A high-level panel and interactive debate on “The environment and human rights: the right to a safe, healthy and sustainable environment”, as well as a full day of debates on this topic, form the centrepiece of the Session. No fewer than seven reports to be debated will cover the Council of Europe’s action to anchor a right to a healthy environment, as well as climate change.
VIPs due to address the Assembly during session week include European Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjarto will present the Communication from the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, which he currently chairs.

On Monday 27 September the Assembly will award the 2021 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize to one of three shortlisted candidates. The Prize, now in its ninth year, honours individuals or NGOs from civil society, who carry out outstanding work to uphold human rights in Europe or beyond.

Other highlights include debates on the humanitarian consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, restoring social trust by strengthening social rights, and strengthening the fight against so-called “honour” crimes. The Assembly will also debate gender representation in its own ranks, as well as guidelines on the scope of the parliamentary immunities enjoyed by its members.

The Assembly decided to hold urgent debates on the situation in Afghanistan, the increased migration pressure on the borders of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland with Belarus, and a new draft protocol to the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Convention on enhanced co-operation and the disclosure of electronic evidence.

A current affairs debate on “The Western Balkans between democratic challenges and European aspirations: what role for the Council of Europe?” will also be held on Thursday, 30 September.

The delegation that will physically participate in the session in Strasbourg includes Elvira Kovacs, Biljana Pantic Pilja, Dubravka Filipovski, Prof. Dr Zarko Obradovic and Enis Imamovic, while Dr Aleksandra Tomic and Zoran Tomic will participate in the online session.