Calendar of Events

Recent events

Ukraine - Constitutional Court 17/12/05

The Venice Commission adopted a declaration expressing its its concern that following the expiry of the mandate of a number of judges from the Constitutional Court of Ukraine the number of judges is no longer sufficient to ensure the continued effective functioning of the Court.

Declaration by the Venice Commission
Declaration of the PACE Monitoring Committee on the same subject

65th Plenary session of the Commission
(Venice) 16/12/05 - 17/12/05

Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - The Commission is to be informed on follow-up to:

- Amicus Curiae opinionon the nature of the proceedings before the Human Rights Chamber and the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- final opinion on constitutional reform in the Republic of Armenia;
- opinion on the constitutional situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the powers of the High Representative.

The Commission is invited to examine with a view to adoption the draft opinions on:

- standards applicable to the referendum in Montenegro;
- the Law on making amendments to the law of Ukraine on elections of people’s deputies of Ukraine of 7 July 2005 and draft law on the state register of voters of Ukraine;
- the amendments to the Electoral Code of Moldova;
- the Draft Organic Law on “making amendments and additions into the Organic law – Elections Code of Georgia”.

Declarations on women’s participation in elections and on stability of electoral law, prepared by the Council for Democratic Elections are also on the agenda.

The Commission is invited to hold an exchange of views with:

- Mr Iuri Kliuchkovskyi, Representative of the President of Ukraine;
- Mr Ranko Krivokapic, Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro, and Mr Velizar Kaludjerovic, the representative of the Socialist People’s Party of Montenegro;
- Ms Svetala Bychkova, Member, Constitutional Council and Ms Zhemis Turmagambetova, Deputy Director, International Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law.

The Commission is to be informed on constitutional developments in Iceland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Slovenia and on the situation of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

All adopted opinions of the Commission become public after the session and will available on the website of the Commission.

Annotated agenda
LINK TO DOCUMENTS ADOPTED AT THE 65TH PLENARY SESSION

European Court of Human Rights - Request for opinion 13/12/05

In the framework of request n° 71251/01 Parti nationaliste Basque – Organisation régionale d’Iparralde v. France, the European Court of Human Rights invited the Venice Commission to provide an opinion on the following questions:

Is the financing of political parties by foreign political parties commonly prohibited or limited by the member states of the Council of Europe? If this is the case, which of those countries adopted such a measure?

To what extent may the prohibition of a foreign political party financing a political party be considered as “necessary in a democratic society” under Article 11 of the Convention? Is it necessary, in this case, to adopt a specific approach concerning the financing of a political party established in a member country of the European Union by a party established in another member state of the European Union?

VIIIth International Forum on Constitutional Justice 09/12/05 - 10/12/05

Moscow – A member of the Commission’s Secretariat participates in the VIIIth International Forum on Constitutional Justice on “the Implementation of the Rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in European Constitutional Courts’ Practice”.

The conference is organised by the Institute of Law and Public Policy under the aegis of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.

Website of the Institute of Law and Public Policy

Moldova – Funding of political parties 29/11/05 - 01/12/06

Chisinau - the Programme against corruption and organised crime in South-eastern Europe (PACO) and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe organise a conference on the Council of Europe standards in the electoral field and funding of political parties, in co-operation with the Centre for fighting economic crime and corruption, the Ministry of Justice and the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Moldova.

Professor Hans-Heinrich Vogel, member of the Venice Commission in respect of Sweden and Mr Richard Ghevontian, Venice Commission expert, deliver reports on “Financing of political parties, particularly during electoral periods” and “Electoral disputes, arisen during the pre-electoral period”.

Kyrgyzstan - Constitutional reform 24/11/05 - 25/11/05

Bishkek - Representatives of the Venice Commission took part in an international conference to review the constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan.

Key issues such as division of state powers, independence of the judiciary and protection of human rights were addressed by a broad circle of participants ranging from representatives of Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), presidential administration, political parties, judges, Ombudsman and civil society. Most of them are members of the Constitutional Conference, a body responsible for the constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan.

A final version of the constitutional amendments should be issued before the end of 2005, following a short public consultation process. The Venice Commission is expected to provide an opinion on this text in early 2006.