06/05/2011 | Prizes
“In establishing the Europe Prize in 1955, the aim of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was to demonstrate, through a political decision, the importance it attaches to the European action of local authorities,” said PACE President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, speaking today in Ankara, on the occasion of the General Assembly of the Association of Towns awarded the Europe Prize.
04/05/2011 | Political Affairs and Democracy
"I very much welcome the unity deal of the various Palestinian groups, signed today in Cairo," said Tiny Kox (Netherlands, UEL), the PACE rapporteur on a request by the Palestinian National Council for "Partner for democracy" status with the Assembly. "Palestinian unity is of utmost importance with regard to the Palestinian request for closer co-operation with the Assembly," said Mr Kox, who made a fact-finding visit to Ramallah and Jerusalem in March to assess the request.
04/05/2011 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Christos Pourgourides (Cyprus, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the PACE Legal Affairs Committee and the Assembly’s former rapporteur on “Fair trial issues in criminal cases concerning espionage or divulging state secrets”, has welcomed the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg finding a violation by the Russian Federation of scientist Igor Sutyagin’s right to a fair trial.
29/04/2011 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
“World Press Freedom Day is a moment to celebrate the right to freedom of expression and information through the media as one of the most fundamental political rights for every individual and for the functioning of democratic societies,” said Mats Johansson (Sweden, EPP/CD), the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) standing rapporteur on media freedom.
29/04/2011 | President
Following the terrorist attack in Marrakech on 28 April, the PACE President extended his sincere condolences to the Speakers of the Assembly of Representatives and the Assembly of Councillors of Morocco: "May I extend to you my sincere condolences on my own account and on behalf of all members of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on the occasion of the terrorist attack which rocked your country yesterday..."
28/04/2011 | President
Croatia is “on the right track” in its European integration and could become a model for other Western Balkan countries in their drive for EU membership, PACE President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said, speaking mid-way through a two-day official visit to the country (28-29 April). The country has made “remarkable progress in establishing democratic norms and practices, in the protection of human rights and in building a state based on the rule of law”, the President said, demonstrating its potential to play the same positive role when it becomes an EU member.
26/04/2011 | President
National parliaments must play a key role in stemming the flood of applications submerging the European Court of Human Rights, PACE President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said, speaking today at the opening of the High-Level Conference on the future of the Court in Izmir, Turkey. Parliaments should "rigorously and systematically verify the compatibility of draft and existing laws with the Convention’s standards", the President pointed out, which would prevent some cases reaching Strasbourg in the first place. Secondly, they should apply pressure on governments to rapidly implement the Court’s judgments when violations were found.
26/04/2011 | President
PACE President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will make an official visit to Croatia on 28-29 April 2011. During his visit, he is due to meet the President of the Republic Ivo Josipović, the Speaker of Parliament Luka Bebić, the Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Gordan Jandroković.
21/04/2011 | President
The President of PACE and the leaders of the Assembly’s five political groups have saluted the Tunisian people’s determination to build “a genuine democratic society based on universal values”. Speaking at the end of a visit to Tunisia by PACE’s Presidential Committee, they said the government and people were managing the transition well, leading the way for other countries in the region. They also welcomed the creation of a series of commissions to prepare the democratic transition which were established on the basis of a wide agreement between political forces, NGOs and experts.
19/04/2011 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights has called on participants at a special meeting of the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee which opens in Strasbourg today to fight terrorism “in a manner which fully respects human rights and the rule of law”.
15/04/2011 | Session
While underlining that climate change compounds the problem of malnutrition in the world’s most arid regions, the Assembly drew attention to the fact that water shortages also led to acts of violence and conflicts “which may threaten a state’s political and social stability”. The close links between water and security are being confirmed, said the parliamentarians, while noting that water had become “a military and political tool and a new weapon for terrorists”.
15/04/2011 | Session
PACE has called on Council of Europe governments to adopt 15 guiding principles for treating unaccompanied children arriving at their borders – mainly boys of 14 to 17 who are escaping war, violence or extreme poverty. In a resolution approved today, based on a report by Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALDE), the parliamentarians said such children should never be refused entry, deported or held in detention, and should receive special assistance commensurate with their age.