PA CE Winter Session completed its work in Strasbourg

Today, the First Part of the Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PA CE) finished its work in Strasbourg. PA CE members discussed reports on the protection of minority languages, good governance in sports, protection of the rights of children affected by armed conflicts, immunities of international organizations and the rights of their staff.

On the first day of the Session, Michele Nicoletti, an Italian MP, was elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Acting Secretary General – Head of the IPA CIS Council Secretariat Sergey Antufiev attended the Session. On the margins of the PA CE session, he held a number of meetings with leaders of partner parliamentary organizations.

At the meeting with the PACE President, Sergey Antufiev conveyed congratulations on his election on behalf of Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council Valentina Matvienko and discussed prospects for further development of the cooperation between the two organizations, including through the co-hosting of the joint international conference on combating terrorism. The PACE President expressed his sincere interest in continuing joint efforts.

Further opportunities of the common efforts of the IPA CIS and the PA CE were also discussed at the meeting of IPA CIS SG Sergey Antufiev with PACE SG Wojciech Sawicki. The parties discussed the conduct and the composition of the coordination meeting of the co-organizers of the future conference scheduled on 11April.

The cooperation at the level of the working bodies of the IPA CIS and the PA CE was also discussed in the course of the conversation with the newly elected Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Ria Oomen-Ruijten. The PACE Standing Committee and the IPA CIS PC have a long cooperation track record.

The development of cooperation between the IPA CIS and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation was the theme of the meeting with the PABSEC SG Asaf Hajiyev. The Heads of the Secretariats of the two Assemblies exchanged experience in organizing the work of the Secretariats of the inter-parliamentary assemblies.

The IPA CIS SG also visited the Venice Commission HQ located in Strasbourg. He met with Director, Secretary of the Venice Commission Thomas Markert. The meeting discussed the procedure of signing the cooperation agreement. On the basis of the provisions of the Agreement, the Venice Commission suggested that its experts took part in the development of IPA CIS model documents, in accordance with the Model Law-Making Plan, including the model Electoral Code.

On the last day of the PACE session, Sergey Antufiev met with Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Sergio Piazzi. The participation of the PAM in the organization of the future conference on combating international terrorism was discussed at the meeting. The PAM SG supported the idea of co-hosting this event. He confirmed his participation in the coordination meeting in St. Petersburg and suggested that experts from relevant United Nations bodies be involved in the drafting of the conference program.