06/03/2009 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“A genuine democracy needs women in high posts,” said Lydie Err (Luxembourg, SOC), who chairs PACE's Sub-Committee on Equal Participation of Women and Men in Decision-making, speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day. “And it is political parties which have a key role to play in ensuring that women have access to elected posts and positions,” she added. The Assembly has called for guidelines for political parties to be put into place to reinforce gender equality within political parties, she pointed out.
06/03/2009 | Monitoring
Luc Van den Brande (Belgium, EPP/CD) and Theodoros Pangalos (Greece, SOC), co-rapporteurs on Russia for the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), will make a fact-finding visit to Moscow from 9 to 11 March 2009 to take stock of Russia’s compliance with its obligations and commitments to the Council of Europe, for a forthcoming report.
05/03/2009 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“The under-representation of women in elected posts is quite simply unacceptable in societies which are supposed to be democratic, and we have to find new ways of giving women access to decision-making processes" said Carmen Quintanilla Barba (Spain EPP/CD), a member of the PACE Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, speaking in Brussels today at the European Parliament conference on Women and European Elections.
04/03/2009 | President
"Social peace is sorely tried in all our countries by the current financial and economic crisis," the Assembly President pointed out today in Strasbourg when addressing the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. "Closer co-ordination and greater solidarity among our member states are essential. Concerted social action by all partners within our countries is likewise essential. For in such exceptional and alarming circumstances, our duty is to ensure better protection for the most vulnerable among those stricken by the crisis, and to make protection of social and economic rights the first priority."
03/03/2009 | Election observation
A PACE delegation, comprising Andres Herkel (Estonia, EPP/CD) – Head of delegation ad interim – and Ioannis Banias (Greece, UEL), will be undertaking a pre-electoral observation mission in Chisinau on 5 and 6 March, prior to the parliamentary elections to be held in Moldova on 5 April 2009. The delegation is due to meet the President of the Republic, the Speaker of Parliament, the Minister of Justice, the leaders of the political parties taking part in the elections and the leaders of the main opposition parties not represented in parliament.
27/02/2009 | Election observation
The PACE delegation, visiting "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" on a pre-electoral mission, noted that the authorities of the country have taken measures to implement the recommendations of the ad hoc Committee on the observation of the Parliamentary elections of 1 and 15 June 2008 (re-run). Moreover, the pre-electoral delegation took note of the adoption of amendments to the Electoral code which are currently being analysed by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. However, it deeply regrets that, since June 2008, not all those responsible for the acts of violence and electoral fraud have yet been identified and brought to justice.
25/02/2009 | President
At the end of his official two-day visit to Morocco on 24 and 25 February, PACE President Lluís Maria de Puig, said that PACE will discuss possible forms of enhanced co-operation with Maghreb parliaments. He said he was very satisfied with his visit, the warm welcome and the keen interest expressed by his Moroccon interlocutors to establish a permanent relationship with PACE based on the adherence to common values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. During his stay, the President met the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Minister of Justice, the Speaker of the House of Councillors, the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as the Chairman and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Chairman of the Human Rights Advisory Council.
25/02/2009 | Election observation
PACE pre-election delegation took note of the preparations underway for the upcoming early parliamentary elections in Montenegro, to be held on 29 March 2009. The delegation concluded that, with the necessary political will, Montenegro was capable of holding elections in line with European standards, despite the discrepancies that remain between the Constitution and the electoral legislation. It noted that the election administration demonstrates efficiency and represents a plurality of political views. The delegation was pleased with the active involvement of civil society and the print media in the process and praised the quality of their work.
23/02/2009 | President
PACE President Lluís Maria de Puig, will make an official visit to Morocco on 24 and 25 February, where he is to meet the Prime Minister and also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Minister of Justice. Talks are also scheduled with the Speaker of the House of Councillors, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Chairman of the Human Rights Advisory Council.
23/02/2009 | Election observation
A PACE delegation comprising four members and led by Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin (Sweden, EPP/CD), will go on a pre-electoral mission to Skopje on 26 and 27 February, ahead of the presidential election to take place in "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" on 22 March 2009. The delegation will meet the candidates standing for election, the President of the Republic, Branko Crvenkovski, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Svetlana Jakimovska, the Minister of the Interior, Gordana Jankuloska, the Chairman of the State electoral committee, Aleksandar Novakovski, the delegation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" to PACE, as well as ambassadors and representatives of civil society and the media.
23/02/2009 | Election observation
A PACE delegation, comprising four members and led by Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), will go on a pre-electoral mission to Podgorica on 24 and 25 February, ahead of the parliamentary elections to take place in Montenegro on 29 March 2008. The delegation will meet the Speaker of Parliament Ranko Krivokapic, representatives of the political parties running in these elections, the delegation of Montenegro to the PACE, the Chairman of the Central electoral committee Branislav Radulovic, as well as ambassadors and representatives of civil society and the media.
20/02/2009 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
Commenting on the end of the trial against a few suspects in Moscow yesterday, Andrew McIntosh (United Kingdom, SOC), Chairman of PACE Sub-Committee on the Media and Rapporteur on media freedom, expressed his deep frustration at the lack of progress in investigating the murder of Anna Politkovskaya on 7 October 2006 and the inability of the Russian authorities to find her killers. “Two years ago, in its Resolution 1535 (2007), the Assembly called on the Russian Parliament to closely monitor the progress in the criminal investigations regarding the murder of Anna Politkovskaya and hold the authorities accountable for any failures to investigate or prosecute. The closure of the trial yesterday can only be regarded as a blatant failure".