News - Presidency of Latvia
Latvian Foreign Minister calls for support to Ukraine, continued dialogue on current issues
“The consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continue to dominate the agenda,” said Krišjānis Kariņš, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Chair of the Committee of Ministers, when addressing the Parliamentary Assembly. “Impunity cannot prevail,” he added. The minister...
Secretary General meets Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with the President of the Committee of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš. The exchange of views was an opportunity to take stock of Latvia’s Presidency activities, focusing on the practical implementation of the...
Protecting journalists and free media is key for addressing democratic backsliding in Europe, says Deputy Secretary General
At the end of a two-day conference on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, held in Riga under the Latvian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Council of Europe’s Deputy Secretary General, Bjørn Berge, emphasised the importance of protecting journalists and other media...
Conference in Riga on freedom of expression and safety of journalists: campaign launch
The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and the Ombudsman’s Office, together with the Council of Europe, are organising an international conference in Riga on 5 and 6 October on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. Organised as part of the Latvian...
Fair anti-doping procedures should be a reality for all athletes
More than 80 sport experts are gathering in Riga, Latvia, to define how to make anti-doping procedures fairer for athletes. The Conference, co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Latvian Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, aims at analysing national and...
“Learners First”: the new Council of Europe Education Strategy launched
Renewing the democratic and civic mission of education; enhancing the social responsibility and responsiveness of education; advancing education through a human rights-based digital transformation – these are three pillars of the new Council of Europe Education Strategy 2024-2030 launched at the...
Transformative power of education: universal values and civic renewal
The renewal of education's civic mission, education in times of emergency and crisis, and harnessing the potential of digital transformation in education are the main themes of the 26th Council of Europe Standing Conference of Ministers of Education held in Strasbourg on September 28-29. The...
Assessing the impact of immersive realities on human rights: Committee of Ministers informal meeting
In the framework of the Latvian Presidency’s priority of supporting the Council of Europe digital agenda, the Committee of Ministers is holding an informal meeting on 14 September to explore the potential impact of immersive realities such as the Metaverse, on human rights, the rule of law and...
The Conference of Participants of the Register of damage for Ukraine holds its second meeting
Representatives from more than 40 countries have taken part in the second meeting of the Conference of Participants of the Register of damage caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, held in the Latvian capital, Riga. “With this second meeting of the Register of Damage, we...
Council of Europe ministers of Justice met in Riga to support justice for Ukraine
The ministers of Justice of Council of Europe member and observer states have adopted a declaration outlining a series of principles (“Riga principles”) to achieve comprehensive accountability for the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and provide redress to all victims of the war,...
Ukraine and the Register of Damage Caused by the Russian Aggression on the agenda of the meeting of Ministers of Justice in Riga
The Council of Europe Ministers of Justice will meet in Riga (Latvia) on 11 September at an informal conference entitled “On the Path to Justice for Ukraine: Advancing Accountability, Supporting the Resilience of its Justice System and Reuniting Children with their Families,” which is being held...
Latvian Foreign Minister: Ukraine must receive all the support it needs
“The Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik was an important milestone for the organisation at a critical time and resulted in strong European unity in responding to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” said Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Chair of the Committee of...
Secretary General meets Committee of Ministers Chair Rinkēvičs
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has had an exchange of views with Edgars Rinkēvičs, Chair of the Committee of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Fourth Summit of the Heads of State and Government decisions and on the...
Statement by the Committee of Ministers President
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Edgars Rinkēvičs, has made the following statement: “The Russian Federation has an unconditional obligation in international law to comply with the judgments of the European Court...
Destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in the Kherson region of Ukraine: statement by Council of Europe leaders
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Council of Europe’s President of the Committee of Ministers, Edgars Rinkēvičs, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić made the...
Democracy and human rights are the bedrock of freedom and peace in Europe, says Foreign Minister in Reykjavik
On 17 May 2023, in Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, took part in the official handover ceremony for the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. For the coming six months, Latvia will be at the helm of...
Heads of State and Government agree to strengthen Council of Europe, ensure accountability for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and support victims
At the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik, Iceland, Heads of State and Government of the organisation’s 46 member states have decided to establish a Register of damage caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression as a first step towards an international compensation mechanism. The leaders...
Latvia takes over the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers
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,...
Foreword by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
Latvia assumes the presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe with great sense of responsibility. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Council of Europe was founded to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. As Europe’s leading human rights...
Secretary General on official visit to Latvia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Latvian president and key ministers during an official visit to discuss the priorities of the country’s upcoming Committee of Ministers presidency (May – November 2023). Meeting Latvian President Egils Levits, the Secretary General welcomed...