In the framework of the Greek Chairmanship of the Council of Europe, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, in his capacity of Chair of the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, will hold a videoconference at 16:00 (Greek time) on Wednesday, 17 June 2020, with the Chairs of Council of Europe Institutions.
The videoconference will be streamed live on the Greek Chairmanship’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiCC6VoV8_woiJteUc2jlPg(), the Greek Chairmanship website (https://coegreekchairmanship2020.gov.gr/) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/coegreekchairmanship2020). The topic of discussion will be “Protection of human life and public health in the context of a pandemic – Effectively responding to a sanitary crisis in full respect for human rights and for the principles of democracy and the rule of law."
This topic is also the central theme of the Greek Chairmanship, and this discussion is a follow-up to the high-level videoconference that was held on 3 June 2020, on the initiative of the Greek Chairmanship and Mr. Varvitsiotis, with the heads of the institutions of the Council of Europe.
Wednesday’s discussion will also be participated in by: Elzbieta Frankow-Jaskiewicz, Chair of the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL). Marceline Naudi, President of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO). Davor Derencinovic, President of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA). Aslan Yusufov, Member of the Bureau of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). Nina Betetto, President of the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE). Jorg Polakiewicz, Director of Legal Advice and Public International Law. Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, Director General of the Council of Europe’s Directorate General for Democracy. Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director General of the Council of Europe’s Directorate General for Human Rights and Rule of Law. Elise Cornu, head of the Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM). Marie Hagsgard, acting President of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Vesna Crnic – Grotic, Chair of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Sergey Glagolev, Chair of the Medicrime Convention Bureau, Advisor to the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation.
The purpose of this discussion is public consultation of human rights experts regarding the theme of safeguarding the rule of law and protection of vulnerable groups during sanitary crises and emergency situations.
The Greek Chairmanship looks forward to having these principles adopted by the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, in the form of an “Athens Declaration,” during the upcoming 130th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which is scheduled to take place in Athens on 4 November 2020.
June 16, 2020