Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address PACE’s Autumn plenary session
STRASBOURG. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to address the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) by videoconference (on Thursday at 10am CET) during its Autumn plenary session in Strasbourg from 10 to 14 October 2022. Immediately after, at 11 am CET) the Assembly will hold an urgent debate on "Political consequences of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine".
During the PACE plenary session there will also be addresses by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis, as well as the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama.
The 2022 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which honours outstanding human rights defenders, will be awarded in a special ceremony, with the overall winner to be selected from among three shortlisted candidates.
The Assembly will also hold current affairs debates on "Military hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including strikes against settlements and civilian infrastructures" and on "Threatened bans of Pride events in Council of Europe member States".
In addition, debates are foreseen on a European perspective for the Western Balkans, countering Islamophobia or anti-Muslim racism, vaccine discrimination, and the impact of Brexit on human rights on the island of Ireland. The Assembly is also due to discuss the honouring of obligations and commitments by Türkiye, Hungary and Romania.
Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s European Affairs Minister, will present the Communication from the Committee of Ministers in the framework of the Irish Presidency of the Council of Europe. The Organisation’s Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić will hold the usual question time with PACE members.
The Assembly is also due to debate reports on the misuse of the Schengen Information system by States as a politically-motivated sanction, discrimination against women in sport, safe third countries for asylum seekers, illegal measures of migration management in the context of pushbacks on land and sea, and revisiting labour rights.