11/06/2024
On 11 June 2024, the joint EU/Council of Europe Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 2020-2024, financed by the Council of Europe and the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe, held its Closing Regional Conference in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The event gathered around 80 participants representing national partner institutions from Central Asia, including relevant ministries, Constitutional and Supreme courts, Ombudsman institutions, Law enforcement agencies, Anti-corruption authorities, National training institutions of legal professionals, the representatives of civil society actors from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as well as representatives of the European Union and the Council of Europe.
Results of the component aimed to "Promote efficient functioning of state institutions and public administration" implemented by the Venice Commission were presented. In particular the Venice Commission prepared and adopted 11 legal opinions concerning constitutional amendments and constitutional justice, legislation about elections, Ombudsman institutions, normative acts, freedom of conscience and religious organisations, etc. Furthermore, the Venice Commission organised, in co-operation with the relevant stakeholders in Central Asia, 14 international conferences and round tables related to important topics such as the constitutional justice, the rule of law, judicial reforms, criminal justice and human rights. Finally, the Commission also contributed to the modernisation of the public administration in Central Asia and respect of the rule of law principles, raising awareness of more than 700 civil servants on constitutional and administrative justice, human rights and rule of law issues.
As the Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 2020-2024 ends, the work of the Venice Commission in Central Asia will be supported by the Joint EU/Council of Europe Programme “Support to democratic reforms, human right mechanisms and rule of law principles in Latin America, Central Asia and Mongolia” 2024-2026, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe.