Council of Europe

94th Plenary Session of the Venice Commission (Venice)

08/03/2013 - 09/03/2013

The Commission

- Held an exchange of views with Mr Alexandre Baramidzé, Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia, Mr Konstantin Kublashvili, Chairman of the Supreme Court, Ms Tinatin Khidasheli and Mr Akaki Minashvili, Members of Parliament, and adopted

• the opinion on the draft amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia on Courts of General Jurisdiction, following its consideration by the Sub-Commission on the Judiciary on 7 March 2013; and
• the opinion on the Provisions relating to Political Prisoners in the Amnesty Law of Georgia, following its consideration by the Sub-Commission on Democratic Institutions on 7 March 2013;

- Adopted the opinion on the Constitutional Bill for a new Constitution for the Republic of Iceland;

- Adopted the joint opinion by the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on two draft laws of the Republic of Moldova pertaining to Financing Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns, following its adoption by the Council for Democratic Elections on 7 March 2013;

- Adopted the joint amicus curiae brief by the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on Law 192 of 12 July 2012 of the Republic of Moldova on the prohibition of the Use of Communist Symbols;

- Adopted the amicus curiae brief for the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova on the Immunity of Judges, following its consideration by the Sub-Commission on the Judiciary on 7 March 2013;

- Adopted the opinion on Federal Law no. 65-FZ of 8 June 2012 of the Russian Federation amending Federal Law no. 54-FZ of 19 June 2004 on assemblies, meetings, demonstrations, marches and picketing and the Code of Administrative Offences;

- Held an exchange of views with Mr Nikola Selakovic, Minister of Justice, and adopted

• the opinion on the draft amendments to laws on the Judiciary of Serbia, following its consideration by the Sub-Commission on the Judiciary on 7 March 2013; and
• the opinion on the draft amendments to the law on Public Prosecution of Serbia, following their consideration by the Sub-Commission on the Judiciary on 7 March 2013;

- Adopted the report on “the relationship between political and criminal ministerial responsibility”, following its consideration by the Sub-Commission on Democratic Institutions on 7 March 2013;

- Adopted the report on “the role of extra-institutional actors in the democratic system”;

- Adopted the annual report of activities of the Venice Commission for 2012;

- Was informed on follow-up to the Joint opinion on the law amending certain legislative acts of Ukraine in relation to the prevention of abuse of the right to appeal and to the Joint Opinion on the Law “On Freedom of Religious Belief” of Azerbaijan;

- Was informed on follow-up to the opinion on Act CLXII of 2011 on the Legal Status and Remuneration of Judges and Act CLXI of 2011 on the Organisation and Administration of Courts of Hungary and the opinion on Act CCVI of 2011 on the right to freedom of conscience and religion and the legal status of churches, denominations and religious communities of Hungary, in particular with respect to planned amendments to the 2011 Constitution of Hungary which contradict the recommendations of the Commission;

- Was informed on the planned preparation of a study on Children’s rights in Constitutions, as a contribution to the Council of Europe Programme "Building a Europe for and with children";

- Was informed on progress of work on the Joint Guidelines by the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on Freedom of Association;

- Was informed on recent constitutional developments in Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine;

- Was informed on co-operation with Morocco;

- Held an exchange of views with representatives of the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;

- Held an exchange of views with Mr Andreas Voßkuhle, President of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, on “co-operation of national and international courts in Europe”;

- Held an exchange of views with Mr Milan Markovic, President of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro;

- Was informed on the results and conclusions of the meeting of the Scientific Council;

- Was informed on the results and conclusions of the meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections;

- Confirmed the dates of its 2013 next sessions as follows: 14-15 June 2013; 11-12 October 2013; 6-7 December 2013 and fixed the dates for the 2014 sessions as follows: 21-22 March 2014; 20-21 June 2014; 17-18 October 2014; 12-13 December 2014.