08/09/2010 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
Why are there so few women in economic and social decision-making bodies? This question will be the subject of a hearing held in Paris on Friday 10 September by the PACE Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men as part of the preparation of the report by Gisèle Gautier (France, EPP/CD) on this issue.
07/09/2010 | Political Affairs and Democracy
There have been many advances in reconciliation between the countries of the former Yugoslavia over the past few years, but bilateral relations are still fragile, with unresolved issues including territorial disputes and strong nationalistic rhetoric, according to PACE rapporteur on the topic, Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC).
07/09/2010 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Concerned by recent developments in several Council of Europe member states, the Political Affairs Committee of the Council’s Parliamentary Assembly, meeting in Belgrade today, has proposed an urgent debate at the Assembly’s forthcoming autumn session (4-8 October 2010) on: “Recent rise of national security discourse in Europe: the case of the Roma”.
07/09/2010 | Bureau
The members of PACE Bureau, led by the PACE President, Mevlüt Çavusoglu, will be received today for an audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. “We are deeply grateful to His Holiness for granting this audience”, said President Çavusoglu the day before the audience. He pointed out that the Holy See enjoyed observer status with the Council of Europe, and that it shared the Organisation’s and its Parliamentary Assembly’s faith in the value of the human being.
07/09/2010 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Sinikka Hurskainen (Finland, SOC), rapporteur on Belarus for PACE, has expressed her concern at the death of Oleg Bebenin, a co-founder of the Charter 97 website in Belarus, on Friday. “Questions have been raised about the circumstances of his death, and I expect the authorities to conduct a full, transparent and exhaustive investigation into this tragic event,” said Mrs Hurskainen, who met opposition representatives in Minsk less than two weeks ago.
06/09/2010 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
In adopting a report on child abuse in institutions, PACE's Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee today called for “more far-reaching measures in the future when it comes to according full justice to victims of past offences”. The Committee believes that “more committed action will be required” when it comes to reinforcing legislation on child abuse and applying it to various institutional contexts.
06/09/2010 | Election observation
A PACE delegation has observed the constitutional referendum in Moldova on 5 September. It was the only European parliamentary organisation to observe this referendum. The delegation considered that the voting day was calm and orderly. The citizens who participated in the referendum could in general make their choice freely. However, this delegation regrets the low turnout.
03/09/2010 | President
PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu has praised Sweden for its “active role” in both the Council of Europe and the European Union, and urged it to continue supporting the reform processes within both organisations, including EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights. At meetings today in Stockholm, Swedish EU Affairs Minister Birgitta Ohlson and the State Secretary to the Prime Minister Gustaf Lind discussed current priorities of the Council of Europe with the President, and reiterated Sweden’s firm support for Turkish accession to the EU.
03/09/2010 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Meeting in Paris on 6 September, PACE Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee is to approve three reports: one by Marlene Rupprecht (Germany, SOC) on the protection of children and teenagers from abuse in institutions, a second by Laurent Béteille (France, EPP/CD) on the prevention of on-line gambling addiction, and a third by Denis Jacquat (France, EPP/CD) on capitalising on older people’s working potential.
02/09/2010 | Political Affairs and Democracy
A hearing on “Peace-building in the countries of the former Yugoslavia” will be the highlight of a two-day meeting of PACE's Political Affairs Committee in Belgrade on 6-7 September 2010. Topics at the hearing, on Monday afternoon, include the possibility of a trans-national truth commission, justice for war crimes, and EU integration as a catalyst for dialogue. Earlier on Monday, the committee will hold an exchange of views with the Serbian authorities.
02/09/2010 | President
At a joint meeting of the PACE Presidential Committee, led by its President Mevlüt Cavusoglu, and the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament in Brussels today, discussions focused on the accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights and in particular the right of...
01/09/2010 | President
At the end of his official visit to Romania, PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu expressed his appreciation to the country for the successful dealing with minority issues and efforts aiming at increasing the involvement of minorities in the political, economic and social life of the country. He recalled that PACE had recently urged all member states to improve the situation and integration of Roma, protect them from discrimination, enhance their participation and representation. He said he regretted that some European countries had chosen to deal with this problem in a way which is stigmatising this vulnerable minority and leading to an increase of xenophobic and racist feelings.