Minister Vigenin: Council of Europe to investigate the events in Odessa
06 May 2014 News
The 124th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe was held on 5-6 May in Vienna, marking also the 65th anniversary of the Organization. The main topics on the agenda of the forum included the state of democracy, human rights and rule of law in Europe, as well as the situation in Ukraine.
The Bulgarian delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kristian Vigenin. In his statement, he emphasized the need for adherence to the intergovernmental nature of the Council of Europe and improvement of the existing monitoring mechanisms of the Organization.
Minister Vigenin supported the initiatives of the Council, aimed at finding a peaceful way out of the crisis in Ukraine. He demanded the Council of Europe International Advisory Panel to investigate the dramatic events in Odessa, emphasizing that we can show solidarity and compassion to the Ukrainian people by assisting to find the truth about this horrible crime.
The Foreign Minister pointed out the importance of taking urgent measures for de-escalation of tensions and the need for constitutional reform to support the principle of separation of powers, the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law, adding the need for the inclusion of minorities in these processes.
Other issues on the agenda of the session included ensuring the long-term effectiveness of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the cooperation between the Council of Europe and the European Union, and the policy of the Council of Europe to neighboring regions.
At the session, Austria handed over the 6-month rotating presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to Azerbaijan. Bulgaria will take over the rotating presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the second half of 2015.
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