14/05/2006 | Election observation
There was progress in the conduct of voting during election day for the 13 May partial re-run of the parliamentary elections, according to PACE observers. In a statement issued today, the 20-member delegation said the conduct of the candidate registration process was inclusive but regretted the decision of certain opposition parties to boycott the elections. The electoral campaign was generally low key and took place without the incidents that marred the November elections, the observers said.
12/05/2006 | News
“A European Stability Pact for the South Caucasus would have to be considerably different from the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe as conflicts are still latent. It should therefore take into account all aspects of the specific situation in the South Caucasus,” Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) said at the opening of today’s hearing on the subject, organised by PACE’s Political Affairs Committee in Brussels.
12/05/2006 | News
A parliamentary hearing on “the image of women in advertising” is to take place in Paris on 16 May 2006, organised by PACE's Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. Participants at this public hearing, which is open to the press, include the Director General of French lingerie firm Aubade Anne-Charlotte Pasquier, who discusses “The image of women: veiled or unveiled”.
12/05/2006 | Prizes
The 2006 Europe Prize, the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a town or local authority for its actions in the European domain, has been awarded to the town of Szeged. It is the first time a Hungarian town has received the prize. The decision was taken unanimously by PACE's Environment Committee, meeting today in Paris. The "Plaque of Honour", the second highest distinction, was awarded to ten towns in six countries. Some 25 municipalities received the "Flag of honour" and 27 were granted the "European Diploma".
12/05/2006 | News
"A European Stability Pact for the South Caucasus cannot be imposed on the countries concerned, but it could well be imposed on ourselves," said Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) in his concluding remarks at a hearing on the issue organised by PACE's Political Affairs Committee in Brussels today.
11/05/2006 | Election observation
An eighteen-member delegation from the PACE, headed by Leo Platvoet (Netherlands, UEL), will observe the partial re-run of the Azerbaijan parliamentary elections on 13 May 2006. Following the poll on 6 November 2005, repeat elections are being held in ten constituencies in which the Central Election Commission and the Constitutional Court annulled the results. PACE said the original elections did not meet international standards despite some improvements. The delegation, which will be in the country from 11 to 15 May 2006, will meet representatives of political parties and blocs, electoral officials and NGO representatives and will observe polling on the day of the vote.
10/05/2006 | News
A parliamentary hearing on the Stability Pact for the South Caucasus will take place on Friday 12 May in Brussels, organised by the Political Affairs Committee of PACE. The hearing, which is open to the press, will focus on the prospects for such a Pact – similar to the one for South-East Europe – with the participation of representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as high-level officials from the EU, World Bank and G8, as well as members of the European Parliament.
09/05/2006 | President
René van der Linden marked Europe day with a call to consolidate European ideals and values, vital to guaranteeing a stable, safe and prosperous Europe. "The Council of Europe has unique, tried and tested human rights protection machinery and instruments. The European Court of Human Rights, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the European Cultural Convention are good examples. But while the machinery is there, it is for us, parliamentarians and decision-makers, to promote it by being closer in touch with public opinion, hopes, ideas and criticism. We have to restore the bond between Europe and its people," he said.
28/04/2006 | News
At the opening of the ''International Conference on European Parliamentarianism: Past and Present'', jointly organised by PACE, the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and the Russian State Duma in St Petersburg, PACE President Rene van der Linden today called on members of Parliament to make more and better use of the instrument of parliamentary diplomacy. "As members of parliaments we play a key role. We can bring our national matters to the international level, we can bring international matters to the national level and more important, we are in the position to involve our citizens in national and international matters. We need to step up the efforts to practices our pivotal role", he said.
28/04/2006 | Election observation
A five-member PACE delegation today expressed concern at the lack of signs of democratic progress in the run-up to the partial re-run of the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan scheduled for 13 May 2006. In a statement issued at the end of a two-day ‘pre-electoral’ visit, the delegation regretted the low visibility of the campaign, and called on the authorities to reform the electoral code and the law on freedom of assembly, as well as to continue its investigations into electoral fraud in the November elections.
27/04/2006 | President
René van der Linden today welcomed the draft interim report issued by the European Parliament's temporary committee on alleged secret detentions. "I am very pleased with the close and fruitful cooperation that has developed between the Assembly's enquiry and the EP temporary committee," said Mr van der Linden. "This has clearly worked to the benefit of both institutions as we seek to discover the truth of this affair." "In particular, it is remarkable how closely the temporary committee's findings reiterate the interim conclusions drawn in January by the Assembly's rapporteur Mr Marty. All parliamentarians, whether national or European, should now use this material to increase the political pressure on Council of Europe member States. This will in turn facilitate Mr Marty's work as he prepares to present his final report to the Assembly in June."
27/04/2006 | News
Addressing in St Petersburg a special session of the State Duma of the Russian Federation on the occasion of its centenary, René van der Linden today called on Russia to strengthen its role on the European scene using the next Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Chairmanship.