Latvia has taken over the rotating Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Iceland at the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government from the organisation’s 46 member states. The outgoing Chair of the Committee of Ministers - Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, handed over the Presidency to Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,  Edgars Rinkēvičs – who presented the priorities of his country until November.

Latvia’s Presidency will focus on three main priorities:

• Strengthening democracy and the rule of law
• Promoting freedom of expression, the safety of journalists and the digital agenda of the Council of Europe
• Advancing reforms of the Council of Europe, including through implementing the decisions of the 4^th Summit.

 Council of Europe web page on the Latvian Presidency

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