Europe and migration will be one of the central themes of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Summer plenary session, to be held in Strasbourg from 26 to 30 June 2017.
Four reports will be debated on Wednesday 28 June, focusing on the humanitarian and political response to the migration crisis, the human rights implications of the European response to transit migration, migration as an opportunity for European development and the integration of refugees in times of critical pressure.
Speakers in the debates will include Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, Mayor of Athens Giorgos Kaminis, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks, and the Swedish Minister for Justice and Migration Morgan Johansson.
Other highlights of the session include debates on recognising and enforcing the principle of accountability in the Parliamentary Assembly, promoting integrity in governance to tackle political corruption and parliamentary scrutiny over corruption. It is also planned to hold debates on the situation in Belarus and political influence over independent media and journalists.
Pavel Filip, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, and Duško Markovic, Prime Minister of Montenegro, will deliver speeches, and Lubomír Zaorálek, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, will address the Assembly's parliamentarians in his capacity of Chairman of the Committee of Ministers.
