25/06/2004 | News
Countries working together to manage transboundary river basins and lakes can also encourage good governance, sustainable development, greater decentralisation and even the resolution of conflicts, the Assembly said today following a joint debate on water issues in Europe. It also called for water plans to be made an integral part of national economic and social policy, and proposed an integrated project, “Euro-water”, to bring together all players and disseminate good practice.
25/06/2004 | Bureau
The Bureau this morning adopted the following statement:“The Bureau strongly condemns the recent acts of violence committed by rebels in a series of attacks throughout the North Caucasus region this week. Its members, appalled by the scale of human suffering, express their condolences to the victims’ families.
25/06/2004 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
The Sub-committee on Human Rights of the Assembly’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights meets in Barcelona (2-3 July) on the occasion of the Universal Forum of Cultures to take part in the 1st Round Table of European Regional Ombudsmen, co-organised by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, with the co-operation of the Mayor of Barcelona. Themes of the round table include the tasks and competences of regional ombudsmen as well as their opinions on the right to housing and to a healthy environment.
25/06/2004 | President
Assembly President Peter Schieder will attend from 3 to 6 July in Edinburgh (United Kingdom) the 13th annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
24/06/2004 | News
“The way for Monaco’s accession as the 46th member state of the Council of Europe is open. I have received letters from both the Minister of State of Monaco and the Permanent Representative of France to the Council of Europe informing me that the negotiations for a new Convention to replace the 1930 instrument have been concluded. In particular, agreement was reached on the principle that Monegasque citizens may have access to all public-sector posts in their country,” Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder announced today.
24/06/2004 | News
The Assembly will announce the result of the second ballot in the election of two judges to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Luxembourg and Portugal today at 10 a.m. No candidate having obtained an absolute majority of the votes cast after the first round that took place on 23 June, a second ballot was held yesterday afternoon.
24/06/2004 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
The Assembly today called on the Italian government to repeal the ‘Cirami law’ on legitimate suspicion. In 2002, the Cirami law introduced into the Code of Criminal Procedure the notion of legitimate suspicion as a ground for requesting the transfer of a case from one court to another. The Assembly believes that the law unduly slows down the course of justice in certain cases, undermines trust in judges as a whole and is inimical to the principle of equality before the law. Following the proposals by the rapporteur (Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, Germany, LDR), the parliamentarians invited the italian authorities to enact legislation consistent with the principles of independence of the judiciary.
24/06/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The Council of Europe should offer to help the United Nations in Iraq, the Assembly said today in a resolution adopted following an urgent debate. The parliamentarians said the 45-nation organisation should respond to the UN’s request for international assistance by offering its expertise in areas such as drafting a constitution, training police and judges and promoting tolerance through culture and education. They proposed offering the expertise of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission – a group of experts in constitutional law – and the Anti-Torture Committee, which investigates conditions of detention in its 45 member states and potentially beyond.
24/06/2004 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
The Italian parliament should ensure that legislation and other regulatory measures put an end to the long-standing practice of political interference in the media and pass a law resolving the conflict of interest between ownership and control of companies and discharge of public office, the Assembly said in a resolution adopted today. They called on the Italian Parliament to take specific measures to bring an end to the current RAI-Mediaset duopoly. However, they did not approve a recommendation to European governments on the same subject.
24/06/2004 | News
The Joint Committee (representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers), meeting yesterday evening in Strasbourg, took note that the requirements contained in Opinion n°250 are fulfilled and that it is now for the Committee of Ministers to take the official decision to invite Monaco to join the Council of Europe. "The way for Monaco to the Council of Europe is open," said Assembly President Peter Schieder.
23/06/2004 | News
"To fight terrorism more efficiently we need to know about its root causes," said Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, addressing the Assembly today. "Hate is often the result of fear, which comes from ignorance, frustration and an insecure identity. Extremists are trying to spread the message of hate in the name of God. Yet nothing is further from true faith than hatred. On the contrary, those who have a strong faith are often better able understand and respect the beliefs of others," he said. "This is tolerance."
23/06/2004 | News
Armenia sees its future in full scale integration into the European family, said Armenian President Robert Kocharian, addressing the Assembly today. "A few days ago the European Union decided to include Armenia in its 'new neighborhood' initiative. This will further advance our resolve to satisfy European criteria, to contribute and fully benefit from the co-operation between our states and nations. We walk on this road with deep belief and confidence and we appreciate your efforts to help us in that uneasy but crucial effort", he said.