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PACE : Georgia’s foreign influence transparency law should be repealed without delay
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today expressed its deep concern at recent developments in Georgia that “raise serious doubts" about the country’s commitment to international democratic norms and Euro-Atlantic integration, and about its willingness to honour its...
Germany: Report on implementation of recommendations for immediate action for regional and minority language use
In an evaluation adopted on 20 June this year and published today, the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages acknowledges legal and policy measures that have been taken by the German federal authorities and by the Länder to protect and...
Europride2024: Proud and concerned
Speech delivered at the closing session of the Thessaloniki EuroPride 2024 Human Rights Conference (check against delivery) Dear friends, It's a great pleasure to be here. I want to...
ECRI: new reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino, Malta and Serbia
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published new reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta, San Marino and Serbia. In its report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, while also highlighting progress made in some areas since the adoption of its previous report in 2016, ECRI...
PACE sets out plans to try Russian leaders, strengthen sanctions and stop the ‘erasure’ of Ukrainian identity
In a trio of resolutions, adopted today after a joint debate in Strasbourg, PACE has set out plans to try Vladimir Putin and his generals for aggression against Ukraine, strengthen sanctions against Russia and counter its attempts to “erase” Ukrainian cultural identity. Approving a resolution and...
Secretary General meets Public Defender of Georgia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Public Defender of Georgia Levan Ioseliani. The Secretary General recalled her statement on the law “on transparency of foreign influence” and reiterated the importance of the Venice Commission Urgent Opinion in this context. The Secretary...
Protection of national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia
The Council of Europe has published two new opinions by the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), on Bosnia and Herzegovina and on Georgia. In its opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina the Committee urges Bosnia and...
The Olympic Torch is welcomed at the Council of Europe on its way to Paris
The Olympic Torch was greeted today by leading officials, parliamentarians and staff of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg during an unprecedented stop on its journey to the host city of Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A torch-bearer passed through crowds of well-wishers in...
The Olympic torch arrives at the Council of Europe
One month before the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the Council of Europe today welcomed the Olympic Torch Relay. For the first time ever, the torch entered the premises of a parliament, and did so during the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the organisation’s 46 member...
Alternative sanctions and measures to prison: European annual statistics for 2023
The overall number of persons subject to sanctions and measures which keep offenders in the community remained stable in Europe from January 2022 to January 2023, although some probation administrations experienced significant increases or decreases, according to the Council of Europe Annual...