Recent and Current Events
01/08/2022
In the framework of the preparation of the urgent opinion on the Draft Law on the Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia adopted by the Parliament of Georgia on 7 June 2022, a delegation of the Venice Commission met online on 19, 26 and 28 July 2022 with the representatives of the following interlocutors:
• the Administration of the President of Georgia
• the Parliament of the Republic of Georgia (the parliamentary majority and opposition)
• the Supreme Court of Georgia
• the Office of the Prosecutor General
• the Personal Data Protection Ser... read more
27/07/2022
The Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Mr Igor Grosu, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on the draft electoral code of the Republic of Moldova.
The draft opinion should be submitted for discussion and adoption at the 132nd Plenary session of the Commission (21-22 October 2022).
26/07/2022
Strasbourg - The Venice Commission is saddened by the sudden death of its former Lithuanian Member and former Judge of the Constitutional Court of Lithuania Prof. Gediminas Mesonis.
He was a widely recognised expert in constitutional law at home and abroad and an extremely appreciated member of the Venice Commission.
Gediminas Mesonis was a member of the Venice Commission between 2014 and 2022. He represented the Venice Commission at numerous conferences and other events. Mr Mesonis worked for the Venice Commission on the freedom of association, notably in Romania and ... read more
15/07/2022
On 1 July 2022, the President of Georgia requested an urgent opinion on the draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia adopted by Parliament on 7 July 2022 (regarding covert investigative measures). The Bureau of the Venice Commission has accepted the request and authorised the preparation of this urgent opinion.
The opinion will be prepared under the Quick response Mechanism in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, co-funded by the Council of Europe and the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe.
05/07/2022 - 06/07/2022
Belgrade - Following the presidential and early parliamentary elections held in Serbia on 3 April 2022, the Venice Commission organises a series of post-election round tables with the National Assembly, the Republic Electoral Commission, media representatives, civil society representatives and members of the international community present in Serbia.
Amongst the international experts participating in the event are members of the Venice Commission and its Secretariat, OSCE/ODIHR and Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly representatives.
04/07/2022 - 05/07/2022
Madrid – the Centre for political and constitutional studies (Madrid, Spain) and the Venice Commission is holding an international seminar entitled « Bicameralism: Models, evolution and current challenges of a “controversial institution” » .
Members of the Venice Commission and eminent Spanish academia participate in the event.
01/07/2022
The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, will deliver a welcome address (online) at the ceremony on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Constitutional Court of Mongolia.
30/06/2022 - 01/07/2022
Lisbon – The President Emeritus, Special Representative of the Venice Commission, Mr Gianni Buquicchio, will participate in the meeting of the Vth Assembly of the Conference of Constitutional Courts of Portuguese-Speaking Countries on “Guaranteeing the protection of fundamental rights in a time of pandemic”.
28/06/2022
Kyiv/online - The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, made an opening speech at the international conference on “The role of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in the implementation of the state’s strategy to obtain the European Union membership by Ukraine”, organised by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
20/06/2022
The Constitutional Tribunal of Equatorial Guinea joined the World Conference on Constitutional Justice, which now has 119 members.
20/06/2022
The European Parliament’s Committees on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) held a joint public hearing on the "Rule of law mechanisms in the EU".
Mr Kaarlo Tuori, Honorary President of the Venice Commission, represented the Commission at the event and shared with the MEPs the Commission’s acquis on the subject.
17/06/2022 - 18/06/2022
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - During its 131st plenary session, held in Venice, the Commission:
- Adopted the joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe on the Media Law of Azerbaijan;
- Adopted the opinion on the December 2021 amendments to the Organic Law on Common Courts of Georgia;
- Held an exchange of views with Ms Albulena Haxhiu, Minister of Justice of Kosovo, and adopted the opinion on the Concept Paper on the Vetting of Judges and Prosecutors ... read more