Strasbourg, 14.11.2013 - The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe passed from Armenia to Austria today, at a meeting at the Organisation's Strasbourg headquarters, attended by representatives of its 47 member States.
Before handing over the chairmanship to his successor, the outgoing Chair Edward Nalbandian, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, gave an overview of his country's achievements during its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.
The new Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Michael Spindelegger, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria, presented the priorities of the Austrian chairmanship which will run for six months as of today.
At a brief ceremony during the meeting, Minister Spindelegger solemnly handed over to the Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, the instrument of Austria's ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention (CETS no. 210). Austria pledged that, during its chairmanship, it would "promote measures for an early entry into force of the Convention", which requires 10 ratifications. (more...)
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11.10.2013 - International Conference of capital cities of the Council of Europe member States
"Making the metropolis citizen-friendly: a challenge for public authorities"
An international Conference of capital cities of the Council of Europe member States took place in Yerevan on October 11, 2013, under the Armenian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and in close cooperation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
The Conference was opened by Mr. Armen Gevorgyan, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Territorial Administration of Armenia, who read out the address of the President of the Republic, Mr. Serzh Sargsyan to the participants of the Conference. In his address, the President, particularly underlined that grassroots democracy is a pivotal element for the democratic development of the societies.
Mr. Taron Margaryan, the Mayor of Yerevan, also welcomed the participants and said that this is the first time that Armenia holds the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of this pan-European organisation. He also stressed the importance of local democracy, which the Armenian Chairmanship declared one of its priorities. This is why the capital city of Yerevan organised, in cooperation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, this conference to discuss the challenges that capital cities of the Council of Europe member States face today. In his speech, the Mayor of Yerevan also stated that the current global developments create increasing challenges for city authorities, dictating the necessity to be more flexible in order to have a sophisticated system of municipal governing. The Mayor of Yerevan especially underlined the crucial role of citizens' participation in local self-government as a way to make it more effective and more responsive to the challenges of the day. (more...)
