Дневен ред
Agenda
1. Adoption
of the agenda
a. Secretary General’s report
on the state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law: a security imperative for Europe
b.Tackling violent extremism and radicalisation leading
to terrorism
c. Responding to the refugee crisis
d. The key role of democracy, human rights and the rule
of law in conflict resolution
3. Securing the long-term
effectiveness of the system of the European Convention on Human Rights
4. Council
of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions
5. Cooperation with
the European Union
6. Other
business
7. Transfer of the chairmanship between
Bulgaria and Estonia*
-
Report by the Bulgarian Chairmanship
-
Priorities of the Estonian Chairmanship
8. Date
and place of the next Session
Informal
dinner on 17 May 2016: “How to ensure human rights in conflict areas?”
Informal
lunch on 18 May 2016: ‘”Council of Europe response to the refugee crisis”
*Item proposed for
debate.
Item
1 of the agenda Adoption
of the agenda
Following
the opening of the Session by the President of Bulgaria, Ministers will be invited
to examine the draft agenda of the 126th Session with a view to its adoption
and to the simultaneous adoption without debate of the decisions under items 2,
3, 4 and 5 of the agenda as they appear below. Under this item, Ministers will
also be invited to inform the Chair if they wish to raise any question under
item 7 “Other business” and which should have been notified beforehand.
a. Secretary
General’s report on the state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law: a
security imperative for Europe
b. Tackling
violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism
c. Responding to
the refugee crisis
d. The key role
of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in conflict resolution
The Chairman will open
discussion under the overall item Democratic
security for all in Europe in challenging times and will invite Ministers
to address the sub-items at the same time during the debate.
Under
sub-item a),
the SG will present his third report on the State of democracy, human rights and the rule of law – a security
imperative for Europe which focuses on the following five issues: efficient,
impartial and independent judiciary, freedom of expression; freedom of assembly
and freedom of association; democratic institutions; and inclusive societies (cf.
SG(2016)1).
The Ministers are invited to adopt decisions on the action to be taken in
response to the Secretary General’s report.
(.....)
Under this item, the outgoing Chairmanship of Bulgaria will officially
hand over its powers to the incoming Chairmanship of Estonia.
a. Report by the Bulgarian
Chairmanship
The Chairman will present the results of the outgoing Chairmanship. A
written report will be available for participants (document CM/Inf(2016)12).
b. Priorities of the Estonian
Chairmanship
The incoming Chairman will present the priorities of the Chairmanship of Estonia
for the next six months. A written report will be available for participants
(document CM/Inf(2016)13).
Item 8 of the agenda Date
and place of the next Session
- the 127th Session of the Committee of Ministers will be held in May
2017;
- the handover of the Chairmanship from Estonia to Cyprus will take place
on 22 November 2016.
От сайта на Президентството:
Изказване на държавния глава Росен Плевнелиев на 126-ата сесия на Комитета на министрите на Съвета на Европа
Уважаеми господин Генерален секретар на Съвета на Европа,
Уважаеми господин Председател на Парламентарната асамблея на Съвета на Европа,
Уважаеми господин Председател на Европейския съд по правата на човека,
Уважаеми господин Председател на Комитета на министрите,
Уважаеми Министри,
Ваши Превъзходителства,
Дами и господа,
Добре дошли в нашата древна и красива столица София по случай 126-та сесия на Комитета на министрите на Съвета на Европа. Присъствието на толкова много държавници и делегати от всички кътчета на Европа е безспорно доказателство за успеха на българското председателство и за значението, което всички ние, държавите-членки, отдаваме на дейността и ролята на Съвета на Европа в защита и подкрепа на демокрацията, върховенството на закона и правата на човека.
Приключва второто българско председателство на Комитета на министрите след присъединяването ни към Съвета на Европа през 1992 г. Оттогава измина близо четвърт век. Членството откри пред нас нов хоризонт и спомогна за осъществяването на преход от тоталитарен комунистически режим към утвърждаването на европейските демократични ценности и изграждането на добре функционираща демокрация в България. Със своя богат арсенал от правни инструменти и уникалната експертиза в областта на демокрацията, върховенството на закона и правата на човека, Съветът на Европа бе наш незаменим партньор в усилията ни да превърнем България в това, което е днес – достоен член на ЕС и НАТО, двигател на европейската интеграция и фактор на политическа и икономическа стабилност и демократично развитие на Балканите.
За тези близо 25 години България извървя дълъг път, научихме ценни уроци, постигнахме съществен напредък във всички области на обществено-политическия живот. Европа също се промени, драстично и за добро, постигнахме много заедно и само заедно ще преодолеем предизвикателствата. Защото кризите, пред които сме изправени днес, са глобални, те минават отвъд нашите граници. Свидетели сме на нестихващи конфликти, нарастващ екстремизъм, расизъм, радикализация, дискриминация, религиозна и етническа нетолерантност. Ценностите на Обединена Европа са поставени под въпрос от популистки и националистически партии, които използват страха на хората от извънредната нестабилност. Не можем да си позволим да чакаме, да отлагаме или да прехвърляме проблемите на следващото поколение. Историята ни учи, че когато е трудно и тежко, трябва да се носи отговорност, трябва да се взимат решения. Познала разрухата на безброй войни и конфликти, след Втората световна война, Европа избра пътя на сътрудничеството между народите. Заклети врагове се превърнаха в съюзници и приятели в името на мирното развитие на Стария континент. Резултатите, които постигнахме, са впечатляващи и уникални. Днес Европа трябва да намери адекватен отговор на рекордния брой кризи и извънредна нестабилност, на които сме свидетели. Имаме необходимите инструменти, необходима е воля, необходим е кураж за действие.
България пое председателството на Комитета на министрите на Съвета на Европа в труден момент на засилване на противопоставянето в Европа и на все по-несигурна и непредсказуема международна среда, в резултат на рекордния брой кризи по света и взаимодействието между тях. Дадохме си ясна сметка, че най-важното за нас, държавите-членки, е да потвърдим своите общи ценности, да застанем твърдо зад принципите на демокрацията, върховенството на закона и правата на човека. Приетата в София през октомври 2015 г. Декларация за принципите на европейското единство и сътрудничество от Постоянния комитет на Парламентарната асамблея на Съвета на Европа е от изключителна важност за бъдещето на Европа. Поставихме началото. Сега е важно да продължим да работим за свикването на Среща на върха на държавните и правителствени ръководители на Съвета на Европа, на която държавите–членки да препотвърдят на най-високо държавно ниво принципите и ценностите на обединена, демократична и мирна Европа.
Българското председателството бе успешно и ползотворно за Европа. Заложените в програмата на председателството приоритети в областта на защитата на правата на детето и уязвимите групи и разширяването на достъпа до култура на младите хора, бяха постигнати. За мен бе изключителна чест да бъда патрон на Конференцията на високо равнище на Съвета на Европа за правата на децата, която се проведе през април в София. Единодушното приемане и старт на изпълнението на Софийска стратегия за правата на детето на Съвета на Европа до 2021 г. е огромен успех на българската дипломация, на българското председателство и на Съвета на Европа, за което благодарим от все сърце. Постигнатото пълно съгласие от 47 държави членки на Съвета на Европа по Софийската стратегия за правата на детето е здравият фундамент, един изключително сериозен дипломатически успех, който ще бъде надграден с европейски политики за защита на най-уязвимите и безценни членове на нашите общества – децата. Този успех в защитата на правата на децата зависи от готовността ни решително да се изправим и да решим проблеми като продължаващите конфликти по света, маргинализацията на групи в обществата ни, бедността и социалното изключване, младежката безработица и др.
В рамките на българското председателство значителни усилия бяха положени и в областта на утвърждаването на върховенството на закона. През април в София се състоя Конференцията на високо равнище на тема „Укрепване на независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната власт като предпоставка за върховенството на закона в държавите-членки на Съвета на Европа“. Конференцията констатира, че редица европейски държави са изправени пред предизвикателството да осигурят подходящите гаранции за независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната власт, което поражда въпроси за справедливостта на съдебните решения и за това как да бъде повишено общественото доверие към нея. Всички ние, държавите-членки, следва да се придържаме към стандартите на Съвета на Европа за независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната власт. Удовлетворен съм, че постигнахме пълно съгласие на всички държави-членки и се обединихме около предложения от Генералния секретар на Съвета на Европа План за укрепване на независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната система за периода 2016 – 2021 г. Ще изпълним този план, за да повишим доверието към съдебните системи в нашите общества.
В края на Българското председателство бих искал да отправя специални благодарности за конструктивното отношение и сътрудничеството на всички държави-членки при изпълнението както на нашите приоритети, така и, разбира се, за всяко смислено действие в интерес на тази Европа, в която ние вярваме – мирна, човешка и просперираща. Благодарим за ефективното взаимодействие с Генералния секретар и всички органи от системата на Съвета на Европа. Няма как да пропуснем Парламентарната асамблея на Съвета на Европа, Конгреса за местни и регионални власти, Европейския съд по правата на човека и Венецианската комисия – изключителни партньори както на председателството на България, така и на всички нас, по пътя на утвърждаване на нашата демокрация. Убеден съм, че в рамките на своите председателства Естония, разбира се, веднага след тях и Кипър, няма да пожалят усилия в реализирането на съвместните приоритети на Тройката.
Dear friends,
The world is out of balance today and it will take time until we find a new, sustainable world order. A more unstable period is ahead of us. The record number of crises puts into question national borders and international principles. Today we witness how borders are making a comeback since the fall of the Berlin wall more than 40 countries all over the world have erected more than 60 new walls on the borders with their neighbors. Today we witness that the same generation that brought the Berlin wall down, the same generation, is building new walls in the heart of Europe. But the history of mankind, the history of Europe, is most of all a history of cooperation, a history diplomacy. And in this transition period we understand how important it is to our joint efforts to build and rebuild more resilient regional and world order. That is only possible when we promote institutional reforms, diplomacy and principles. That is only possible when we see the principles, and not only interests prevailing on the international stage. That is only possible when we see leaders who understand that differences should be resolved peacefully and not by bombings, proxy wars and propaganda. We need to achieve а rules based global society and order and we need to support every effort, every project, every initiative of the Council of Europe. Because the Council of Europe is a platform for nations in Europe to share, to debate, to have dialogue, to cooperate and not to fight. And because the Council of Europe is an indispensable organization for all of us to shape the Europe we would like to give to our children, Europe that is a symbol of successful diplomacy and cooperation. Europe that is a symbol of the rule of law, Europe that is a symbol of people and that could shape the states through democratic instruments, through cooperation and through cross border initiatives. And, dear friends, as the walls are making a comeback, we should make clear that every project we have as well as every problem we have go beyond our borders and need to have a common solution. That is what we are trying to achieve in the Bulgarian Presidency and that is what we will achieve for the future of Europe.
Warm regards and great thanks to all of you coming here today to ancient and beautiful Sofia; in Bulgaria that has created one of the first states in Europe.
Yesterday I visited Pope Francis. We celebrate 1150 years of diplomacy between the first Bulgarian state and the Vatican. By shaping Europe together through diplomacy Bulgaria made an example 1150 years ago. We are so proud that yesterday with the Holy Father we came back to the letters that were signed 1150 ago. We came back to the truth that together we shaped, changed and together we will change Europe for good. We have to put the ordinary citizens, as the Holy Father said, into the very core of our agenda, into the very effort we have. People in Europe want peace, want cooperation; they want borders to fall and they want nations to come closer together to free trade, rule of law and international cooperation. They want - we need to believe them. I hope that the Bulgarian Presidency was successful into bringing us a step closer to that Europe we believe in - united, peaceful, and democratic.
I wish you success!
Thank you!
Уважаеми господин Председател на Парламентарната асамблея на Съвета на Европа,
Уважаеми господин Председател на Европейския съд по правата на човека,
Уважаеми господин Председател на Комитета на министрите,
Уважаеми Министри,
Ваши Превъзходителства,
Дами и господа,
Добре дошли в нашата древна и красива столица София по случай 126-та сесия на Комитета на министрите на Съвета на Европа. Присъствието на толкова много държавници и делегати от всички кътчета на Европа е безспорно доказателство за успеха на българското председателство и за значението, което всички ние, държавите-членки, отдаваме на дейността и ролята на Съвета на Европа в защита и подкрепа на демокрацията, върховенството на закона и правата на човека.
Приключва второто българско председателство на Комитета на министрите след присъединяването ни към Съвета на Европа през 1992 г. Оттогава измина близо четвърт век. Членството откри пред нас нов хоризонт и спомогна за осъществяването на преход от тоталитарен комунистически режим към утвърждаването на европейските демократични ценности и изграждането на добре функционираща демокрация в България. Със своя богат арсенал от правни инструменти и уникалната експертиза в областта на демокрацията, върховенството на закона и правата на човека, Съветът на Европа бе наш незаменим партньор в усилията ни да превърнем България в това, което е днес – достоен член на ЕС и НАТО, двигател на европейската интеграция и фактор на политическа и икономическа стабилност и демократично развитие на Балканите.
За тези близо 25 години България извървя дълъг път, научихме ценни уроци, постигнахме съществен напредък във всички области на обществено-политическия живот. Европа също се промени, драстично и за добро, постигнахме много заедно и само заедно ще преодолеем предизвикателствата. Защото кризите, пред които сме изправени днес, са глобални, те минават отвъд нашите граници. Свидетели сме на нестихващи конфликти, нарастващ екстремизъм, расизъм, радикализация, дискриминация, религиозна и етническа нетолерантност. Ценностите на Обединена Европа са поставени под въпрос от популистки и националистически партии, които използват страха на хората от извънредната нестабилност. Не можем да си позволим да чакаме, да отлагаме или да прехвърляме проблемите на следващото поколение. Историята ни учи, че когато е трудно и тежко, трябва да се носи отговорност, трябва да се взимат решения. Познала разрухата на безброй войни и конфликти, след Втората световна война, Европа избра пътя на сътрудничеството между народите. Заклети врагове се превърнаха в съюзници и приятели в името на мирното развитие на Стария континент. Резултатите, които постигнахме, са впечатляващи и уникални. Днес Европа трябва да намери адекватен отговор на рекордния брой кризи и извънредна нестабилност, на които сме свидетели. Имаме необходимите инструменти, необходима е воля, необходим е кураж за действие.
България пое председателството на Комитета на министрите на Съвета на Европа в труден момент на засилване на противопоставянето в Европа и на все по-несигурна и непредсказуема международна среда, в резултат на рекордния брой кризи по света и взаимодействието между тях. Дадохме си ясна сметка, че най-важното за нас, държавите-членки, е да потвърдим своите общи ценности, да застанем твърдо зад принципите на демокрацията, върховенството на закона и правата на човека. Приетата в София през октомври 2015 г. Декларация за принципите на европейското единство и сътрудничество от Постоянния комитет на Парламентарната асамблея на Съвета на Европа е от изключителна важност за бъдещето на Европа. Поставихме началото. Сега е важно да продължим да работим за свикването на Среща на върха на държавните и правителствени ръководители на Съвета на Европа, на която държавите–членки да препотвърдят на най-високо държавно ниво принципите и ценностите на обединена, демократична и мирна Европа.
Българското председателството бе успешно и ползотворно за Европа. Заложените в програмата на председателството приоритети в областта на защитата на правата на детето и уязвимите групи и разширяването на достъпа до култура на младите хора, бяха постигнати. За мен бе изключителна чест да бъда патрон на Конференцията на високо равнище на Съвета на Европа за правата на децата, която се проведе през април в София. Единодушното приемане и старт на изпълнението на Софийска стратегия за правата на детето на Съвета на Европа до 2021 г. е огромен успех на българската дипломация, на българското председателство и на Съвета на Европа, за което благодарим от все сърце. Постигнатото пълно съгласие от 47 държави членки на Съвета на Европа по Софийската стратегия за правата на детето е здравият фундамент, един изключително сериозен дипломатически успех, който ще бъде надграден с европейски политики за защита на най-уязвимите и безценни членове на нашите общества – децата. Този успех в защитата на правата на децата зависи от готовността ни решително да се изправим и да решим проблеми като продължаващите конфликти по света, маргинализацията на групи в обществата ни, бедността и социалното изключване, младежката безработица и др.
В рамките на българското председателство значителни усилия бяха положени и в областта на утвърждаването на върховенството на закона. През април в София се състоя Конференцията на високо равнище на тема „Укрепване на независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната власт като предпоставка за върховенството на закона в държавите-членки на Съвета на Европа“. Конференцията констатира, че редица европейски държави са изправени пред предизвикателството да осигурят подходящите гаранции за независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната власт, което поражда въпроси за справедливостта на съдебните решения и за това как да бъде повишено общественото доверие към нея. Всички ние, държавите-членки, следва да се придържаме към стандартите на Съвета на Европа за независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната власт. Удовлетворен съм, че постигнахме пълно съгласие на всички държави-членки и се обединихме около предложения от Генералния секретар на Съвета на Европа План за укрепване на независимостта и безпристрастността на съдебната система за периода 2016 – 2021 г. Ще изпълним този план, за да повишим доверието към съдебните системи в нашите общества.
В края на Българското председателство бих искал да отправя специални благодарности за конструктивното отношение и сътрудничеството на всички държави-членки при изпълнението както на нашите приоритети, така и, разбира се, за всяко смислено действие в интерес на тази Европа, в която ние вярваме – мирна, човешка и просперираща. Благодарим за ефективното взаимодействие с Генералния секретар и всички органи от системата на Съвета на Европа. Няма как да пропуснем Парламентарната асамблея на Съвета на Европа, Конгреса за местни и регионални власти, Европейския съд по правата на човека и Венецианската комисия – изключителни партньори както на председателството на България, така и на всички нас, по пътя на утвърждаване на нашата демокрация. Убеден съм, че в рамките на своите председателства Естония, разбира се, веднага след тях и Кипър, няма да пожалят усилия в реализирането на съвместните приоритети на Тройката.
Dear friends,
The world is out of balance today and it will take time until we find a new, sustainable world order. A more unstable period is ahead of us. The record number of crises puts into question national borders and international principles. Today we witness how borders are making a comeback since the fall of the Berlin wall more than 40 countries all over the world have erected more than 60 new walls on the borders with their neighbors. Today we witness that the same generation that brought the Berlin wall down, the same generation, is building new walls in the heart of Europe. But the history of mankind, the history of Europe, is most of all a history of cooperation, a history diplomacy. And in this transition period we understand how important it is to our joint efforts to build and rebuild more resilient regional and world order. That is only possible when we promote institutional reforms, diplomacy and principles. That is only possible when we see the principles, and not only interests prevailing on the international stage. That is only possible when we see leaders who understand that differences should be resolved peacefully and not by bombings, proxy wars and propaganda. We need to achieve а rules based global society and order and we need to support every effort, every project, every initiative of the Council of Europe. Because the Council of Europe is a platform for nations in Europe to share, to debate, to have dialogue, to cooperate and not to fight. And because the Council of Europe is an indispensable organization for all of us to shape the Europe we would like to give to our children, Europe that is a symbol of successful diplomacy and cooperation. Europe that is a symbol of the rule of law, Europe that is a symbol of people and that could shape the states through democratic instruments, through cooperation and through cross border initiatives. And, dear friends, as the walls are making a comeback, we should make clear that every project we have as well as every problem we have go beyond our borders and need to have a common solution. That is what we are trying to achieve in the Bulgarian Presidency and that is what we will achieve for the future of Europe.
Warm regards and great thanks to all of you coming here today to ancient and beautiful Sofia; in Bulgaria that has created one of the first states in Europe.
Yesterday I visited Pope Francis. We celebrate 1150 years of diplomacy between the first Bulgarian state and the Vatican. By shaping Europe together through diplomacy Bulgaria made an example 1150 years ago. We are so proud that yesterday with the Holy Father we came back to the letters that were signed 1150 ago. We came back to the truth that together we shaped, changed and together we will change Europe for good. We have to put the ordinary citizens, as the Holy Father said, into the very core of our agenda, into the very effort we have. People in Europe want peace, want cooperation; they want borders to fall and they want nations to come closer together to free trade, rule of law and international cooperation. They want - we need to believe them. I hope that the Bulgarian Presidency was successful into bringing us a step closer to that Europe we believe in - united, peaceful, and democratic.
I wish you success!
Thank you!
Реч на Президента на ПАСЕ г-н Педро Аграмун пред Комитета на министрите :
Ministers, Secretary General,
If I asked you to pick the terms that define our
Organisation, what would you choose?
Human rights, rule of law and democracy is the most
obvious answer but there are other important defining terms reflected in the
Preamble of the Statute.
Let me highlight four of them:
- Pursuit of peace
- International co-operation
- Common heritage
- Closer unity
Without peace, it is impossible to realise the ideals
of the Council of Europe.
The other three defining terms I mentioned can be
summarised as ‘working together'.
Unfortunately, today we have all too often forgotten how
to put aside our own interests for the common good – building Pan-European
unity around shared values and common interests.
Today, the values of human rights, democracy and rule
of law are being challenged.
Our human rights standards are the ‘Gold Standard'.
But if States pick and choose which judgments of the Strasbourg Court they are
ready to accept, our Convention system will collapse.
Our democracies are confronted with issues of
legitimacy, lack of checks and balances, misuse of the role of opposition and
majority, and the strengthening of extreme and populist movements.
Our rule of law should not become, as Secretary
General Jagland has said, ‘rule of MY law'.
Our peace is not something to be taken for
granted. We have recently seen the frozen conflict flaring and the ongoing
conflict in the east of Ukraine heating up. And, most importantly, the people
living in conflict areas have limited – if any – access to our human rights
protection mechanisms.
We have to work together across the board and
tackle all these issues, as well as the pressing global challenges including
fighting terrorism without fear and addressing the refugee crisis where we
still need a stronger response despite the welcome appointment of the Special
Representative of the Secretary General.
The Secretary General's third Report on the State of
Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law sets priorities for addressing the
challenges Europe's 47 are facing. The Parliamentary Assembly stands ready to
provide support to this ambitious programme.
You are well
aware of past calls by the Secretary General for a new Summit of Heads of State
and Government.
The Assembly
supports these and we stand ready to developing this idea further.
I will close with words from Miguel de Cervantes who
died four hundred years ago. He said ‘It is one thing to praise discipline, and
another to submit to it.'
The European Convention on Human Rights has
established the fundamental "rules of the game" for our Pan-European
family. We need to reaffirm our commitment to upholding the Convention system
and to realising our common objectives, for there to be peace, security and
stability on the Continent.
Thank you.
Реч на Генералния Секретар на Съвета на Европа Тьорбьорн Ягланд :
Sofia, 18 May 2016,
You should have by now received my annual report on the State of Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law across Europe.
It’s sobering reading.
Across the continent we have found holes in the systems of checks and balances meant to restrain executive power. Too many judicial systems suffering from political interference and corruption. Half of member states failing to guarantee the safety of journalists. Growing problems for freedom of expression on the Internet. In some states, freedom of assembly under serious attack.
Checks and balances such as these are the cornerstone of democratic security. Where they are weak, we cannot prevent corruption or the mismanagement of power. And where power is not kept in check, where citizens cannot have confidence in their institutions, their courts, their media – instability and upheaval are never far away.
Equally troubling, at a time of great anxiety in Europe – fuelled by the economic crisis, the terrorism crisis and the refugee crisis…
…my report also found widespread weaknesses in the rules and practices which underpin social inclusion.
Anti-discrimination laws not being implemented, for example. The same, predictable groups subjected to prejudice and exclusion – Roma, migrants, refugees, LGBT. So if you look at the pan-European picture, we now have a double-whammy:
On the one hand, problems with our systems of checks and balances, undermining trust in state institutions.
On the other, weaknesses in our policies for cohesion, at a time of fear and uncertainty.
And who benefits?
Populists.
Nationalists.
Extremists and xenophobes.
The forces which have emerged in almost all member states – and which are themselves a threat to responsible government and stability.
The question is: how do we respond?
My counsel to you today is that we must renew our efforts to address the shortcomings which exist…
…working together to boost human rights, democracy and the rule of law across Europe.
My report sets out what this means in practice. Let us rebuild confidence in institutions and in politics in this way. The worst response, by contrast, is to meet populism with populism – because where does that end? In some states we are seeing a new and dangerous tendency towards legislative nationalism.
In particular, as governments try to deal with the refugee crisis and the terror threat, we increasingly see laws being proposed or adopted which brush international obligations to one side.
In others, we now see the European Convention on Human Rights and the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights openly challenged – with some invoking the supremacy of national constitutions, or parliaments, or public opinion instead.
But the Convention system hinges on Article 46, which all States have signed up to, and which says that they will ‘undertake to abide by the final judgement of the Court’.
Take this away, and the entire system begins to unravel.
If this is allowed to happen, the loss to Europe will be immense.
It is only because of our Convention system that – even in these difficult times – in Europe we have a set of common legal standards to guide us.
The Convention is the pan-European ideal – and it remains an inspiration across the world. It safeguards the rights of 820 million people. It enables 47 states to move as one when faced with grave threats to their shared security.
Thanks to our common standards and co-operation, for example, Europe is now leading the fight against foreign terrorist fighters: because we were able to negotiate the first international treaty criminalising the relevant acts, and in just seven weeks.
The Convention system keeps the doors of diplomacy open, even at the most strained moments between member states.
It got us into Crimea to monitor the human rights situation there – the first international organisation to set foot on the Peninsula in 18 months.
And, as we look ahead, the Convention will be an invaluable tool in managing Europe’s increasingly diverse societies – not least as we integrate migrants and refugees.
Because the rights and freedoms which it contains are not only the basis of a contract between citizens and their governments. They also constitute a contract between the different members of a society: they are the values all must respect, irrespective of background, culture or faith.
So let me end with my two asks for you today.
First, back my report in order to strengthen democratic security across member states. It contains many important recommendations, from a comprehensive programme of judicial reform; to codifying for the first time, international standards relating to mass surveillance; to creating new standards to protect freedom of expression online; to measures to help integrate migrants and refugees.
And I have a political ask too: be louder and clearer than ever in your commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights and Strasbourg Court. They cannot be taken for granted and the system is only as strong as the political will behind it – which only you can provide.
Реч на Генералния Секретар на Съвета на Европа Тьорбьорн Ягланд :
Sofia, 18 May 2016,
You should have by now received my annual report on the State of Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law across Europe.
It’s sobering reading.
Across the continent we have found holes in the systems of checks and balances meant to restrain executive power. Too many judicial systems suffering from political interference and corruption. Half of member states failing to guarantee the safety of journalists. Growing problems for freedom of expression on the Internet. In some states, freedom of assembly under serious attack.
Checks and balances such as these are the cornerstone of democratic security. Where they are weak, we cannot prevent corruption or the mismanagement of power. And where power is not kept in check, where citizens cannot have confidence in their institutions, their courts, their media – instability and upheaval are never far away.
Equally troubling, at a time of great anxiety in Europe – fuelled by the economic crisis, the terrorism crisis and the refugee crisis…
…my report also found widespread weaknesses in the rules and practices which underpin social inclusion.
Anti-discrimination laws not being implemented, for example. The same, predictable groups subjected to prejudice and exclusion – Roma, migrants, refugees, LGBT. So if you look at the pan-European picture, we now have a double-whammy:
On the one hand, problems with our systems of checks and balances, undermining trust in state institutions.
On the other, weaknesses in our policies for cohesion, at a time of fear and uncertainty.
And who benefits?
Populists.
Nationalists.
Extremists and xenophobes.
The forces which have emerged in almost all member states – and which are themselves a threat to responsible government and stability.
The question is: how do we respond?
My counsel to you today is that we must renew our efforts to address the shortcomings which exist…
…working together to boost human rights, democracy and the rule of law across Europe.
My report sets out what this means in practice. Let us rebuild confidence in institutions and in politics in this way. The worst response, by contrast, is to meet populism with populism – because where does that end? In some states we are seeing a new and dangerous tendency towards legislative nationalism.
In particular, as governments try to deal with the refugee crisis and the terror threat, we increasingly see laws being proposed or adopted which brush international obligations to one side.
In others, we now see the European Convention on Human Rights and the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights openly challenged – with some invoking the supremacy of national constitutions, or parliaments, or public opinion instead.
But the Convention system hinges on Article 46, which all States have signed up to, and which says that they will ‘undertake to abide by the final judgement of the Court’.
Take this away, and the entire system begins to unravel.
If this is allowed to happen, the loss to Europe will be immense.
It is only because of our Convention system that – even in these difficult times – in Europe we have a set of common legal standards to guide us.
The Convention is the pan-European ideal – and it remains an inspiration across the world. It safeguards the rights of 820 million people. It enables 47 states to move as one when faced with grave threats to their shared security.
Thanks to our common standards and co-operation, for example, Europe is now leading the fight against foreign terrorist fighters: because we were able to negotiate the first international treaty criminalising the relevant acts, and in just seven weeks.
The Convention system keeps the doors of diplomacy open, even at the most strained moments between member states.
It got us into Crimea to monitor the human rights situation there – the first international organisation to set foot on the Peninsula in 18 months.
And, as we look ahead, the Convention will be an invaluable tool in managing Europe’s increasingly diverse societies – not least as we integrate migrants and refugees.
Because the rights and freedoms which it contains are not only the basis of a contract between citizens and their governments. They also constitute a contract between the different members of a society: they are the values all must respect, irrespective of background, culture or faith.
So let me end with my two asks for you today.
First, back my report in order to strengthen democratic security across member states. It contains many important recommendations, from a comprehensive programme of judicial reform; to codifying for the first time, international standards relating to mass surveillance; to creating new standards to protect freedom of expression online; to measures to help integrate migrants and refugees.
And I have a political ask too: be louder and clearer than ever in your commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights and Strasbourg Court. They cannot be taken for granted and the system is only as strong as the political will behind it – which only you can provide.
В 16:06часа на 18 май 2016г. Министър Даниел Митов предаде символично председателството на Комитета на министрите на Съвекта на Европа на Естонския Министър на външните работи Г-жа Марина Калюранд
Ето словото, което той произнесе на финала на българското пвредседателство :
STATEMENT
BY
MINISTER DANIEL MITOV ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS
OF THE BULGARIAN CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE
OF MINISTERS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Secretary General,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have come to the last part of our session, namely
“Transfer of the Chairmanship between Bulgaria and Estonia”. You have all
received a comprehensive written report on the stocktaking of the Bulgarian
Chairmanship, so I will limit myself to highlighting just some of the most
important, in our view, achievements of the Chairmanship.
But let me first say a bit about our approach. We are living in very
difficult and challenging times for Europe! The last six months have seen much
disruption, terrorist attacks in some member states, continuing migration processes and conflicts. Our
conviction in taking forward the agenda has been that only common, European
solutions can provide effective and lasting solutions. Moreover, we firmly
believe that the Council of Europe has a central role to play in the complex,
multi-layered set of decisions that are required to address the current crisis.
Naturally, this political environment has inevitable influenced our
Chairmanship. Nonetheless, I am convinced that we have succeeded in meeting the
main objectives we set out last year.
With regard to Bulgaria’s first priority: Strengthening the protection of the rights
of the child and facilitating young people’s access to culture, the main
achievement during the Chairmanship was the official launch of the Council of
Europe’s Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021). This important event
took place in the framework of the High–level Conference "Reaching the
Heights for the Rights of the Child", held in April in Sofia. The
Conference was attended by all member States at high political level, as well
as by representatives of international and non-governmental organisations. We
are confident that this Conference has made an important contribution to the
future successful implementation of the strategy.
In compliance with our second priority: Protecting media from external influence,
two events on media freedom were organized. On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, 10 December, two
Bulgarian NGOs, with the support of the Council of Europe, held an awareness
raising conference in Sofia to discuss trends, developments and perspectives in
the field of protection of fundamental human rights of Internet users. Two days
ago, we held an International Conference “Is media still relevant: the role of
media in politics” at which the media environment in Bulgaria was discussed and
some valuable policy proposals were made.
A series of events were organised under the third
priority of the Chairmanship: Protecting
vulnerable groups. In November, an International Conference “New approach
to integration” was held in Sofia to debate the problems and exchange good
practices in the field of integration of disadvantaged children and young
people. In March, an International
Expert Conference “Equal enjoyment of human rights and freedoms by
persons with disabilities: achievements and challenges” was organised with the aim to exchange experience
on ensuring conditions for equality of people with disabilities, thereby
contributing to the protection of their rights and their full participation in
social life. In April, Bulgaria hosted an International Conference “Our future
together”, devoted to the implementation of the Programme “Children and Youth
at Risk” and its results.
Apart from the activities under these three main
priorities, I would like to mention two more important events during the
Bulgarian Chairmanship.
The first is the International High-level Conference
“Democratic stability based on European unity and co-operation”, hosted by the
National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria. During this forum, the
participants discussed the challenges for democratic security and co-operation
in Europe, the migration and refugee crises and the process of reconciliation
and pan-European cooperation. One of the topics discussed was the proposal made
in the Sofia Declaration of the PACE to hold a Fourth Summit of the Council of
Europe, at which to reaffirm at the highest political level the member States’
commitment to the common values and principles of democracy, human rights and
the rule of law.
The second is the
High-level Conference of Ministers of Justice and representatives of the
Judiciary, at which the Council of Europe’s Plan of Action on “Strengthening
judicial independence and impartiality” was launched and received wide support from
the participants. This Conference provided
an opportunity to stimulate the dialogue between legislative, executive and judiciary aimed at
enhancing the independence and effectiveness of the judicial process. It also gave incentives for the ongoing reforms in many
member States.
When assuming the Chairmanship of the Committee of
Ministers, Bulgaria undertook some specific commitments with regard to Council
of Europe’s legal instruments and I am happy to report that these commitments
were fulfilled. During the Chairmanship,
Bulgaria ratified Protocol No. 15 to
the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms and signed the Convention on Preventing and
Combating Violence against Women and Domestic
Violence (Istanbul Convention).
We also undertook efforts
aimed at bringing Belarus closer to
the Council of Europe. In my capacity as Chair of the Committee of Ministers, I
paid an official visit to Minsk in April and had meetings with the Belorussian
authorities, as well as with representatives of civil society. I also visited
the Council of Europe Information Point in Minsk. At these meetings, I welcomed
the ongoing positive trends in Belarus since last summer and expressed an
expectation that other steps will follow in the field of democracy, human
rights and the rule of law which will pave the way for the further development
of relations with our Organization. In particular, I emphasised the need for
Belarus to reconsider its policy in relation to the death penalty.
During the Bulgarian Chairmanship, the Committee of
Ministers and I personally continued to follow closely the situation in Ukraine, including in Crimea. We have
continued to encourage and assist the Ukrainian authorities in implementing the
constitutional and other relevant reforms. A delegation from the Rapporteur
Group on Democracy of the Ministers’ Deputies visited Ukraine in order to take
stock of the current state of implementation of the Council of Europe Action
Plan for Ukraine. A visit of an ad hoc human rights delegation was carried out
to Crimea. Following my statement on 10 March on the case of Ms Nadya Savchenko,
the Committee adopted a decision on the same issue. In April, the Committee
also adopted a comprehensive decision on the situation in Ukraine.
Regarding Georgia,
the Committee of Ministers examined the two latest consolidated reports of the
Secretary General on the conflict in Georgia and on their basis adopted
a set of decisions in May. During our Chairmanship, the new Action Plan for
Georgia for the period 2016-2019 was approved and officially launched during a
joint visit to Tbilisi which I paid together with the Deputy Secretary General.
Dear Colleagues,
Given the scale of the challenges before us, the work
we have done in these last six months is far from conclusive and Bulgaria looks
forward to its continuation under the Chairmanship of Estonia and beyond. Being
part of the same Troika, Bulgaria is convinced that Estonia and afterwards
Cyprus will spare no efforts in implementing both their own priorities and the
joint priorities that we have elaborated together.
I would like to conclude by expressing sincere thanks
to the members of our Chairmanship team, both here in Sofia and in Strasbourg,
for their commitment and efforts. Without their hard work and devotion, the Chairmanship
could not have achieved the results we have presented to you today. I would also like to express my gratitude to the
Secretariat of the Committee of Ministers, which we consider as a part of our
team and which has done an exceptional job in support of the Chairmanship.
Before handing over the Chairmanship to my Estonian
colleague, there is one last thing that I would like to do in my capacity as
Chairman of the Committee of Ministers.
This Ministerial Session is the last to be held under
the stewardship of our Secretary, Ms Mireille Paulus. I would like to warmly
thank Ms Paulus for the outstanding work that she has been doing in supporting
the successive chairmanships of our Committee.
Like my predecessors, I had the privilege to benefit
from her advice and wisdom, her unique diplomatic skills, her extended
knowledge of the Council of Europe and her deep attachment to its values. I
know from experience how much work and efforts she puts in performing her
demanding function. The Estonian chair
will naturally be able to count on her support until Mireille takes her
well-deserved retirement at the end of this year.
Dear Mireille,
On behalf of the Committee members, I thank you for
the dedicated service to our Committee and wish you a healthy, happy and fulfilling future.
Now, with this symbolic key, I pass on the
Chairmanship to my good friend Marina
Kaljurand, Foreign Minister of Estonia, and give her the floor to present their
priorities for the coming six months. I
wish you every success and assure you of our full support and cooperation.
Линк към приоритетите на Естонското
председателство :
А в Страсбург, трамваят вече е с естонското лого :
 |
| Предаване на българското знаме на българския посланик при Съвета на Европа г-жа Катя Тодорова |
 |
| Издигане на знамето на Естония |
Ministers’ Deputies
Information documents
CM/Inf(2016)12 10 May 2016
Stocktaking of the Bulgarian Chairmanship
of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
(10 November 2015 – 18 May 2016)
of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
(10 November 2015 – 18 May 2016)
Introduction
On 10 November 2015, Bulgaria, for the second time in its history, took over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Bosnia and Herzegovina which held its chairmanship in a difficult and challenging period for our Organisation but managed to fulfil this demanding task in an outstanding way. The period of the Bulgarian chairmanship was also very dynamic and not less challenging.
Bulgaria has the pleasure to present this report to the 126th Ministerial Session in Sofia on 18 May 2016 when we will also have the honour to hand over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers to Estonia. Being part of the same Troika, Bulgaria is convinced that Estonia and afterwards Cyprus will spare no efforts in implementing both the priorities of their respective chairmanships and the joint priorities of the Troika that we have elaborated together.
Bulgaria has concentrated its efforts on three main priorities during its chairmanship: Strengthening the protection of the rights of the child and facilitating young people’s access to culture, Protecting media from external influence and Protecting vulnerable groups. Of course our priorities were implemented taking into consideration the developments of the main political processes which had an impact on the democratic security in Europe, such as the terrorist acts which occurred during the last months, the dynamic migration processes and their human rights dimension, the situation in Ukraine and many others. In implementing its priorities and in dealing with all challenges, Bulgaria was guided by its conviction that the preservation and further strengthening and promoting the fundamental values of our Organisation – democracy, human rights and the rule of law – is of paramount importance today.
Bulgaria has also invested a lot of efforts in supporting the work of the Committee of Ministers in adopting many important documents and thus contributing to the successful functioning of the Council of Europe and to the realisation of its goals and values.
Strengthening the protection of the rights of the child and facilitating young people’s access to culture
One of the main achievements during the chairmanship of Bulgaria was the official launching of the Council of Europe’s Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021). This important event took place in the framework of the High–level Conference "Reaching the Heights for the Rights of the Child", held on
5 and 6 April 2016 in Sofia.
5 and 6 April 2016 in Sofia.
It was an honour for Bulgaria to contribute to this very important area of Council of Europe activity – the protection of the rights of the child. It was attended by all member States, with a high level of political representation. Over 300 experts, policy makers and representatives of international and non-governmental organisations discussed how to translate the Strategy into concrete action at a national level. Children and young people participated alongside adults throughout, showing that at the Council of Europe we "practice what we preach", when it comes to child participation. Bulgaria is confident that the conference has helped foster new networks of political leaders, of experts, and of young people who will continue to drive the implementation of the Strategy, which will be also guided by the new Ad hoc Committee of Experts on the Rights of the Child.
The first European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse was marked on 18 November. On this occasion, the Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Mr Daniel Mitov, issued a statement underlining the importance of this initiative and calling on those governments that have not yet done so to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse – “the Lanzarote Convention”.
Moreover, on 10 and 11 December 2015, the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior, together with the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement, organised in Sofia an International Conference on Building a Culture of Prevention through Disaster Risk Awareness Improvement among Children and Adolescents. The main objective of the conference was to bring together European experts and practitioners to take stock of actual progress in improving the resilience of children and adolescents to disasters. Based on identified good practices in different countries, the necessary steps to build a strategy to promote a culture of prevention among children and adolescents were discussed and concrete actions to implement it were highlighted.
Protecting media from external influence
In compliance with its second priority, the chairmanship organised two conferences in the field of media freedom. On 10 December 2015, on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, two Bulgarian NGOs, with the support of the Council of Europe, held an awareness raising event in Sofia to discuss trends, developments and perspectives in the field of protection of fundamental human rights of Internet users. The discussions focused on the Council of Europe “Guide to Human Rights for Internet Users”.
On 16 May 2016, the International Conference “Is media still relevant: the role of media in politics” was organised in Sofia by the Centre for the Study of Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at which the state of play of the media environment in Bulgaria was discussed and proposals for amendments in Bulgarian media policy were made.
Furthermore, some very important Council of Europe documents in this field were adopted during the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers such as Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)1 to member States on protecting and promoting the right to freedom of expression and the right to private life with regard to network neutrality; Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)2 on the Internet of citizens calling on member States to recognise digital culture as one of the key issues for modern cultural policy making and revisit their cultural policy approaches with a view to implementing the policy guidelines contained in the recommendation, so as to serve citizens to the best of their ability; Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors; Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)5 on Internet freedom. The Committee of Ministers also approved the Council of Europe Strategy on Internet Governance 2016-2019, which aims to tackle the challenges to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the rapidly evolving online environment.
Protecting vulnerable groups
A series of events were organised with relation to the protection of vulnerable groups. On 26 November 2015, an International Conference “New approach to integration” was held in Sofia, in the framework of the Programme “Children and Youth at Risk”. The conference was attended by high ranking foreign officials, mayors of municipalities and representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations involved in the integration of disadvantaged children and young people. The main results of the programme were:
- construction of four youth centres, two of which (in Stara Zagora and Plovdiv) are already in place and are preparing to apply for a Quality Label by the Council of Europe and the other two (in Vratsa and Dobrich) will be opened at the beginning of next year;
- reconstruction and furnishing of dozens of kindergartens throughout the country;
- training of 179 teachers, 19 youth workers and 33 Roma mediators who promote the full integration of children and young people among Roma communities.
On 22 March 2016, an International Expert Conference “Equal enjoyment of human rights and freedoms by persons with disabilities: achievements and challenges” was co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria. The aims of the Conference were to exchange experience and best practices on ensuring conditions for equality of people with disabilities, thereby contributing to respect of their rights and their full participation in social life; to share experience on the practical application of modern aspects of equality of people with disabilities in Bulgaria and member States of the Council of Europe; to present the achievements and best practices of support to persons with disabilities for life in the community in Bulgaria and other member States of the Council of Europe.
On 8 April 2016, the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria hosted an International Conference “Our future together” under the above-mentioned programme “Children and Youth at Risk”. The Conference presented the results of the programme, together with the challenges met during its implementation and served as a forum for discussion of issues raised during the implementation of the programme.
Other priorities and activities
Apart from the efforts invested in the implementation of the three main priorities of its chairmanship, Bulgaria has also dealt with many other important issues.
In the framework of the Bulgarian Chairmanship, an International High-level Conference “Democratic stability based on European unity and co-operation” was held in Sofia on 9 February, hosted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.. During this forum, the participants discussed the challenges for democratic security and co-operation in Europe, the migration and refugee crises and the process of reconciliation and pan-European unification. One of the main topics was the idea of holding a Fourth Summit of the Council of Europe, proposed by the Sofia Declaration, aiming to reaffirm at the highest political level the Council of Europe member States’ commitment to the common values and principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Another International Conference on Good Governance at Local Level – Challenges and Prospects, was organised by the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, in co-operation with the European Committee on Democracy and Governance of the Council of Europe. The conference was held on 31 March in Sofia with the participation of representatives of central and local authorities from Bulgaria and other member States of the Council of Europe. The main topics on the agenda included an exchange of views concerning mechanisms for fostering development of good governance at local level in the member States of the Council of Europe. The further development of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level of the Council of Europe, for the implementation of which the Republic of Bulgaria has a leading role among European States, was also one of the main focuses for discussions during the conference.
In fulfilling its commitments undertaken at the beginning of its chairmanship, Bulgaria ratified Protocol No. 15 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and signed the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention).
Also in accordance with one of the priorities of the Bulgarian Chairmanship, namely to bring Belarus closer to the Council of Europe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Daniel Mitov, and in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, paid an official visit to Minsk on 11-12 April 2016. He had meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Makei, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Vladimir Andreichenko and representatives of NG’Os. He also paid a visit to the CoE Information Point in Minsk. During his meetings, Minister Mitov welcomed the ongoing positive trends in Belarus since the release of the remaining political prisoners last summer and the presidential elections of October 2015. He expressed hope that other steps will follow in the field of democracy, human rights and the rule of law which will pave the way for the further development of relations both with the CoE and the EU. Minister Mitov expressly emphasised the need for Belarus to reconsider its policy in relation to the death penalty. He enquired about the possibilities for the establishment of a moratorium as a first step towards its full abolition, indicating the readiness of the Council of Europe to continue supporting initiatives in this field.
In line with its firm position that the three pillars of the Organisation are equally important and must be treated on an equal basis, the Bulgarian Chairmanship supported many activities in all of them.
The Committee of Ministers examined a report on the longer-term future of the system of the European Convention on Human Rights, together with comments made by the European Court of Human Rights on this report. The Committee endorsed the solutions proposed in response to the present and future challenges identified in the reportconcerning (i) the authority of the Convention: its implementation at national level; (ii) the authority of the Court; (iii) the authority of the Court’s judgments (execution of judgments and its supervision); and (iv) the place of the Convention mechanism in the European and international legal order. The Committee also took a number of decisions regarding the follow-up to this report.
Freedom of association and assembly was the topic of a thematic debate by the Ministers’ Deputies in October and, as a follow-up to this debate, they adopted a number of decisions. In particular, they recalled the obligation of member States, in accordance with Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, to ensure respect for the right to freedom of assembly and association, which involves a positive obligation for member States to create a favourable environment for the exercise of that freedom. As operational follow-up to the debate, the Secretary General was invited to examine the feasibility of a protection mechanism for human rights defenders, with a view to submitting operational proposals in this respect, as well as to prepare an overview of good practices in respect of promoting freedom of assembly and association.
The Committee of Ministers held its annual exchange of views on human rights questions within the framework of the United Nations with experts from capitals. The discussion addressed the developments and main results of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, co-operation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations in the human rights field in 2015 and major themes for the Human Rights Council in 2016. A thematic discussion also took place on human rights in culturally diverse societies.
During the reporting period, the Committee of Ministers adopted several declarations and statements on the death penalty in respect of the United States, Belarus and Japan.
At the beginning of March, the Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)3 on human rights and business in line with the UN Guiding Principles of 16 April 2014 dealing with the same subject. The recommendation calls on member States to review their national legislation and practice to ensure that they comply with the recommendations, principles and further guidance set out in the text, and evaluate the effectiveness of the measures taken at regular intervals. It also calls for a wide dissemination of the recommendation among competent authorities and stakeholders, with a view to raising awareness of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights and contribute to their realisation.
The Committee also adopted in March Guidelines on the protection and promotion of human rights in culturally diverse societies which provide practical advice on how to ensure better protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the context of culturally diverse societies, based on respect for the inherent and equal dignity of every human being. The Committee agreed to examine the follow-up given by member States to the present guidelines five years after their adoption.
On 14 March, during the 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Council of Europe and the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria to the United Nations co-organised a side event to draw attention to the challenges faced by women refugees and asylum seekers. The aim of the event was also to highlight the measures contained in the Council of Europe instruments, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention) and the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. A number of good practices were also identified.
Rule of law and judicial co-operation
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015, the Committee of Ministers adopted a statement condemning these barbaric acts in the strongest terms and expressing its full solidarity with the French people and authorities. The Committee also expressed its determination to resolutely continue the fight against terrorism in full respect of the principles of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law which unite the Council of Europe member States. It underlined that it will continue to give the highest priority to the implementation of the Action Plan on the fight against violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism adopted in May 2015. The Committee of Ministers subsequently reviewed the state of implementation of the Action Plan at the beginning of December on the basis of an overview prepared by the Secretary General.
On 15 March, the Ministers’ Deputies held a thematic debate on “Rising extremism, radicalisation and xenophobia in the fight against terrorism: Building inclusive societies as a cure the need for collective action”, with the participation of invited representatives of the civil society. The Committee of Ministers also adopted Guidelines for prison and probation services regarding radicalisation and violent extremism, as well as an Action Plan (2016-2020) on transnational organised crime.
Following the terrorist attacks in Turkey and in Brussels the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers issued statements condemning the attacks and conveying his condolences to the victims. On 30 March, the Committee of Ministers adopted a statement condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks. It pointed out that these horrendous attacks can only strengthen the Committee of Ministers’ determination to continue the fight against terrorism in full respect of the principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
On 13 April, the Committee of Ministers adopted a Plan of Action on “Strengthening judicial independence and impartiality”, which was launched at the High-level Conference of Ministers of Justice and representatives of the Judiciary held in Sofia on 21 and 22 April 2016. The conference gathered Ministers of Justice from the Council of Europe member States, high-level representatives of their judicial systems and the Council of Europe bodies. The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Chair of the Committee of Ministers took part in the opening session. The conference was chaired by the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria.. It provided an opportunity to stimulate the dialogue between the Council of Europe and the member States related to the independence of the judiciary and highlighted and gave incentives for the ongoing reforms. It also creates a forum for discussions and planning of common Council of Europe member States initiatives in strengthening the rule of law, elaborating a common response to the emerging challenges and implementing the common European standards in the area.
The Committee of Ministers approved in March a Thematic Action Plan on the Inclusion of Roma and Travellers (2016-2019). Following the Committee’s agreement in principle in September last year to establish a European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), it was informed in March that the German Government is willing to host the ERIAC in Berlin.
In the field of education, a Council of Europe Conference of Ministers of Education took place on 11and 12 April 2016 in Brussels in the framework of the Bulgarian chairmanship. In their final declaration, the Ministers expressed their support for a new tool – called the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture – which sets out a series of 20 key competences needed to play an active role in democratic society and explains how these can be defined and measured. The tool is designed to help tackle violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism and to promote inclusive societies.
In the area of sports, the Committee of Ministers adopted on 4 May 2016 the Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events and decided to open it for signature on 3 July 2016, in Saint-Denis (France).
Specific co-operation
The Committee during the whole period of the Chairmanship of Bulgaria continued to pay great attention to all aspects of the situation in Ukraine and was closely following the developments, including in Crimea. Last November, it held an exchange of views with Sir Nicolas Bratza, Chair of the International Advisory Panel on Ukraine, who presented the Panel’s report on the investigations into the events which took place in Odessa in 2014. The Committee of Ministers also followed closely the process of constitutional reforms in Ukraine regarding decentralisation and the judiciary, reforms aimed at strengthening the democratic institutions, the rule of law and the effective protection of human rights, as well as the fight against corruption.
A delegation from the Rapporteur Group on Democracy of the Ministers’ Deputies (GR-DEM) visited Ukraine in March 2016, in order to meet representatives of the Ukrainian authorities and civil society and take stock of the current state of implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine (2015-2017), its results and the next steps. Following a statement by the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers on 10 March, on 30 March the Committee adopted a decision on Ms Nadya Savchenko. In particular, the Committee expressed its concern following her sentencing on 22 March by a court of the Russian Federation and called upon the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ms Savchenko, on humanitarian grounds, and in keeping with the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. On 13 April 2016, the Secretary General presented to the Ministers’ Deputies the results of the Mission sent to Crimea in January in order to assess the human rights and rule of law situation on the ground. On 27 April, the Committee of Ministers adopted a decision on the situation in Ukraine in which the Deputies, inter alia, reiterated their call for full and unrestricted access to the territories which are beyond the control of the Ukrainian authorities, including on the Crimean Peninsula, to all human rights bodies of the Council of Europe, in order that they can carry out their monitoring activities unimpeded and in accordance with their mandates, as a next step, to urgently address deteriorations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In November 2015 and in April 2016, the Committee of Ministers held an exchange of views on the Secretary General’s 12th and 13th consolidated reports on the conflict in Georgia. On 4 May 2016, the Committee of Ministers adopted a decision concerning the Council of Europe and the conflict in Georgia, based on the latest report of the Secretary General. In March, the Committee of Ministers approved an Action Plan to provide assistance to Georgia for the period 2016-2019, as well as a pre-electoral assistance programme in support of the 2016 (parliamentary), 2017 (local) and 2018 (presidential) elections to be held in this country. The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and the Deputy Secretary General made a joint visit to Georgia on 9 May 2016, during which the Action Plan was officially launched.
Under the Bulgarian Chairmanship, the Deputies approved in November 2015 the Council of Europe’s Programme and Budget 2016-2017. This was the Organisation’s third biennial Programme and Budget. In this context, Turkey’s initiative to become a major contributor in 2016 brought significant additional means to the Organisation, allowing it to strengthen its operational capacity and to reinforce its action.
Bulgaria continued its consistent policy of supporting the reform process of the Organisation in order to make it more effective, efficient and relevant on the international scene. In this regard, the Committee of Ministers supported the Secretary General’s continued reform process and the outcomes achieved to date and, underlining their wish for further reform, invited the Secretary General to continue his initiatives for increased organisational efficiency and flexibility, including through further improved use of IT, to better address evolving demands and priorities, including by phasing out activities as appropriate, without assuming further increases in member States’ contributions.
The regular meetings of the Co‑ordination Group between the Council of Europe and the OSCE continued during the Bulgarian Chairmanship. The 23rd meeting of the Co-ordination Group took place on 18 March 2016 in Strasbourg and took stock of the co-operation between the two organisations regarding the protection of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and the promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination. Furthermore, the Committee of Ministers held an exchange of views with Mr Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the German Federal Government for the German OSCE Chairmanship.
On 3 March 2016, the Committee of Ministers held an exchange of views with Judge Silvia Alejandra Fernández De Gurmendi, President of the International Criminal Court at the Hague.
On 4 May 2016, the Committee of Ministers held its first ever exchange of views with the Director General of UNESCO, Ms Irina Bokova, who attended the meeting upon invitation of the Bulgarian Chairmanship.
Finally, on 11 May, the Committee of Ministers held an exchange of views with Ms Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission.
Appendix
Events organised during the Bulgarian Chairmanship
№
|
DATE
|
EVENT
|
VENUE
|
PRIORITY
|
1
|
10 November 2015
|
Handover of the chairmanship in the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria
Presentation of the priorities of the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers by the Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Mr Daniel Mitov
|
Strasbourg
| |
2
|
18 November 2015
|
Statement by Mr Daniel Mitov, Chairman of the CM, on the occasion of the European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
| ||
3
|
26-27 November 2015
|
Meeting of the Bureau and the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly
|
Sofia
|
Promoting the values and standards of European unity and co-operation
|
4
|
26 November 2015
|
Outcome Conference “A new approach to integration”, under the “Capacity building” project, implemented jointly with the Council of Europe
|
Sofia
|
Protecting vulnerable groups
|
5
|
9-11 December 2015
|
International Conference “Building a culture of prevention among children and adolescents through raising awareness and improving knowledge of risks in times of disaster”
|
Sofia
|
Strengthening the protection of the rights of the child and facilitating young people’s access to culture
|
6
|
10-11 December 2015
|
Meeting of the Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
|
Sofia
|
Promoting the values and standards of European unity and co-operation
|
7
|
10 December 2015
|
Awareness raising event on the Guide to human rights for Internet users
|
Sofia
|
Human rights, rule of law and democracy
|
8
|
11 January 2016
|
Ceremony of the signing of Protocol N° 15 amending the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
|
Strasbourg
|
Human rights, rule of law and democracy
|
9
|
25-29 January 2016
|
Communication by the Bulgarian Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Mr Daniel Mitov, and by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Rossen Plevneliev, to the Parliamentary Assembly during the January session of the Assembly
|
Strasbourg
|
Promoting the values and standards of European unity and co-operation
|
10
|
9-10 February 2016
|
High-level Conference “Democratic stability based on the European unity and co-operation” organised by the National Assembly
|
Sofia
|
Promoting the values and standards of European unity and co-operation
|
11
|
11-12 February 2016
|
Experts meeting of the Council of Europe's Co-ordinators on Education for Democratic citizenship and Human rights - under the patronage of the Bulgarian Chairmanship
|
Strasbourg
|
Human rights, rule of law and democracy
|
12
|
3 March 2016
|
Celebration of the National Day of the Republic of Bulgaria at the Council of Europe
|
Strasbourg
|
Cultural event
|
13
|
14 March 2016
|
A side event by Bulgaria and CoE during the the 60th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
|
New York
|
Protecting vulnerable groups
|
14
|
22 March 2016
|
International expert conference for the exchange of good practices “Equal enjoyment of human rights and freedoms by persons with disabilities: achievements and challenges” – Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
|
Sofia
|
Protecting vulnerable groups
|
15
|
22-24 March 2016
|
Visit and address by Ms Lilyana Pavlova, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works of Bulgaria on behalf of the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers on the occasion of the 30th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
|
Strasbourg
| |
16
|
31 March 2016
|
International Conference “Good governance on local level challenges and prospects” – Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
|
Sofia
|
Promoting the values and standards of European unity and co-operation
|
17
|
5-6 April 2016
|
High-level Conference for the launching of the Council of Europe’s Strategy on the Rights of the Child 2016-2021 – State Agency for Child Protection
|
Sofia
|
Strengthening the protection of the rights of the child and facilitating young people’s access to culture
|
18
|
7 April 2016
|
Round table with international participation on the theme “The standards of the Council of Europe in the practice and the activity of the equality bodies of the member States of the Council of Europe” – Commission for Protection Against Discrimination
|
Sofia
|
Human rights, rule of law and democracy
|
19
|
8 April 2016
|
International Conference “Our future together” under “Children and youth at risk” – Ministry of Education and Science
|
Sofia
|
Protecting vulnerable groups
|
20
|
20 April 2016
|
Communication by the Bulgarian Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Mr Daniel Mitov, to the Parliamentary Assembly during the April session of the Assembly
|
Strasbourg
|
Promoting the values and standards of European unity and co-operation
|
21
|
21-22 April 2016
|
High-level International Conference on “Strengthening Judicial Independence and Impartiality as a Pre-condition for the Rule of Law in Council of Europe member States” – Ministry of Justice
|
Sofia
|
Human rights, rule of law and democracy
|
22
|
26-29 April 2016
|
Meeting of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts for Roma Issues (CAHROM) of the Council of Europe
|
Sofia
|
Human rights, rule of law and democracy
|
23
|
11-13 May 2016
|
National Conference on “Facilitating access to cultural heritage” – Ministry of Culture
|
Gabrovo, Bulgaria
|
Strengthening the protection of the rights of the child and facilitating young people’s access to culture
|
24
|
16 May 2016
|
International Conference “Media and Political Influences”- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Centre for the Study of Democracy
|
Sofia
|
Protecting media from external influence
|
25
|
18 May 2016
|
126th Session of the Committee of Ministers - handover of the chairmanship to Estonia
|
Sofia
|
Related documents
126th Session of the Committee of Ministers (18 May 2016) - Meetings 2016 / 18 May 2016 / English 
