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Secretary General meets Latvian Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with the Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia Inga Bērziņa. The meeting highlighted how human rights and the environment is a priority for the Council of Europe, as underlined in the Reykjavik Summit. The...
Congress sets new priorities as a follow-up to the Reykjavik Summit
In the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the refocusing of the Council that followed it, the Congress has adopted a new set of priorities for the period from 2023 until the end of its current mandate in 2026. These priorities are inspired by the Reykjavik Summit of Heads...
Congress elects new President
Members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Council of Europe have elected Marc Cools (Belgium, GILD) as the new President of the Congress, for a mandate of two-and-a-half years. Marc Cools is Communal Councillor of Uccle and Honorary Vice-President of the Brussels Parliament and...
Secretary General marks European Day of Justice in Brussels
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has marked in Brussels the European Day of Justice, a joint initiative between the Council of Europe and the European Union, taking the floor at the conference on “The role of the European institutions in upholding the core values of the legal profession...
Deputy Secretary General visits Türkiye
On 22 October, Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge paid a working visit to Gaziantep, Türkiye, where he met with the Turkish Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mehmet Kemal Bozay. They had an important and constructive discussion on issues of common interest to the Council...
Election of new President among highlights of the 45th Congress session
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is holding its 45th Session from 24 to 26 October 2023. The election of a new President of the Congress, as well as Presidents of Congress’ Chambers and their vice-presidents will take place. The role of local and regional...
New opinions on national minorities protection in Albania, Austria and Moldova
The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) has published new opinions on Albania, Austria and the Republic of Moldova. The Advisory Committee praises the prevailing atmosphere of mutual respect and intercultural dialogue in Albania,...
Armenia becomes 45th member state to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances
The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Arman Khachatryan, in the presence of Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, has deposited the ratification instrument, thereby completing the process of ratification by Armenia of Protocol No. 13 to the European...
Sweden: more efforts needed to identify victims of trafficking, including amongst children, and to prosecute traffickers
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published its third evaluation report on Sweden, with a thematic focus on human trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. The report assesses developments since the publication...
European Anti-trafficking Day: Council of Europe expert group calls for preventing human trafficking risks exacerbated in the context of migration
On the eve of the European Anti-Trafficking Day (18 October), the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has warned of the increased risk of human trafficking created by restrictive immigration policies and failure to address the vulnerabilities...
Secretary General meets Prime Minister of Armenia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The meeting focused on the developments in the region and the contribution of the Council of Europe, including in light of the recent visit by the Secretary General’s Special Representative on...
Lisbon Forum 2023 : the role of young people in facing environmental and corruption challenges
Building on priorities established at the Council of Europe’s Reykjavik Summit in May 2023, this year’s Lisbon Forum – organised annually since 1994 by the Council of Europe’s North-South Centre – focused on the pivotal role that young people play in catalysing change when facing the intricate...
Situation in Israel: Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
"The outbreak of terror in Israel, a long-standing partner of our Organisation, is appalling. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist crimes of Hamas, which have claimed the lives of so many innocent people and caused so many injuries. The Council of Europe stands firmly with the...
Parliamentary Assembly condemns Russian aggression against Ukraine, calls for comprehensive, just and lasting peace
PACE has condemned Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, stressing the importance of upholding Council of Europe standards and calling for “a united front to stop the aggression and win a peace which is comprehensive, just and lasting, ensuring that the rule of law prevails over the...
PACE calls on Azerbaijan to ‘prove its goodwill’ towards the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh
PACE has called on Azerbaijan to “create a climate of trust and the material conditions” for Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh to be able to return to their homeland – including active steps to encourage and reassure them to do so. In a resolution based on a report by Domagoj Hajduković (Croatia,...
PACE calls on Türkiye to ‘immediately release Osman Kavala, who remains unlawfully detained’
During an urgent debate, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in Strasbourg in plenary session, called on Türkiye to “comply with binding judgments” of the European Court of Human Rights, and “to immediately release Osman Kavala, who remains unlawfully detained in...
Secretary General meets European Commissioner for Justice
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders. Their meeting focused on Council of Europe-European Union co-operation and the ongoing preparation of the Convention on Artificial Intelligence. Marija Pejčinović Burić underscored the...
Latvia kicks off European Heritage Days event season
Marking the opening of the European Heritage Days (EHD) events season (from August to November), Latvia kicked off with the Song and Dance Festival in Riga gathering some 45,000 people to enjoy dance, music, singing, theatre, and storytelling, showcasing the rich intangible cultural heritage...
Escalation of violence in the Middle East: PACE holds current affairs debate
“Nothing can justify the atrocities committed by Hamas and there can be no ambiguity on this point,” today said Piero Fassino (Italy, SOC), at the opening of a current affairs debate on “Escalation of violence in the Middle East following the recent Hamas attack on Israel”. He expressed his full...
Congress Secretary General talks decentralization and climate change in Montenegro
Secretary General Mori travelled to Kotor and Podgorica (Montenegro) on Tuesday 10 October to stress the importance of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the positive impact its implementation has on Council of Europe Member States. He also thanked the national and local public...
