27/04/2010 | Session
The Parliament of Morocco is the first one to apply officially for the status of "partner for democracy". This status, recently established by the PACE, allows parliamentary delegations from the countries of the Mediterranean’s southern shore, the Middle East and central Asia to take part in the Assembly's activities. In return, parliaments seeking "partner for democracy" status must declare their commitment to the Council of Europe's values, undertake to hold free and fair elections, work towards abolishing the death penalty and encourage balanced participation of women and men in political life.
27/04/2010 | Session
The Assembly today elected Ganna Yudkivska as judge to the European Court of Human Rights with respect to Ukraine. Mrs Yudkivska, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of six years starting as of the date of taking up office and in any event not later than three months as from 27 April 2010.
27/04/2010 | Session
The current economic crisis has undoubtedly created a generally unfavourable social environment for most families all over Europe, according to the Assembly. Following the proposals by the rapporteur, Luca Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD), the parliamentarians said that a comprehensive family policy should be a core priority for each Council of Europe member state.
27/04/2010 | Session
The financial crisis which triggered the economic crisis was literally “man-made”, the Assembly said today at the end of a debate on women and the crisis. And this crisis, it added, could have been avoided if there had been “more women in decision-making positions”. To avoid the risk of history repeating itself, and following the proposals by the rapporteur Nursuna Memecan (Turkey, ALDE) the parliamentarians called for measures for gender-balancing in the boardrooms and top leadership and decision-making positions.
27/04/2010 | Session
Reforming the Council of Europe would make it "more politically relevant and influential," Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has declared. The organisation would focus "on what we can do best, in areas where we can make a real impact" he told the Parliamentary Assembly on 27 April. The Secretary General urged greater coordination and cooperation on all parts of the Organisation as vital to ensuring that new dividing lines in Europe did not emerge.
27/04/2010 | Session
Ukraine will fully comply with its Council of Europe commitments before it begins its Chairmanship of the organisation in May 2011, President Viktor Yanukovych pledged today, speaking before PACE in his first address to an international body since being elected. Developing Ukraine’s democracy was an “undisputed priority”, said Mr Yanukovich, who also promised to guarantee a free media, work to eradicate corruption and carry out judicial reform. His aim was to restore Ukraine as a reliable and predictable partner, committed to European values: "I have been elected President to act, and not to dream – and I will act," he said.
27/04/2010 | Session
In a resolution adopted today, the Assembly invites Council of Europe member states to "acknowledge that women must be fully involved in the conflict prevention and resolution and crisis management process". Members take the view that, in areas of Europe where there are unresolved conflicts, as in other conflict and post-conflict zones in the world, women are too often ignored in the peace negotiation process.
26/04/2010 | Session
The Committee of Ministers’ Chairperson welcomed, on 26 April, the Council of Europe reform started by its Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland. She raised problems encountered in Belarus and Bosnia and Herzegovina. She considers it vital that the Committee of Ministers sends a clear and unanimous message to Bosnia and Herzegovina to align its Constitution and legislation with requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights without further delay.
26/04/2010 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
At the end of its parliamentary debate on lobbying, PACE recommended that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe draw up a European code of conduct on lobbying, based in particular on a very clear definition of lobbying activities, a strengthening of transparency and the laying down of rules applicable to politicians, civil servants, members of pressure groups and business enterprises.
26/04/2010 | Session
Looking ahead to this week's visit by President Yanukovich, the PACE President, in his opening speech at the spring session, said that the Assembly should give its assistance and support to the Ukrainian authorities right now, as the new government faced urgent and important issues which were crucial for the future of the country.
26/04/2010 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected Ivan Popescu (Ukraine, SOC) Vice-President of the Assembly with respect to Ukraine.
26/04/2010 | Session
Adopting the final agenda of its Spring 2010 plenary session (26-30 avril), the Assembly decided to hold urgent debates on the urgent need for a constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina and on the situation in Belarus, both on Thursday morning. The parliamentarians decided to discuss the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia during a current affairs debate, on Wednesday morning, with an intervention from the former head of the international fact-finding mission on the conflict Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini. The debate on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity will take place on Thursday afternoon, and the one on the consequences of the economic crisis on Tuesday afternoon. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich will address the Assembly on Tuesday and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday.