02/10/2012 | Session
The attempt to criminalise Iceland’s former Prime Minister Geir Haarde is an example of how holding a political leader criminally responsible for his political acts “poisons the political climate without advancing the cause of justice”, according to a memorandum on the affair prepared for the PACE Legal Affairs Committee. Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD), who is preparing a report for PACE on “Keeping political and criminal responsibility separate”, said in an information memorandum – made public in Strasbourg yesterday – that the attempt to criminalise Mr Haarde had “clearly backfired” against Iceland’s political class and had “left a bad aftertaste”.
02/10/2012 | Elections
Georgia’s parliamentary elections marked an important step in consolidating the conduct of democratic elections, although certain key issues remain to be addressed, concluded the international election observers in a statement released today.“Despite shortcomings, these elections were very competitive,” said Luca Volontè, the Head of the PACE delegation.
02/10/2012 | Session
PACE today elected Faris Vehabović as judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr Vehabović, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge for a term of office of nine years starting not later than three months as from 2 October 2012.
02/10/2012 | Session
PACE today elected Ksenija Turković as judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Croatia. Ms Turković, having obtained an absolute majority of the votes cast, is elected judge for a term of office of nine years starting not later than three months as from 1 November 2012.
02/10/2012 | Session
PACE today elected Valeriu Griţco as judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Republic of Moldova. Mr Griţco, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge for a term of office of nine years starting not later than three months as from 2 October 2012.
02/10/2012 | Session
PACE today elected Dmitry Dedov as judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Russian Federation. Mr Dedov, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge for a term of office of nine years starting not later than three months as from 1 November 2012.
01/10/2012 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected, at the opening of its Autumn Session, René Rouquet Vice-President of the Assembly with respect to France.
01/10/2012 | Session
Adopting the agenda of its autumn plenary session this morning, PACE decided to hold an urgent debate on “The European response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria” on the morning of Thursday 4 October. It also decided to hold a current affairs debate later on the same day on “The Safarov case”.
01/10/2012 | Session
In his opening address at the 4th session of PACE, its President Jean-Claude Mignon called for "dialogue with our Russian friends and colleagues. I hope that we shall soon have another opportunity to hold an exchange of views with Mr Naryshkin, President of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, who has unfortunately cancelled his trip to Strasbourg during this part-session,” said the PACE President. The tensions surrounding the report made him uneasy for they had no foundation. “We hold our debates according to the principles of dialogue and mutual respect, treating all participants on an equal footing and applying no double standards."
27/09/2012 | President
"I was disappointed to learn this morning that Mr Naryshkin, the Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, has cancelled his participation in the October part-session to be held in Strasbourg next week,” PACE President, Jean-Claude Mignon, said today. “During this part-session we will be examining a report on the honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation, the first such report in seven years. Our exchange of views with Mr Naryshkin would have allowed us make a political assessment of Russia's participation in the work of the Council of Europe, while together identifying tangible means of further reinforcing our co-operation, including on issues that are still causing debate...
27/09/2012 | President
“The recent allegation that a handball match involving Montpellier may have been fixed has highlighted a dramatic and growing problem in Europe,” said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon. “I urge the authorities to get to the bottom of this affair as swiftly as possible, but – whatever the outcome of the judicial investigation – there is no doubt that wider action is urgently needed to tackle this looming threat...
27/09/2012 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
“The economic crisis reinforces the already significant vulnerability of irregular migrants and increases still further the number of victims for this form of trafficking. Currently, migrants already account for almost half of the total number of the some 20.9 million trapped in forced labour world-wide. Trafficking of human beings affects virtually every country in the world, either as a country of origin, transit or destination,” told Annette Groth (Germany, UEL).