01/10/2009 | Session
Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly today, the President of the Republic of Slovenia said that a "Europe united around common values is still not fully realised". He stated that this aim should remain the priority of the Council of Europe, which should continue to be the "ultimate watchdog for human rights in the continent". He called on member states to respect their commitments with regard to the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, and to give the required attention to the implementation of conventions and the recommendations of the bodies that monitor torture, racism, national minorities and social rights.
01/10/2009 | Session
At the end of a debate on the reform of the United Nations, the Assembly today called on European governments to reach a common position as regards the prohibition of the recourse to the veto within the Security Council in the case of “actual or threatened serious and widespread human rights violations”. Following the proposals of the rapporteur (Andreas Gross, Switzerland, SOC), the parliamentarians also voted in favour of a transitional reform of the Security Council, based on the establishment of a new category of non-permanent seats, which could be held for a longer period of time than in the current system.
01/10/2009 | Session
PACE today decided to confirm the credentials of the Russian delegation, following a challenge submitted by 72 Assembly members. In a resolution adopted by 88 votes to 35, the parliamentarians said: “Notwithstanding the lack of compliance by Russia with most of its demands, the Assembly decides to confirm the ratification of the credentials of the Russian delegation, on the understanding that this will enable the Russian authorities to engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue with a view to addressing all the issues mentioned in the Assembly resolutions on the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia.”
30/09/2009 | Session
PACE today decided to ratify the credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Moldova, challenged at the opening of the session on procedural grounds. The Assembly concluded that the list of its members fairly represented political groups in the Moldovan Parliament, in compliance with Rule 6 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure. PACE also asked the relevant Moldovan authorities to specify urgently their intentions in regard to four vacant seats for substitutes on the Moldovan delegation.
30/09/2009 | Session
PACE today called for the “right to live in a healthy and viable environment” to be enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights – which would make it legally enforceable in courts across Europe. In a recommendation based on a report by José Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD), the Assembly said the European Court of Human Rights, in its case-law, had already on some occasions protected such a right as a “knock-on effect” of other rights.
30/09/2009 | Session
In a resolution unanimously adopted today, PACE stressed that the independence of the judiciary is the principal line of defence against politically-motivated interference in the law. In order to ensure the success of any changes to the system, PACE advised maintaining the right balance between parties enjoying full independence (judges, defence lawyers) and the prosecution and the police. Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (Germany, ALDE), PACE rapporteur on this subject, examined how politicians can interfere in criminal proceedings in four countries representing the principal types of criminal justice system in Europe.
30/09/2009 | Session
“In April 2009, the Russian Government announced the end of the operations in Chechnya. Now, however, the entire region is beset by violence,” said Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) today at the start of the current affairs debate on the situation of human rights defenders and the increasing violence in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation. According to Mr Marty, it is above all the general climate of impunity at all levels which has prevailed in the region for many years that has generated an atmosphere conducive to the spread of violence. “There can be no justice without truth and no peace without justice,” he added.
30/09/2009 | Session
PACE today expressed concern about the generally deteriorating state of OECD member countries’ public finances, with debt ratios in some that have reached “record and unsustainable levels”. States should return their economies to a sound footing to better withstand future crises, the parliamentarians said.
30/09/2009 | Session
“Balanced participation in politics by women and men is vital if democracy and society are to function more smoothly, and political parties have a key role to play here,” said Lluís Maria de Puig, President of the Assembly, at the award ceremony for the PACE’s 2009 Gender Equality Prize. “However, parity is still a long way off,” he added. “As far as the Assembly is concerned, there was only one woman when it was set up and now only 27% of its members are women.”
30/09/2009 | Session
OECD Secretary General at the Assembly today, said "although the global economy seemed to be stabilising, this didn’t mean that the crisis was over." "Our biggest challenges lie ahead," he said. "But we can and must reactivate economic growth and employment, plan carefully and coordinate our recovery strategies, to make sure that this kind of crisis will never happen again."
30/09/2009 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
The debate on the green economy in Europe and the United States held yesterday evening by PACE and the Alsace Region clearly underlined the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the earliest opportunity – between 50% and 85% by 2050 – as well as the idea that sustainable growth depends on the involvement of business. John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC), PACE rapporteur on climate change, drew attention to the vitally important nature of the negotiations due at the Copenhagen Conference in December.
29/09/2009 | Session
Before the end of this year, Russia should allow EU monitors into South Ossetia and Abkhazia, lift all restrictions on humanitarian aid to the two regions and let Georgian civilians move freely across the boundary lines, PACE demanded today. Debating the war between Georgia and Russia a year on, the Assembly deplored there had been “little tangible progress” in addressing the consequences of the war – and said that in several areas, the situation had actually regressed.