Strong call to Russia

The attacks in France, the object of an urgent debate along with the Ukrainian question, were the highlights of the plenary of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Strasbourg, 26-30 January). During the proceedings, PACE appointed its president confirming at the helm Anne Brasseur, and 19 Vice-Presidents. “The acts of terrorism in Paris – said Brasseur in her newly-appointed capacities – were an attack on our fundamental values” and a reminder of the need to “continue our battle day by day and overcome political divisions to reject intolerance and defend our democracies, harmonious coexistence and freedom of expression". Attacks in France. Adopting a resolution based on the Report presented by Jacques Legendre (France, member of the EPP), the Assembly, represented by its 318 members from all 47 CoE national parliaments – stressed the “urgent need for a joint response, at international level and more specifically at European level”, to the jihadist threat. While warning against indiscriminate forms of mass surveillance, “ineffective for the prevention of terrorism” and “a threat to the respect of human rights”, MPs highlighted the need for greater cooperation between intelligence agencies of several European countries and the countries of the Middle East, and referred to prevention measures in prisons, social networks, in schools and in disadvantaged neighbourhoods to” eradicate the root causes “of fundamentalism. Europe, concluded PACE, must show that “she is not afraid” and that “she will continue making use of humour and satire". Russia and Ukraine. Continuing to express opposition to "the illegal annexation of the Crimea to the Russian Federation", in a resolution adopted on the basis of a report by Stefan Schennach (Austria, Socialist Group), to "promote dialogue", the Assembly decided to ratify the credentials of the Russian delegation, yet it suspended its voting and representation rights in the governing bodies of the organism, along with the right of its members to be appointed rapporteurs: "a clear condemnation of the continuing serious violations of international law" in Ukraine, and of "the supply of arms to the rebel forces and the military secret action of Russian troops" in the eastern region of the country. The Assembly is considering creating a special working group with the participation of Presidents (or their representatives) of the Russian State Duma and Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, “to contribute to the implementation of the proposals contained in the resolution” and “formulate a possible action in support of the protocols of Minsk.” The ceasefire stipulated in these agreements to alleviate the suffering of more than two million displaced, refugees or persons in serious danger in the southeast of the country is equally urgent, warned Jim Sheridan (United Kingdom, Socialist). CoE/EU Partnership. Following the opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in a draft resolution adopted on the basis of a report by Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, Liberal), parliamentarians in Strasbourg called for the resumption of the accession negotiations of the ‘EU to the European Convention of Human Rights “without delay”, and reiterated their “strong support” to the strengthening of the partnership CoE-EU. PACE also appointed two new judges of the Court of Strasbourg: Bulgarian Yonko Grozev and Serbian Branko Lubarda. Economic crisis and transparency in sport. "Investing in equality as a way to address the economic crisis” and adopting measures to mitigate its impact on "the most vulnerable”, is the invitation to Member States contained in the resolution adopted at the end of the debate on the report of Nikolai Villumsen (Denmark, united Left). An appeal to national parliaments to “reassert their relevance by bringing ethics at the center of the economic debate” was launched by Irish President Michael D. Higgins. The Assembly also dealt with the theme of transparency in sports. Following the report of British Labour MP Michael Connarty on the reform of the governance of football, PACE Culture Committee adopted a document stating that the decision to assign to Qatar the World Cup in 2020 was so “radically flawed” by illicit payments of money, that FIFA should undertake a new assignment procedure. The document will be discussed at the plenary session in April and for the occasion will be invited FIFA President, Joseph Blatter.