06/03/2009 | Monitoring
Luc Van den Brande (Belgium, EPP/CD) and Theodoros Pangalos (Greece, SOC), co-rapporteurs on Russia for the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), will make a fact-finding visit to Moscow from 9 to 11 March 2009 to take stock of Russia’s compliance with its obligations and commitments to the Council of Europe, for a forthcoming report.
17/02/2009 | Monitoring
“The decision of Albania’s Constitutional Court to suspend the implementation of the controversial Lustration Law is a welcome development,” said PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs for Albania, Jaakko Laakso (Finland, UEL) and David Wilshire (United Kingdom, EDG). “The Court has used its power to suspend implementation until it has taken a final decision on the complaints lodged by the Socialist Party, the Association of Judges and the Albanian Helsinki Committee,” they added.
17/02/2009 | Monitoring
John Prescott and Georges Colombier , co-rapporteurs on Armenia 's monitoring for PACE, expressed their concern about the refusal of the authorities to allow the Armenian National Congress (HAK) to organise a peaceful rally in Central Yerevan on 1 March 2009. They stressed that the Assembly has on several occasions called upon the authorities to fully respect the principle of freedom of assembly in Armenia and not to place undue restrictions, especially with regard to the requested venues, upon peaceful rallies organised by the opposition.
12/02/2009 | Monitoring
PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs for Albania have made it clear that there is scope for a major party-political confrontation ahead of June’s election over Albania’s new Lustration Law and urged all concerned to do all they can to avoid this. Jaako Laakso (Finland, UEL) and David Wilshire (United Kingdom, EDG) spent two days in Tirana discussing the new law and the way in which decisions on Albania’s delegation to PACE were taken.
11/02/2009 | Monitoring
“Transparent and efficient functioning of democratic institutions, which citizens can trust, is an essential pre-condition for closing the monitoring with respect to Serbia,” yesterday said PACE co-rapporteur on Serbia Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC) at the end of a two-day visit to the country. “Since the last parliamentary elections of May 2008, Serbia has made noticeable progress in a number of reform areas -he continued- commending the current political stability as well as the adoption of a number of key laws relating to European integration, reform of the judiciary and fight against corruption.
13/01/2009 | Monitoring
Georges Colombier (France, EPP/CD) and John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC), PACE co-rapporteurs on the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Armenia, will go to Yerevan from 14 to 16 January 2009, for a follow-up visit in connection with the implementation of PACE Resolutions 1609 (2008) and 1620 (2008) on the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia.
18/12/2008 | Monitoring
Declaring it “unacceptable” that persons could be charged and deprived of their liberty for political motivation in Armenia in relation to the events of 1 and 2 March 2008, the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) yesterday recommended suspending the voting rights of Armenia’s eight-member delegation to the Assembly until the authorities “have clearly demonstrated their political will to resolve this issue.” The co-rapporteurs would visit the country in January 2009, with a view to reporting back to the Committee on the first day of the January 2009 part-session on any progress with respect to the release of these persons.
17/12/2008 | Monitoring
The two PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs on the consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia have expressed serious concern that the escalation of tensions and provocations along the administrative borders could lead to “renewed clashes or an outbreak of hostilities” between the two member states. In a preliminary draft explanatory memorandum made public today by PACE’s Monitoring Committee, meeting in Paris, Luc van den Brande (Belgium, EPP/CD) and Mátyás Eörsi (Hungary, ALDE) called for access for international monitors to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
02/12/2008 | Monitoring
The need for speedier political reforms, including a full revision of the 1982 Constitution, more democratic state institutions and improved social dialogue were among the issues raised by the Chair of PACE’s Monitoring Committee Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE) during a three-day “post-monitoring dialogue” visit to Turkey (24-26 November).
21/11/2008 | Monitoring
As part of the post-monitoring dialogue with Turkey, Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE), Chair of the PACE Monitoring Committee, will be making a fact-finding visit to Ankara and Istanbul from 23 to 27 November 2008, where he will have talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Justice, and with the Head and Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Cassation, and the Chief Judge of the Constitutional Court. Mr Holovaty will also be meeting representatives of the political parties, the media, civil society, the diplomatic corps and religious dignitaries.
20/11/2008 | Monitoring
Albania’s political parties should “commit themselves to maintaining the current momentum for political change” ahead of the major challenge of the coming elections, according to PACE’s two monitoring co-rapporteurs on Albania. In an information note declassified yesterday, Jaakko Laakso (Finland, UEL) and David Wilshire (United Kingdom, EDG) also said Albania should implement adopted legislation more promptly and effectively, and criticised a lack of co-operation with some Council of Europe bodies.
20/11/2008 | Monitoring
PACE’s co-rapporteurs on Monaco have welcomed the progress achieved by the Principality since it joined the Council of Europe four years ago, but pointed to some promises it has not yet honoured. In a declassified information note on a recent visit, Leonid Slutsky (Russia, SOC) and Pedro Agramunt (Spain, EPP/CD) said adoption of the law on the functioning of the National Council would be a key part of the on-going programme to modernise the Principality’s democratic institutions.