The participation of the BiH PA Permanent Delegation in the Second part of the Regular Session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

 
The Permanent Delegation of the BiH PA, composed of Milica Marković, Nermina Kapetanović, Ismeta Dervoz and Mladen Bosić, participated in the second part of the regular Session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, held in Strasbourg.
Prior to the opening of the Session, meetings of the political groups of the Council of Europe PA were held, while the Permanent Delegation members, Nermina Kapetanović and Ismeta Dervoz, attended a meeting of the EPP/CD political group.

After the opening of the second part of the regular Session of the Council of Europe PA, and a speech by the President of Germany, Joachim Gauck, the minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra, who is also the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Gilbert Saboya Sunye, addressed those present. During his speech, Mr Gilbert also mentioned the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasizing the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights' judgment in the Sejdić and Finci vs BiH case.

On this occasion, he stated that: “The implementation of the judgement in the Sejdić and Finci case is still a concern, and the Council of Ministers is paying special attention to it. This judgment will be on the agenda of the Session of the Council of Ministers at the end of April. The Council of Ministers constantly repeats that implementation of judicial reform benefits the strengthening of democratic institutions in BiH, and that implementation of the Courts’ judgment is a key factor in the State’s European integration process. We are aware that the political and ethnic situation in BiH is rather complex, but the issues mentioned are of crucial importance for demonstrating positive improvement in attitudes, as soon as possible. Only in this way, might the elections scheduled for October 2013 be held in compliance with the democratic standards of the Council of Europe.”

On the second day of the Session, the Committee for Equality and Non-discrimination of the Council of Europe PA held a meeting, during which Ismeta Dervoz made five amendments to the report on gender equality in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, prepared by the reporter Jean-Charles Gardetto. The amendments refer to supplements to gender equality legislation in force in BiH, and to correcting inaccurate information in the report.

Moreover, Ismeta Dervoz was invited to join an expert group, created upon the European Economic Senate’s initiative, to deal with questions of development and the consequences of the use of information technology on post-modern society, economy and democracy.

Today, the Committee for Legal Issues and Human Rights of the Council of Europe PA held meetings attended by the Delegates Milica Marković and Nermina Kapetanović, while the Delegate Ismeta Dervoz attended the meeting of the Committee for Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Council of Europe PA.

The Delegation of BiH PA also talked today to the permanent Representative of the Mission of BiH in the Council of Europe, Ambassador Almir Šahović, during which information on BiH’s progress in fulfilling obligations undertaken so far, as well as potential future steps, were discussed. (end)