Marija Pejčinović Burić, the second woman elected Secretary General (SG) of the Council of Europe, led the Organisation with a sense of purpose, distinction and integrity in a challenging environment.
Early in her mandate, she guided the Council of Europe through the COVID-19 pandemic, issuing a Toolkit for member states to tackle the unprecedented crisis while upholding human rights. The brutal, illegal Russian aggression against Ukraine marked another key moment. Ms Pejčinović Burić swiftly condemned the invasion, leading to Russia's expulsion from the Organisation. She has since been a strong advocate for Ukraine.
She also pushed for the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in May 2023, the first in 18 years. The Summit, under her leadership, resulted in significant conclusions, including the creation of the Register of Damage for Ukraine, the only legally binding international text on accountability for Russian aggression. The Summit also focused on the execution of Court judgments and forward-looking work on environment but also on AI, leading to the first global legally binding text on AI.
SG Pejčinović Burić has pioneered a relationship between the Council of Europe and Belarusian democratic forces, with the Contact Group as an innovative tool, inspiring similar initiatives in the EU and worldwide.
Marija Pejčinović Burić will leave an indelible and ever-lasting mark on the Council of Europe.
The Council of Europe Secretary General, Ms Marija Pejčinović Burić, shares her best memories, her pride in the success of the Reykjavik Summit, and her wishes for the Council of Europe.
The project “75 women in 75 years of Council of Europe history” is organised by the Delegation of the European Union to the Council of Europe with the Council of Europe and the Permanent Representations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
