26/06/2008 | Session
Despite the political will expressed by the Armenian authorities to meet the requirements outlined in Resolution 1609 (2008) on the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) takes the view, in a resolution adopted yesterday at the end of an urgent debate, that "progress is at present insufficient”. It regrets "the delay in implementing concrete measures" to overcome the political crisis that broke out after the presidential election on 19 February, while acknowledging that "the time given to the Armenian authorities was short".
26/06/2008 | Session
PACE has invited the Chinese authorities and parliament to engage in political dialogue to promote parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights in the country – and held out the prospect of observer status if there is “appreciable progress” in these fields. But it also called on China, which borders the Council of Europe area, to make "far-reaching" reforms, allow freedom of expression and end the crackdown on human rights activists.
25/06/2008 | Session
A new book on International parliaments – analysing their growing global importance and providing a guide to around forty of them – was launched today on the fringes of the Summer Session 2008 of the Assembly. Written by PACE President Lluis Maria de Puig, who is a historian as well as parliamentarian, the 120-page book (published in French and English) is believed to be the first in this field. “Parliaments are increasingly going global, and I am interested in how this is happening and where it is going,” said the President.
25/06/2008 | Session
The Assembly today called on member states to encourage integration as a facilitator for democratic participation and to facilitate access to nationality, including dual nationality. During a special debate on the state of democracy in Europe, the Assembly discussed the specific challenges facing European democracies, on the basis of three rapports by Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), John Greenway (United Kingdom, EDG) and Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE). According to reliable estimates, 8.8 per cent of Europe’s total population are migrants, and the figure is increasing, In this context, parliamentarians stressed the need to strike the right balance between respect for diversity and the need for integration for the proper functioning of democracy.
25/06/2008 | Session
PACE is to prepare a report on the inhumane treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo. The Assembly’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights today appointed Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) to prepare the report, who will visit the region to gather information before presenting his conclusions to the 318-member Assembly.
24/06/2008 | Session
Addressing the Assembly on 24 June during its debate on the economic situation in east and south-east Europe, the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, said that despite world-wide turbulence the situation in the region in terms of growth and outside investment was a healthy one. Jean Lemierre also paid tribute to the Council of Europe's activities in the Balkans.
24/06/2008 | Session
Today the Assembly highlighted the excellent results the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) achieved over the 2007 financial year, despite turbulent world financial markets and the fact that most of its operations take place in countries with higher risk profiles. In a resolution adopted today, it welcomed the EBRD's decision to reinvest a large share of its profits in the neediest countries, giving priority to small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship.
24/06/2008 | Session
José Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD), Rapporteur for PACE Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, said today, with the support of Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis, that it was overwhelmingly important for the Council of Europe to prepare a framework convention covering the severest and most widespread forms of violence against women in Europe.
24/06/2008 | Session
John Greenway (United Kingdom, EDG) and Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC) yesterday opened in Strasbourg the Conference on the Specific challenges facing European democracies – the case of diversity and migration and measures to improve the democratic participation of migrants. The Conference was organised to allow civil society and other actors, including Council of Europe bodies, to have an input into the Parliamentary debate on the same issue taking place on 25 June as part of the State of Democracy in Europe debate. Two reports have been prepared for discussion: the first on the specific challenges facing European democracies – the case of diversity and migration; the second on the measures to improve the democratic participation of migrants.
24/06/2008 | Session
The investigation into the murder of Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze cannot be considered solved until the “instigators and organisers” are held to account in addition to the actual perpetrators of the crime, according to the Legal Affairs Committee of PACE
24/06/2008 | Session
Today the Assembly invited member states to take practical measures to empower women in our modern, multicultural society and to extend their rights, in particular by allowing them to take part fully in public life, politics and economic life through the introduction of positive measures (quotas and other mechanisms). PACE asserts that states must protect women against violations of their rights, including those carried out in the name of religion.
24/06/2008 | Session
PACE today expressed great concern at the “deteriorating” human rights situation in Azerbaijan, undermining any efforts being made by the authorities to meet basic democratic standards in the forthcoming Presidential election. In a resolution approved today, the parliamentarians spelled out a “road-map” of urgent steps to be taken ahead of the 15 October election.