European Commission and Council of Europe kick off joint talks on EU's accession to Convention on Human Rights
[08/07/2010] Official talks on the European Union's accession to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) started on 7 July. Thorbjørn Jagland, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission, marked the beginning of this joint process at a meeting in Strasbourg. They discussed how to move the process forward so that citizens can swiftly benefit from stronger and more coherent fundamental rights protection in Europe. Ms Reding also had an exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers' Deputies.

Report on minority languages in Ukraine
[08/07/2010] The Committee of Ministers adopted the first report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Ukraine on 8 July. The Council of Europe urges Ukraine to improve the situation of minority languages in the field of education, notably by securing the right to receive education in minority languages.

Strengthening the dialogue between the Council of Europe and Georgia
[02/07/2010] The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Antonio Miloshoski accompanied Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland to Tbilisi on 2 July for talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili, Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze, Vice Prime Minister Yakobashvili and Chairman of Parliament Bakradze. Dialogue and co-operation between the Council of Europe and Georgia were at the centre of the discussions, as were the possibilities of an enhanced Council of Europe action for the protection of human rights in the areas affected by the August 2008 conflict.

2010 International Day in support of victims of torture
Joint Statement by the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly
[26/06/2010] "Today we pay our respects to all victims of torture. We also pay tribute to all those who work to denounce cases of torture and provide help to alleviate their tragic consequences. The Council of Europe has been fighting torture during the more than 60 years of its existence. All 47 Council of Europe member states stand behind the prohibition of this and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as required by the European Convention on Human Rights."

President Ivanov: Council of Europe ''best protection of the continent in time of crisis''
[24/06/2010] Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly on 24 June, President Gjorge Ivanov recalled the priorities of his country’s current Chairmanship of the Organisation’s decision making body, the Committee of Ministers: strengthening human rights protection, fostering integration while respecting diversity, promoting youth participation. In his speech, President Ivanov underlined the need for ''Pax Europeana'', which he described as ''an open space where there is freedom of movement of people, ideas, capital and products. Open space in which each economy can grow and spread. Where there is tolerance and celebration of diversity, where everyone can enjoy his rights and identity. An open space in which everyone is respected for what he is, regardless where he lives and where he works. An open space that is fertile soil for building internal trust and confidence among states.'' President Ivanov concluded his speech by describing the Council of Europe as ''best protection of the continent in time of crisis.''
Speech
Video of the speech

The Council of Europe condemns bus bombing in Istanbul
[22/06/2010] ''We strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack on a bus in Istanbul, in which three people have been killed, including a child,'' the Chair of the Committee of Ministers Antonio Miloshoski and the President of its Parliamentary Assembly Mevlüt Çavusoglu said in a joint statement on 22 June. ''Terrorism remains the greatest threat to the values the Council of Europe stands for,'' they added.

Committee of Ministers Chair addresses the Assembly
[21/06/2010] The Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Antonio Miloshoski, has described his country's priorities over the coming months: supporting the Interlaken process to ensure the long term effectiveness of the European Court of Human Rights, protecting national minorities and marginalised groups such as Roma, and encouraging intercultural dialogue and the participation of young people in public affairs.
Speech
Video of the speech

20 June: World Refugee Day - Guarantee the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons
[18/06/2010] On the occasion of World Refugee Day, the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers Antonio Miloshoski and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly Mevlüt Çavusoglu, referring to this year’s theme ''home'', underlined the vulnerability of all those who had to flee from their home and their country. They drew attention to the obligation of Council of Europe member states to comply with international treaties for the protection of refugees and asylum seekers and the necessity to collaborate with the UNHCR. Photo: Gamma
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Conference on Roma access to personal identification documents
[14/06/2010] The aim of the conference is to consider ways to improve access of Roma to personal identification documents, thus contributing to acquiring citizenship, the effective enjoyment of human rights, and achieving progress in the social inclusion of Roma. Organised under the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, the conference takes place in Skopje on 14-15 June.

Creating synergies between the OSCE and the Council of Europe

[10/06/2010] The OSCE and the Council of Europe should strengthen co-operation and avoid overlap to promote security on the basis of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights, the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers Antonio Miloshoski told the OSCE Permanent Council on 10 June in Vienna. He also stressed that the Chairmanship supports the reform process of the Council of Europe, initiated by the Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland.
Speech by Antonio Miloshoski

Decisions on execution of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights
[08/06/2010] The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe concluded on 3 June its second special human rights meeting devoted to the supervision of the execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The decisions were adopted directly at the meeting in some 20 cases or groups of cases. In the framework of its supervision of the execution of the 2009 judgment in the case Ben Khemais against Italy, the Committee of Ministers firmly recalled the Italian authorities’ obligation to respect interim measures indicated by the European Court of Human Rights.
Decisions
Expulsions by Italy: obligation to comply with measures indicated by Court

Foreign Minister and Chairman of Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, Antonio Miloshoski, meets Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sven Alkalaj
[01/06/2010] Acting in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Miloshoski today met in Sarajevo the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sven Alkalaj. At the meeting, Minister Miloshoski presented the expectations of the Committee of Ministers on the necessity for constitutional reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which would bring the constitutional legislation of this member state in line with the standards of the Organisation. “The Council of Europe and the Macedonian Chairmanship hope that the constitutional reforms could be implemented after the parliamentary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in October 2010”, stated the Chairman. He pointed out that the Committee of Ministers would not like to impose solutions to Bosnia and Herzegovina which the country would find unacceptable. Instead it would like to develop relations of partnership and encourage all political factions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to adopt themselves responsibly a decision to implement the constitutional reforms. The Committee of Ministers Chairman is also to meet the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik this afternoon.

Antonio Miloshoski: "Israel’s military operation is a great tragedy"
[01/06/2010] ''I have learned, with great dismay, of the action conducted by Israeli naval forces against a convoy trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The death and injuries caused to a number of civilians during this operation is a great tragedy,'' the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers said in his statement on 1 June.