News 2012
Secretary General Jagland visits San Marino
"What is needed was a real reform of the Council of Europe, and this is what you are doing", emphasised Ms Antonella Mularoni, Foreign Minister of San Marino, during the official visit of SG Thorbjørn Jagland, 1-2 April. The Foreign Minister also informed the SG that San Marino has already...
Council of Europe ready to assist Russia on political reform
In a meeting with President D. Medvedev and Foreign Minister Lavrov in Moscow today, Secretary General Jagland underlined the readiness of the Council of Europe to further provide expert advice and assistance in support of political reforms in Russia. “We need to further develop political...
Secretary General Jagland visits Morocco and Tunisia
"We need the full support of the Council of Europe and the European Union to set up independent democratic institutions, a vibrant civil society and a free media”, underlined the Tunisian Foreign Minister. The President of Tunisia, Mr Moncef Marzouki emphasised, “we are extremely interested in...
Thorbjørn Jagland : Human Rights Court is assessing medical treatment of Tymoshenko
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today issued the following statement : “I am extremely concerned about the reports that Yulia Tymoshenko was beaten up in prison. It is in the interest of the Ukrainian Government to make sure these claims are investigated in a credible and transparent manner...
Secretary General meets Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkul Karman
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland met today with Tawakkul Karman, 33 year-old Yemeni journalist, politician and human rights activist. Ms Karman is one of three joint recipients of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full...
Closer co-operation between Council of Europe and Albania
"Council of Europe plays a vital role for the democratic changes in Albania", underlined the Foreign Minister. "We will do our utmost to further strengthen the role of the Council of Europe in Europe", Haxhinasto said. "I very much welcome a well-prepared Albanian Chairmanship of the Committee of...
Secretary General visits Latvia
In Riga yesterday the Secretary General Jagland met with President Andris Bērziņš, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs and the Latvian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly. Discussions covered Council of Europe reform, reform of the European Court of Human...
Secretary General visits Amman, Ramallah and Jerusalem
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland visited Amman, Ramallah and Jerusalem on 27-29 May. In Amman, on 27 May, Mr Jagland met with King Abdullah II, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, the Speaker of the Senate Taher Al Masri and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Abed Kareem Doghmei. On 28 May...
New Gender Equality Commission: Kick-off meeting
“Women continue to earn less, decide less, and count less than men. There is one area where women count more than men: in the records of victims of violence”. Speaking at the launch of the Council of Europe new Gender Equality Commission on 6 June, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said that...
Secretary General addresses European Dialogue on Internet Governance
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland delivered a keynote speech at the opening of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance conference today in Stockholm. On the second day of the conference, on 15 June, he is participating in a panel on changes in European democracy together...
Secretary General welcomes Mustapha Ben Jaafar, speaker of Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly
The visit of Mustapha Ben Jaafar, speaker of Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly to the Council of Europe, who is to speak today at 3:30 p.m. in front of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, was welcomed by the Secretary General of the Organisation, Thorbjørn Jagland: "Today,...
Secretary General alarmed by proposed NGO legislation in Russia
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement on proposed NGO legislation in Russia: “I am concerned about proposals to label non-governmental organisations which receive funding from abroad as ‘foreign agents’ and create new administrative hurdles to their...
Secretary General calls on Council of Europe expert body to assess compliance with rule of law in Romania
Reacting to the vote in the Romanian parliament on Friday to suspend president Basescu, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland issued the following statement: "I am very concerned about the recent developments in Romania, especially about actions taken by the Government and the...
Texas execution: Death is not justice
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today issued the following statement: "Use of the death penalty is abhorrent in all circumstances, particularly when applied to children, the elderly or people with mental illness. Such was the case of Marvin Wilson, executed by the Texas...
Belarus must return to dialogue
"President Lukashenko's decision last Friday to expel Sweden's ambassador to Belarus over his support for democracy and human rights in the country will not help to end Belarus' isolation from the rest of Europe. Moreover, the latest decision of the Belarus authorities to terminate the activities...
Secretary General condemns use of death penalty, as Japan resumes executions
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland today condemned the executions of two death row inmates in Japan last week: "I urge Japan, as an observer State of the Council of Europe, to cease executions and join the growing number of countries that oppose the death penalty. Death...
Secretary General values co-operation with OSCE
In Vienna today to address the OSCE Permanent Council, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland outlined his proposals to expand and enhance co-operation between the OSCE and the Council of Europe. Mr Jagland believes that “ the OSCE, the European Union and the Council of Europe are the three pillars...
Secretary General to meet Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland was in Budapest today for talks with the Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán. The Secretary General also met with Tibor Navracsics, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration and Justice, and with János Martonyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The talks...
Jagland condemns Lukashenko’s refusal to pardon the two men sentenced to death over subway bombing
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today condemned President Lukashenko’s decision not to pardon Dmitry Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalyov who were sentenced to death in the Minsk subway bombing case in November 2011. "Belarus is the only country in Europe which still executes...
Thorbjørn Jagland welcomes the election of Nicolae Timofti as new Moldovan President
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today welcomed the election of Nicolae Timofti as new Moldovan President. “Today marks an important milestone in the history of the Republic of Moldova. I congratulate the political leaders for having found a compromise to elect the President,...
Speeches
