Secretary General 03/10/2012 Secretary General Jagland "surprised and disappointed" about ban of "Belgrade Pride" Thorbjørn Jagland Strasbourg, 3 October 2012 - Responding to the ban of the Belgrade Pride 2012 event, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe issued the following statement:   “I am surprised and disappointed that the Belgrade Pride event has been banned again. Citizens should be able to exercise their rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. Serbia should be in a position to safeguard such an event, which is commonplace in modern democracies.” ( more... )   Congress President calls on Mayor of...

Autumn Session of the Parliamentary Assembly 03/10/2012 Timofti: Russian forces should be withdrawn from Transnistria, region should enjoy adequate self-governance Nicolae Timofti Strasbourg, 03/10/2012 - Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly, Nicolae Timofti President of the Republic of Moldova, called for Transnistria to be reintegrated to the Republic of Moldova with a “comfortable level of self governance”, and insisted that Russian forces should be withdrawn. “The perpetuation of the Transnistrian conflict undermines our national security and territorial integrity, hampers economic development and divides society”, he said. He highlighted the role the...

Autumn Session of the Parliamentary Assembly 03/10/2012 Gurria: "Social cohesion is at risk worldwide" Strasbourg, 3 October 2012 - "Social cohesion is the glue that holds society together, and it is at risk worldwide", said OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, while addressing PACE on Wednesday.   "The length and depth of the crisis is now being felt in the streets of our countries where social stress is high", added former Mexican Finance minister, analysing the fifth year of the global economic crisis, with 48 million people unemployed in the OECD area.   Gurria underlined the need for the implementation of structural reforms and a...

Parliamentary Assembly 02/10/2012 PACE urges President Putin to ‘democratise the system’ in Russia PACE Strasbourg, 02.10.2012 – In its first full monitoring assessment in seven years, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has urged the newly-elected President Putin to “democratise the system” in Russia.   In a resolution based on a report by György Frunda (Romania, EPP/CD) and Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), the Assembly said Russia was “at a unique moment” in its short history of democratic development and needed concrete reforms to realise the potential of the “momentum for change” created by recent...

Chair of the Committee of Ministers 02/10/2012 PACE: Chair of Committee of Ministers stresses necessity to promote sustainable democratic societies Edmond Panariti Strasbourg, 2 October 2012 - Edmond Panariti, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Albania and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, presented to the Parliamentary Assembly, the developments during his country’s Chairmanship since the previous Assembly session last June. Recalling that under the motto “unity in diversity,” Albania’s Chairmanship is focusing, among other priorities, on promoting sustainable democratic societies, Mr Panariti referred to the “2012 Exchange on the religious dimension of...

Raoul Wallenberg 2012 02/10/2012 Raoul Wallenberg 2012 Strasbourg, 2 October 2012 - In Budapest 1944, Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg saved tens of thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. His actions show that one person's courage and ability can really make a difference, offering inspiration to us all to speak out and indeed to act against persecution, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.   The Swedish government has decided to commemorate the centenary of Raoul Wallenberg's birth, honouring his memory with various events and activities both in Sweden and internationally.     A memorial ceremony took place at the Council of Europe in honour of Mr Raoul Wallenberg,...

Secretary General 02/10/2012 Thorbjørn Jagland: Laws on defamation must not unjustly restrict freedom of expression Strasbourg, 02.10.2012 - Responding to today's vote in the Ukrainian Parliament the Secretary General issued the following statement :   "I welcome that the draft law criminalising defamation has been withdrawn from the procedure in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Defamation is a legitimate concern, but criminal sanctions are the wrong response. I encourage the Ukrainian authorities to engage in a dialogue with media organisations, civil society and all political forces, in order to agree on civil remedies that offer adequate protection against defamation...

Parliamentary Assembly 01/10/2012 PACE President calls for dialogue with Russian members of the Assembly Strasbourg, 01.10.2012 - In his opening address at the 4th session of the PACE, Jean-Claude Mignon, President, called for ‘dialogue with our Russian friends and colleagues’. “I hope that we shall soon have another opportunity to hold an exchange of views with Mr Naryshkin, President of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, who has unfortunately cancelled his trip to Strasbourg during this part-session,” said the President of the PACE.   The tensions surrounding the report made him uneasy for they had no foundation. “We hold our debates...

Committee of Ministers 28/09/2012 Committee of Ministers: decisions on execution of European Court of Human Rights judgments Committee of Ministers Strasbourg, 28.09.2012 – The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe published the decisions and resolutions adopted at its third special human rights meeting for 2012.    More information on the execution process and on the state of execution in cases pending for supervision as well as important reference texts (including the new working methods) can be found on the website of the Committee of Ministers , on the special website of the Department for the execution of the judgments of the European Court of...

UN Refugee Agency and Council of Europe 27/09/2012 Refugee rights: Legal standards and practices across Europe assessed in high-level meeting Conference on refugees Strasbourg, 27 September 2012 - A conference co-organised by the UN Refugee Agency and the Council of Europe on the right to work for refugees – entirely open to the media – assessed how Europe protects and ensures the right to work of refugees.    The gathering on 27 September at the Council of Europe took stock of how refugees access the job market in Europe today – and included a wide range of experts and three refugees living and working in Europe.    It was opened by Council...

Council of Europe 27/09/2012 Italian Minister Fornero signs Council of Europe convention on violence against women Strasbourg, 27 September 2012 - The Italian Minister for Labour, Social policies and Equal Opportunities, Elsa Fornero, has signed today on behalf of Italy, the Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence ( CETS No. 210 ). After the ceremony, the Minister has held an exchange of views with the Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini Dragoni. The Council of Europe convention has been opened for signature on the occasion of the 121st session of the Committee of Ministers taking place in Istanbul (May 2011)....

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities 25/09/2012 Cities and regions for Roma inclusion Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Strasbourg, 25 September 2012 - A consultation meeting of cities and regions has put plans in place for a “"European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion", gearing up for action in the autumn. The meeting – coming one year on from a special summit of mayors for Roma – is a joint initiative of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the Special Representative on Roma issues. ( more...)     See also: Implementation plans for European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion...

Commissioner for Human Rights 25/09/2012 Finland: protection against discrimination should be strengthened Nils Muižnieks Strasbourg, 25/9/2012 – “The Finnish Government has started a timely reform of the national equal treatment legislation. It is now crucial to ensure accessibility of the protection framework to all victims of discrimination and avoid unnecessary fragmentation of equality bodies” said today Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, releasing a report based on the findings of his visit to Finland carried out on 11-13 June. The Commissioner welcomed the new National Action Plan on Fundamental and Human Rights, but pointed...

Youth 24/09/2012 Young people's access to rights STRASBOURG. 20.09.2012 - How to guarantee young people’s access to their rights ? How to fight social exclusion ? How to avoid discrimination, intolerance, precariousness and unemployment in Europe ? Youth Ministers from across the continent will discuss cutting-edge challenges and propose avant-garde actions at a Council of Europe conference taking place in the Russian Federation from 23-25 September 2012. The 9th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Youth is organised in Saint Petersburg, in the year the Organisation is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its pioneering European Youth Centre in...

Secretary General 21/09/2012 " Re-criminalising defamation in Ukraine would be a step backwards " Strasbourg, 21/09/2012 - The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland today issued the following statement:  " The Ukrainian Rada voted in first reading in favour of a law re-criminalising defamation. Ukraine has a vibrant media sector, but the mere threat of prosecution may create a chilling effect,  increase self-censorship and curtail media freedom.  Civil remedies and public dialogue would provide a far more appropriate defence against slander.   I urge the Ukrainian parliament to reject this attempt...

Secretary General 21/09/2012 Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland attends UN General Assembly Strasbourg, 21.09.2012 - Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland will visit the UN General Assembly from 24-28 September in New York, where he will hold a series of talks with a number of Foreign Ministers. He will also attend events hosted by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the President of the United States. He will meet Mr Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and take part in an event of the International Peace Institute. Bilateral meetings are currently scheduled with government representatives...

Parliamentary Assembly 20/09/2012 Georgia: PACE President shocked by ill-treatment of prisoners PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon Strasbourg, 20.9.2012 – Jean Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), today issued the following statement:   “I was shocked and horrified to see media images of prison guards violently assaulting inmates in a prison in Georgia.   These intolerable atrocities took place in a Council of Europe member state. President Saakashvili has announced his intention to punish the culprits. I hope that all those at all levels who bear any responsibility in this appalling affair will be...

Efficiency of Justice 20/09/2012 European Commission for Efficiency of Justice publishes evaluation report on European judicial systems Strasbourg, 20.09.2012 – The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) publishes today its 4th evaluation report on European judicial systems, within the framework of the Conference of Ministers of Justice in presence of the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Ministers of Justice, Secretaries for justice as well as eminent judicial and political persons from the 47 member states of the Organisation.   This report presents quantitative and qualitative data from 46 member states...

Chair of the Committee of Ministers 19/09/2012 Declaration of the Chair of the Committee of Ministers on the events following the showing of the film “Innocence of Muslims” The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe firmly condemns the acts of terrorism and the calls for violence which followed the showing of the film “Innocence of Muslims”. It also condemns any incitement to hatred, in particular on religious grounds, and calls for respect of everyone’s beliefs. It recalls the fundamental importance of freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights while underlining that this freedom also...