H.E. Mr. Antonio Milošoski:

First of all, I would like to wish a warm welcome to our country to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, as well as to express my appreciation for the opportunity presented to us only a few days before the start of our Chairmanship to fully discuss its priorities and the envisaged reforms which will be the top subject in the Council of Europe in the forthcoming period. The Republic of Macedonia will have the honour to chair the Council of Europe once in every 23 years due to the number of member states. At its Session held two days ago, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia presented and adopted its Program, which sets forward a number of Chairmanship priorities, as well as many conferences related to them. The first main priority of our Chairmanship is the rule of law and raising the level of the instruments for implementing the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. The second one is the social inclusion of all those groups who are marginalized in a number of European countries and we are aiming at initiating a debate which will be based on the human rights principles and will be focused on the need for a greater inclusiveness of the European societies in respect of their local, social, ethnic, political or other differences. And, finally, we will initiate a process of greater involvement of the young generations in the social and political developments in the democratic societies and the societies in the process of democratization within all member states of the Council of Europe. Certainly, we agreed with the Secretary General that it would be of the utmost importance to include the issue of the Roma in Europe and their integration into society by attaching special attention to it. This is an issue to which the Republic of Macedonia feels that it can make a contribution, while it is also integrated into the list of priorities of the Council of Europe. We also discussed certain issues related to the Council of Europe’s member states, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and several other countries, as well as the issue of Kosovo as part of the Region. As a chairing country and with the intention of supporting the democratic development principles of the Council of Europe, Macedonia will be at the disposal of and will remain in close coordination with the Secretary General and the Parliamentary Assembly, in order to pay the due attention that the Council of Europe wishes to attach to these countries.

H.E. Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland:

Mister Minister,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to be in Skopje today and it has been an honour to meet you. Your country is taking over the Chairmanship with the Council of Europe and I have no doubt in my mind that it will be a successful Chairmanship, taking into consideration the credibility that your country has gained with the reforms it is implementing for the purpose of initiating the stage of pre-accession negotiations with the European Union, as well as with the successful visa liberalization. All this boosts your credibility as Chairing Country of the Council of Europe. I am glad that we will be able to work together with you in this exceptionally important period when your country is taking over the Chairmanship with the Council of Europe and there are serious reforms ahead of us. In brief, the Council of Europe has gone through two stages in its development, the first one starting in 1949 when our organization was formed after World War II. The European Convention on Human Rights was adopted shortly after the forming of the organization, followed by the establishment of the European Court of Human Rights which is a unique institution to which individuals can apply to protect their rights. The second stage in the development of the Council of Europe started after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when all the newly created democracies were admitted to the Council of Europe and their membership paved the way for their further progress to the EU and NATO, grounded upon the shared standards our organization is based upon. The third stage is starting at this moment, with the entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty. As a legal entity, the European Union is to accede to the European Convention of Human Rights, which will enable the application of the same human rights standards in the entire EU, the EU member states and in the wider European setting through the Council of Europe. As I already mentioned, the taking over of the Council of Europe’s Chairmanship comes at a crucial moment and I have no doubts that your Chairmanship will be a success.

Thank you.