Recent and Current Events
01/12/2021 - 02/12/2021
Algiers - The Venice Commission will participate in the International Symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Conference of African Constitutional Jurisdictions
01/12/2021 - 02/12/2021
The Venice Commission is organising the 14th UniDem Med Seminar entitled "Good governance and quality of public administration", in co-operation with the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform of the Kingdom of Morocco. This seminar will take place in the form of a videoconference on 1-2 December 2021.
More than 100 international experts and senior public officials from the Southern Mediterranean (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine* and Tunisia) are expected to attend the event. On the basis of presentations by international and regional experts, ... read more
01/12/2021
Moscow/online - Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russian Federation organised the XI International Congress of Comparative Law entitled «Emergency situations: challenges of legal regulation in modern world».
Vice President of the Venice Commission Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie will represent the Commission and will deliver a report at the plenary session of the Congress on the “Key Issues and Problems of Emergencies in the View of the Venice Commission”.
KYRGYZSTAN – parliamentary elections – legal assistance to the PACE election observation mission
28/11/2021
Bishkek - Representatives of the Venice Commission will accompany the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the parliamentary elections of 28 November 2021 in Kyrgyzstan.
The delegation will observe the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
24/11/2021
Strasbourg – Today the Venice Commission has issued an Urgent Opinion on on revised draft constitutional amendments on the judiciary of Serbia.
The opinion was prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”. It will be endorsed at the December 2021 plenary session (10-11 December 2021).
24/11/2021
Kyiv - A representative of the Venice Commission participated online in an international conference entitled “State oversight of campaigning in referendums: Experience, lessons learned, and way forward”.
This event was organised by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) (Kyiv Office) with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Global Affairs Canada, and UK AID, and meant for representatives of electoral management bodies, political finance oversight institutions, as well as civil society representatives.
24/11/2021
Nur-Sultan - The Venice Commission organised, in co-operation with the High Judicial Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an international hybrid round table in Nur-Sultan entitled “The role and place of judicial councils in the judiciary and their current models”. The eventwaqs held to support the efforts of the High Judicial Council of Kazakhstan aimed at transforming the Council from an autonomous state institution to a judicial self-government body.
Participants from Kazakhstan as well as from Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan shared their experiences with the Euro... read more
24/11/2021 - 25/11/2021
Mexico City – A representative of the Venice Commission participated in the Global Forum on Democracy on Electoral Management Bodies organised by the National Electoral Institute of Mexico on 24-25 November 2021 in Mexico City.
The Forum was organised with the support and cooperation of Kofi Annan Foundation, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA International), the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the Organization of American St... read more
22/11/2021 - 23/11/2021
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the law on the prevention of threats to national security, associated with excessive influence of persons having significant economic or political weight in social life (oligarchs), a delegation of the Venice Commission held online consultations with:
• the Minister of Justice;
• the Ombudsperson;
• the Head of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence;
• representatives of different parliamentary factions;
• the National Agency on Prevention of Corruption;
• the ad... read more
18/11/2021
Strasbourg, Council of Europe - The President of the Venice Commission, Mr Gianni Buquicchio, and the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Mr Zdravko Krivokapic, met to discuss the latest developments in the country and future co-operation between the Commission and Montenegro.
Prime Minister Krivokapic is paying an official visit to the Council of Europe.
18/11/2021
Nicosia - In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the procedure of the appointments of the members of the judiciary in Cyprus, a delegation of the Venice Commission met with the following Cypriot interlocutors:
• Minister of Justice and Public Order
• Attorney General of the Republic of Cyprus
• President and Members of the Supreme Court of Cyprus
• President and Members of the Judges’ Association
• Members of the Parliamentary Committee of Legal Affairs
• President and Members of the Cyprus Bar Association.
The request for th... read more
18/11/2021
By letter of 5 November 2021, the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Ms Lindita Nikolla, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the term of office of the transitional re-evaluation bodies (vetting bodies) for judges and prosecutors
This opinion is being prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”. It will be issued in due course and submitted for endorsement at the December 2021 plenary session.
17/11/2021
By letter dated 17 November 2021, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Mr Sergiu Litvinenko, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law on certain measures relating to the selection of candidates for administrative positions in the self-governing bodies of judges and prosecutors.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the March 2022 plenary session of the Commission (18-19 March 2022).
17/11/2021 - 18/11/2021
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the draft law on the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan, a delegation of the Venice Commission met online on 17 and 18 November with Mrs Azimova, Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Shakirov, Deputy Chairman Senate of the Parliament, and representatives of the civil society.
The request for this opinion was submitted by Mr Shakirov, Deputy Chairman Senate of the Parliament, on 23 September 2021. The draft opinion will be on the agenda of the December plenary session of the Commission (10-11 December ... read more
17/11/2021 - 18/11/2021
Pristina – In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the draft law amending Law no. 06/L-056 on the prosecutorial council of Kosovo, a delegation of the Venice Commission met with the representatives of the following interlocutors:
• Ministry of Justice,
• National Assembly Representatives,
• Prosecutorial Council and Chief Prosecutor’s Office,
• International community and NGOs representatives.
The request for this opinion was submitted by the Minister of Justice of Kosovo on 26 October 2021. ... read more
16/11/2021
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the amendments to the Law No.3/2016 on the prosecutor's office of 24 August 2021, a delegation of the Venice Commission met online on 16 November 2021 with the representatives of the following interlocutors :
• the General Prosecutor's Office,
• the Superior Council of Prosecutors,
• the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova (the parliamentary majority and opposition),
• the Constitutional Court,
• the Ministry of Justice and
• the civil society.
The request for this opinion was su... read more
16/11/2021 - 17/11/2021
Kyiv - In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the draft law of Ukraine “On Improving the Procedure for Establishing the Impossibility of Holding National and Local Elections, All-Ukrainian and Local Referenda in Certain Territories and Polling Stations”, a delegation of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR met on 16 -17 November 2021 with representatives of the following Ukrainian institutions:
• Parliamentary Committee on Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning;
• Central Ele... read more
15/11/2021 - 18/11/2021
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the compatibility with international human rights standards of Act LXXIX amending certain Acts for the protection of children, on 15, 17 and 18 November 2021, a delegation of the Venice Commission met (online) with the following Hungarian interlocutors :
• MPs, representatives of the Parliamentary majority (“Fidesz” and KDNP);
• MPs, representatives of the Parliamentary opposition (“Jobbik” and MSZP);
• The Ministry of Justice;
• The Ministry of Human Resources;
• The National Media and Informati... read more
13/11/2021 - 15/11/2021
Sofia - Representatives of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the presidential and early parliamentary elections of 14 November 2021 in Bulgaria.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
10/11/2021 - 11/11/2021
Seoul/online - The Venice Commission participated in the 3rd International Symposium of the AACC Secretariat for Research and Development of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC) on “Constitutional Rights and AACC Members”.
09/11/2021
Strasbourg – Today the Venice Commission has issued an Urgent Opinion on the revised draft law on the referendum and the people’s Initiative of Serbia.
The opinion was prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”. It will be endorsed at the December 2021 plenary session (10-11 December 2021).
07/11/2021
By letter of 27 October 2021 the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova requested an amicus curiae Brief on the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).
The draft amicus curiae brief will be on the agenda of the December 2021 plenary session (10-11 December 2021).
05/11/2021
Strasbourg, Council of Europe - Mr Gianni Buquicchio, President of the Venice Commission, participated in the meeting of the Committee of Minsters’ Rapporteurs Group on the External Relations (GR-EXT).
President Buquicchio presented an overview of the co-operation between the Venice Commission and non-European countries and exchanged views with the members of the GR-EXT on the Council of Europe contribution to the international order and global governance, as well as to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
04/11/2021
By letter of 22 October 2021, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Mr Ruslan Stefanchuk, requested an opinion ofn the Venice Commission on the draft law of Ukraine “On local referendum”.
04/11/2021
By letter of 26 October 2021, the Minister of Justice of Kosovo requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law amending and supplementing Law no. 06/L-056 on the Prosecutorial Council.
The draft opinion will be submitted for the adoption by the December 2021 plenary session (10-11 December 2021). It will be prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
03/11/2021
By letter of 26 October 2021, the Speaker of the Serbian National Assembly requested an urgent opinion on the revised version of the draft constitutional amendments on which the Venice Commission adopted an opinion at its 128th Plenary Session.
This Urgent opinion will be prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
This opinion will be issued in the course of the month of November. It will subsequently be submitted to t... read more
29/10/2021
The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe held the 18th European Conference of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) online, operating from the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. This year the conference was devoted to the “Lessons learned from the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis on electoral processes”.
Representatives of electoral management bodies of Venice Commission member States, i.e. Europe and the Americas among other parts of the world, academics and election experts participated in the event, which was exceptionally open to publi... read more
28/10/2021
Chisinau – The Venice Commission participated in the Post-electoral review conference entitled “Lessons learned, recommendations and steps ahead”.
The event was organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova and the Center for Continuous Electoral Training.
27/10/2021 - 28/10/2021
Nur-Sultan/online - The Venice Commission took part in the international round table entitled “Reforms of the Judiciary in Kazakhstan : addressing new challenges using the best international practices”. The Round Table was organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
A representative of the Venice Commission intervened in the first session of the event dedicated to the administrative justice and presented the Commission’s 2018 opinion on the draft text of the "Administrative procedural and process-related code of the Repu... read more
21/10/2021
In the framework of the preparation of the Urgent Opinion on the revised draft law on the referendum and the people’s Initiative of Serbia, a delegation of the Venice Commission met online with the following institutions and interlocutors:
• the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government,
• the Ministry of Justice,
• the Parliament (majority and minority MPs),
• the Republic Election Commission (RIK),
• international community, present in Serbia, and civil society organisations.
The opinion is prepared under the Expertise Co-ordinatio... read more
19/10/2021
By letter dated 8 October 2021, the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government of Serbia, Ms Marija Obradovic, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the revised draft law on referendum and the people’s Initiative. During the 128th plenary session, the Commission authorised the preparation of this Urgent Opinion and its publication prior to the 129th plenary session (10-11 December 2021).
On 24 September 2021, the Commission had issued an urgent opinion on the first draft of this law, submitted for opinion by Minister Obradovic on 2 August 2021. This opin... read more
19/10/2021
By letter dated 24 September 2021, the Chair of the Committee on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning of the Parliament of Ukraine, Mr. Andrii Klochko, requested an opinion on the draft law of Ukraine “On Improving the Procedure for Establishing the Impossibility of Holding National and Local Elections, All-Ukrainian and Local Referenda in Certain Territories and Polling Stations”.
The Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR will prepare the opinion on this draft law jointly. It will be on the agenda of the 129th plenary sess... read more
19/10/2021 - 21/10/2021
Chisinau - The President and the Secretary of the Venice Commission are participating in the visit of the Council of Europe High Level Working Group on Justice Reform.
The Working group is meeting the following representatives of the Moldovan authorities:
• The President of the Republic of Moldova,
• the Constitutional Court,
• the Deputy Chairman of the Parliament and the Legal Committee for appointments and immunities of the Parliament,
• the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration,
• the Minister of Justi... read more
15/10/2021 - 16/10/2021
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista /online - Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 128th Plenary Session was held in a hybrid form, in Venice and online.
The Venice Commission:
- Adopted the amicus curiae Brief for the Constitutional Court of Albania on the competence of the Constitutional Court regarding the validity of the local elections held in Albania on 30 June 2019;
- Held an exchange of views with Mr Arman Tatoyan, Ombudsman of Armenia, and Mr Vache Khalashyan, Acting Head of the Civil Service Office in the Prime Minister’s Office (online... read more