On 16 May, as part of the ministerial session held in Helsinki, Gunn-Marit HELGESEN, First vice-President of the Congress and President of the Chamber of Regions, took part in a “treaty ceremony”. The aim of this event, held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe, was to give the governments of the various countries the opportunity to sign and ratify a number of Council of Europe conventions.
The conventions in question include the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the landmark legal instrument for the rights of local authorities in Europe, which has already been ratified by all 47 member states. However, only 18 states have ratified its Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority. “It is important that all the countries ratify the Protocol to ensure, across Europe, a form of local democracy that will guarantee citizen participation,” said the Congress vice-President.
On the same day, Ms HELGESEN also took part in the ceremony to commemorate the founding of the Council of Europe, organised by the Finnish authorities, attended by Mr Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland. “In the 70 years of the contributions of the Council of Europe for peace, human rights, democracy and the rule of law, the local and regional dimension of the implementation of these values and principles has become more and more evident”, she emphasised. “This is why the heads of state and government of the Council of Europe decided to establish the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities which held its first session on 30 May 1994, that is almost exactly 25 years ago.”
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