Reacting to recent electoral events in Georgia, Congress President, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström declared: "The "de facto" authorities of the Abkhazia region in Georgia have just organised elections. In the meantime, the self-proclaimed "President" of South Ossetia has announced that a referendum will be held in April on the name to be given to this region. These initiatives are illegal and will do nothing to help restore Georgia's legitimate sovereignty over these two regions, but will just contribute to further isolating these regions from the international community."

"The Congress of the Council of Europe has always shown its commitment to the territorial integrity of member states and we believe that this integrity is the first guarantee of a positive development of the regional dimension in our countries" concluded the Congress President.

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Planning, Coordination and institutional Communication Unit
Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 48 95 - Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51
www.coe.int/congress - [email protected]

The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. It brings together 324 full and 324 substitute members representing more than 200 000 European territorial communities.
President of the Congress: Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP-CCE)
Political Groups: Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CCE), Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG), European Conservatives & Reformists Group (ECR)