21/05/2013 | President
“Its link with national parliaments is fundamental for the PACE, and we can be effective only if we strengthen that link”, said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, addressing the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Representatives in Brussels today...
17/05/2013 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
Around 100 parliamentarians from across Europe and media experts are to gather at the House of Commons in London for a conference on the role of national parliaments in media regulation in Europe.
17/05/2013 | Monitoring
A PACE delegation* looking into the consequences of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia has deeply regretted that the de facto authorities in Tskhinvali and Sukhumi refused to receive the delegation. The delegation has just returned from a visit to Moscow and Tbilisi (12-15 May 2013).
16/05/2013 | President
In his address to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe at its 123rd session, PACE President, Jean-Claude Mignon, today called for reinforcement of Council of Europe action in the fields of democracy, human rights and rule of law.
16/05/2013 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
To mark the International Day against Homophobia (May 17), Håkon Haugli, General rapporteur on the rights of LGBT people of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), made the following statement: “On 17 May 1990 the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases...
14/05/2013 | Prizes
Wojciech Sawicki, the PACE Secretary General, has issued a call for nominations for the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which will be awarded for the first time on 30 September next in Strasbourg.
14/05/2013 | President
Turkey is an indispensable partner for promoting the aims and values of the Council of Europe, PACE President, Jean-Claude Mignon, said today, speaking during an official visit to the country (13-15 May). The President, speaking in Ankara following a meeting with President Abdullah Gül and other leading officials in the country, said that Turkey, with its solid democratic system, was an example for the whole region...
13/05/2013 | Election observation
Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections on 12 May were held in a competitive environment, fundamental freedoms were respected, and the administration of elections was well managed, although the campaign was overshadowed by a number of incidents that diminished trust in state institutions and the process was negatively affected by pervasive allegations of vote-buying, international observers said in a statement today.
11/05/2013 | Election observation
The PACE delegation observing the early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria yesterday met President Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Marin Raykov, Deputy Prime Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva and Justice Minister Dragomir Yordanov. Discussions focussed on the atmosphere of the election campaign with just two days left to voting day. The 19-member delegation is observing the election alongside observers from the OSCE.
11/05/2013 | President
PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, speaking on the eve of an official visit to Turkey, has strongly condemned the attacks in the town of Rehyanli, close to the Syrian border. “I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and my support to all who are working on behalf of those affected. I also express my support for the Turkish authorities [...]. The perpetrators of these explosions tried to spread panic and destabilise the region. They will not succeed."
10/05/2013 | President
PACE President, Jean-Claude Mignon, will make an official visit to Turkey from 13 to 15 May, during which he is due to meet the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for the Family and Social Policy.
10/05/2013 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
Håkon Haugli (Norway, SOC), PACE rapporteur of the Equality and Non-Discrimination Committee, will make a fact-finding visit to Kyiv on 15-16 May 2013 in the framework of the preparation of his report on "Tackling discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity".