26/10/2010 | President
"Extremist populist parties have sought to capitalise on society's security concerns by simply equating immigration with crime and insecurity. In an attempt to regain the support of the electorate, mainstream political parties are picking up some of the radical, xenophobic and discriminatory language of extremist parties. This is an extremely worrying trend.
25/10/2010 | President
“The issue of discrimination against Roma is just the tip of the iceberg. Extremist populist parties have sought to capitalise on society's security concerns by simply equating immigration with crime and insecurity. In an attempt to regain the support of the electorate, mainstream political parties are picking up some of the radical, xenophobic and discriminatory language of extremist parties. This is an extremely worrying trend. We should not hide behind populist rhetoric,” said Mevlüt Çavusoglu today, addressing the students of the Maastricht School of Management during his visit to the Netherlands.
21/10/2010 | Election observation
A five-member, cross-party delegation from PACE, visiting Azerbaijan ahead of the 7 November parliamentary elections has welcomed an overall calm atmosphere in the run-up to the elections. “This is a positive departure from the ways of the past where electoral campaigns were marred by violence and mutual recriminations,” the delegation said.
20/10/2010 | Political Affairs and Democracy
New forms of democracy – in which citizens can participate directly in decisions, for example – are needed to supplement traditional representative democracy if the current crisis in democracy is to be overcome, Lord Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC) has told the Forum for the Future of Democracy in Yerevan. Delivering a speech on behalf of PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu, Mr Prescott said there was a need for “sustained forms of interaction between people and the authorities”.
20/10/2010 | President
Speaking at the High-level meeting on Roma in Strasbourg today, the PACE President declared that in the Assembly’s view “there should be no shirking of responsibility: education, employment, social inclusion, health services and housing are almost entirely national responsibilities”.
20/10/2010 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“In the current process of reform in the Council of Europe, the protection of the environment and territorial planning should be regarded as part of the Council of Europe’s ‘core business’,” today said Valeriy Sudarenkov (Russian Federation, SOC), speaking at the ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Council of Europe Landscape Convention today in Florence.
19/10/2010 | President
“I am shocked and angered to learn of this morning’s terrorist attack in Grozny,” said Mevlüt Çavusoglu, the President of PACE. “Those who carried it out must be utterly condemned: no cause justifies this extreme and deadly violence. This was all the more shocking because it targeted a parliament, the symbol of the people. I offer my sincere condolences and solidarity to the families of those who died while carrying out their duty to protect the deputies," he added.
18/10/2010 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
‘On the European Day against Trafficking in Human Beings, I would like to reiterate the firm commitment of the Committee for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men not to spare any effort to fight against this intolerable form of modern-day slavery’, said today José Mendes Bota, Chairperson of the Committee.‘On our continent, the Council of Europe and the European Union should work hand in hand, avoid duplication and apply the highest standards in the prevention of trafficking, the prosecution of offenders and the protection of victims’.
15/10/2010 | Election observation
A five-member PACE delegation led by Paul Wille (Belgium, ALDE) will carry out a pre-electoral mission to Baku from 19 to 21 October 2010, ahead of the parliamentary elections on 7 November 2010, to assess the electoral framework and campaign. The delegation will meet the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Minister of the Interior, and the representatives of the political parties and coalitions standing for election.
14/10/2010 | President
"In times of crisis, many governments are tempted to cut education budgets. However, this is a false saving, one which will be paid for dearly in the future," said PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu, speaking today in Moscow at the opening of an international symposium on Education in Europe – for harmonious development of students. "For this reason, the Assembly has called for education policies to be developed to face these challenges and invited the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to strengthen education in the organisation's work programme," he said.
13/10/2010 | President
In his address at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations today, the PACE President stressed that Russia’s influence in the Council of Europe was substantial and that relations with Russia had a particular importance for the Organisation. "The decision of Russia to join the Council of Europe 14 years ago was, and still is, a clear choice to share our common values," he said.
13/10/2010 | President
“Intensifying inter-religious and intercultural dialogue is one of the best ways of combating xenophobia, racism, anti-semitism and islamophobia, which seem to be on the rise in many European societies,” PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu has said, speaking at the start of a visit to Moscow from 13 to 14 October. He is holding meetings with religious dignitaries: Patriarch Cyril of Moscow and All-Russia, the Grand Mufti of Russia and Chair of Russia’s Council of Muftis Sheik Ravil Gainutdin and the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar.