of Albania, to replace Jaako Laakso (Finland, UEL), who leaves this post after more than three years. He will work alongside the existing co-rapporteur Thomáš Jirsa (Czech Republic, EDG).Albania has been subject to the Assembly’s monitoring procedure – which involves regular visits to the country, dialogue with the authorities and periodic Assembly debates – since it joined the Council of Europe in 1995.
30/05/2011 | Monitoring
Indrek Saar (Estonia, SOC) has been appointed as a co-rapporteur for PACE’s monitoring of Serbia, to replace Sinikka Hurskainen (Finland, SOC). He will work alongside the existing co-rapporteur Davit Harutyunyan (Armenia, EDG). Serbia has been subject to the Assembly’s monitoring procedure – which involves regular visits to the country, dialogue with the authorities and periodic Assembly debates – since it joined the Council of Europe in 2003.
27/05/2011 | Monitoring
PACE co-rapporteur on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Serbia, Davit Harutyunyan (Armenia, EDG), pays tribute to the steps taken by the Serbian parliament to align its legislation with Council of Europe standards. He particularly welcomes progress made in implementing PACE Resolution 1661 (2009) by abolishing blank resignations, amending the system of allocation of seats in parliament - which should better respect the will of the citizens - and ensuring a better access of women to elected positions in parliament.
27/05/2011 | Monitoring
Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD) and Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE), PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Montenegro, will be visiting Podgorica on 1st and 2nd June, where they are scheduled to meet the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the Interior, Justice, Human Minorities and Rights, and the Montenegrin parliamentary delegation to PACE.