05/10/2010 | Session
The Assembly today expressed its concern at the upsurge of certain forms of extremism in Europe, particularly racism and xenophobia, “in the light of the rise of the electoral support of parties” inspired by these ideas. To counter this trend, and in line with the proposals by the rapporteur (Pedro Agramunt, Spain, EPP/CD), parliamentarians called on European governments to devise clear and sustainable immigration policies “accompanied by appropriate integration policies”...
05/10/2010 | Secretary General of the Assembly
PACE, meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, today elected Wojciech Sawicki to the post of Secretary General of the Assembly for a five-year term starting on 1 February 2011.
04/10/2010 | Session
"Our Chairmanship fully supports the Secretary General’s decision to call a high-level meeting to put in place a European strategy that would lead to lasting, tangible measures to ensure the social integration of the Roma", said the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers on 4 October. "For all forces will need to be mobilised if this initiative, which is a challenge for Europe as a whole, and the Council of Europe in particular, is to succeed", he added.
04/10/2010 | Session
In his address before the Parliamentary Assembly on 4 October, Guido Westerwelle, Deputy Federal Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, warned of an increasing nationalism in politics. "It may get you applause back home", he said, but it is "irresponsible".
04/10/2010 | Election observation
Yesterday’s general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina represented further progress and, except for legal restrictions of voting rights, were conducted generally in line with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement issued today. They stressed that certain key areas require action.
04/10/2010 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected Václav Kubata (Czech Republic, EPP/CD) Vice-President of the Assembly with respect to the Czech Republic.
04/10/2010 | Session
Adopting the final agenda of its Autumn 2010 plenary session (4-8 October), the Assembly decided to hold an urgent debate on “The recent rise in national security discourse in Europe: the case of the Roma”, which will take place on Thursday morning. During the week, the Assembly will also debate on the fight against extremism, human rights and business, and will discuss a report on women’s access to lawful medical care: the problem of the unregulated use of conscientious objection. The Prime Minister of “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” Nikola Gruevski and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will address the Assembly.
04/10/2010 | Session
“Many of you know that it is the principle of non-discrimination which is of particular importance to me. During the last couple of months, it has been the issue of the Roma population in Europe which has raised serious questions about discrimination”, said PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu today at the opening of the Assembly’s autumn session in Strasbourg.
04/10/2010 | Session
Speaking at a press conference on the occasion of the Autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly, PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu today expressed his concern at the recent rise of populist and extremist candidates and groupings, obtaining significant results in many countries at regional and national elections. “They exploit the resentments stirred by economic decline and social crisis as they are elected on an 'anti'-ticket - anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, anti-Europe”, he stressed.
01/10/2010 | President
“Cultural heritage is a mirror that reflects the best of us all as members of our societies and as European citizens. It brings societies ever closer one to another, by uniting them in diversities, strengthening cultural ties, mutual respect and understanding”, today said PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu addressing the 3RD European Heritage Forum, organised in Istanbul in the context of the 25th anniversary of European Heritage Days.
01/10/2010 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
National legislators and courts across Europe must better take into account judgments of the European Court of Human Rights even when they concern violations that have occurred in other countries, the Chair of PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights said today. Speaking at a conference on the principle of subsidiarity in Skopje, Christos Pourgourides (Cyprus, EPP/CD) said this principle could be “the key to saving the Strasbourg Court from drowning in large numbers of repetitive cases”.
30/09/2010 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Nuclear energy and its impact on climate change, the economy and society will be the focus of a conference organised by PACE Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs in Strasbourg (Palais de l’Europe, Avenue de l’Europe, Room 1) on 25 and 26 November 2010. The themes chosen for the five working sessions will cover the nuclear situation in Europe and the rest of the world, its impact on the economy and climate change, education and training in the nuclear field and safety and waste management.