12/10/2010 | Bureau
On 8 October, the PACE Bureau approved the composition of an Ad hoc Committee on Assembly reform which it had decided to establish, in line with the recommendation made by the Presidential Committee at its meeting in Rome on 7 September. The Bureau nominated Jean-Claude Mignon (France, EPP/CD) as Chairperson of this ad hoc committee, which will include members of all political groups.
12/10/2010 | Monitoring
The Chair of PACE’s Monitoring Committee Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) has proposed a full day of high-level hearings to break what he called the “deadlock” on dealing with the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia. “Confrontation must give way to dialogue,” said Mr Marty in a note made public this week outlining the plan.
12/10/2010 | Monitoring
PACE monitoring co-rapporteurs for Georgia Kastriot Islami (Albania, SOC) and Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE), have called on the Georgian Parliament not to adopt the amendments to the constitution before the Venice Commission – the Council of Europe’s group of independent experts in constitutional law – has given its opinion on them, and only after its recommendations have been taken into account and addressed.
08/10/2010 | Session
PACE debated today how the eight EU states and Russia that are clustered around the Baltic Sea should review their ongoing strategies in co-operation together to face environmental,educational and economic problems in the shadow of the global economic crisis. Positive contributions would include reducing trade barriers, and improving mobility of labour and goods in the region as well as supporting innovative co-operation projects like the Baltic Sea Action Group designed to save this sea.
08/10/2010 | Session
All asylum application procedures should take account of the particular forms of persecution and human rights abuses that women face in the light of their gender, was the conclusion reached today by the PACE at the close of a parliamentary debate on the issue. In presenting his report to the Assembly, Andrej Zernovski (“the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, ALDE) said that this gender-related persecution includes sexual exploitation, forced marriage, honour crimes and forced abortion and sterilisation, as well as rape during armed conflict.
08/10/2010 | Session
The creation of a panel of experts to advise governments on their candidates for judge at the European Court of Human Rights might help ensure that only candidates with “the necessary qualifications, experience and stature” are put forward, PACE said today. Debating a report by Renate Wohlwend (Liechtenstein, EPP/CD), the Assembly welcomed the idea of a panel, which would be made up of eminent judges and lawyers, if it helped states to put forward candidates of the highest calibre for the Assembly to elect from.
07/10/2010 | Session
Gvozden Srecko Flego (Croatia, SOC) has been elected Chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Science and Education. Alongside his parliamentary role, Mr Flego is a Professor at the University of Zagreb and a former Minister for Science and Research in Croatia. He replaces the late Andrew McIntosh (United Kingdom, SOC).
07/10/2010 | Session
In the light of the “new risks” which more and more children are facing in our globalised times and the ongoing economic crisis, such as child trafficking or being left behind by migrant parents, the Assembly today urged member states to take further steps to protect children`s rights and well-being.
07/10/2010 | Session
Children who are ill or disabled should be educated – wherever possible – at mainstream schools, an arrangement which is better both for them and their peers, PACE has said. Debating a report by Lokman Ayva (Turkey, EPP/CD), the Assembly said arrangements for these children should be as inclusive as possible.
07/10/2010 | Session
"Ethnic and religious co-existence founded on a strong commitment to intercultural dialogue has made my country a model for Europe", said Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
07/10/2010 | Session
PACE today denounced the increasingly frequent use of security discourse on the national political scene. Presenting her report to the Assembly, Anne Brasseur (Luxembourg, ALDE) pointed out that this security rhetoric, which is being used by political leaders in several member States, “tends to link insecurity with ethnic communities”, as has recently been the case with Roma.
07/10/2010 | Session
The Assembly today emphasized the need to affirm the right of conscientious objection in lawful medical care. At the end of a debate on the subject during which the text presented by the Committee on Social Affairs was substantially amended, the adopted resolution states that "no person and no hospital or institution shall be coerced, held liable or discriminated against in any manner because of a refusal to perform, accommodate, assist or submit to an abortion […]". The adopted text invites member states to develop comprehensive and clear regulations that define and regulate conscientious objection with regard to health and medical services.