Înapoi Venice Commission adopted opinions for Armenia and the Republic of Moldova

Venice Commission adopted opinions for Armenia and the Republic of Moldova

Following the spread of the COVID-19 virus to northern Italy, the Enlarged Bureau of the Venice Commission had decided not to hold the scheduled 20-21 March plenary session in Venice. Instead, only some opinions of those on the agenda have been adopted by written procedure. The preparation of two of these opinions was funded through the Partnership for Good Governance. The opinion, prepared jointly with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), on draft amendments pertaining to political party regulation of Armenia, welcomed many of the proposals in the draft amendments which, if implemented adequately, can help to further political pluralism in line with international standards on political party regulation. At the same time, the joint opinion recommended certain revisions and improvements of the draft amendments to ensure that political party registration is not too burdensome, internal party processes are not overregulated and loopholes in political party funding are closed.

 

The Venice Commission also adopted a joint opinion, prepared with the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe, on a draft law amending and supplementing the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova with respect to the Superior Council of Magistracy. Although the opinion underlines that the amendments are generally in line with the applicable international standards and therefore could improve the independence, accountability and efficiency of the judiciary, the Venice Commission and the DGI express serious concern about the manner in which four lay members of the Superior Council of Magistracy have recently been elected which seems to defeat the proclaimed aim of the legislative amendments of December 2019 to restore the public trust in the Superior Council of Magistracy. They therefore call on the Moldovan authorities to suspend the implementation of the legislative amendments of December 2019 and January 2020 and the nomination of four lay members pending a thorough reform of the constitutional provisions on the SCM. These nominations, according to the opinion, should take place after the adoption of the constitutional amendments, in a procedure which ensures transparency and sufficient safeguards against politicisation.

 

Strasbourg, France 24 March 2020
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
  • Imprimer en PDF
Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

Follow us on social media