At today’s session, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe supported the Resolution in which it expresses regret due to discrimination that the transgender persons face and points out the insufficiently developed awareness of the public on this issue. In this respect, the PACE called for its member states to legally prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.

The PACE has also, following the end of discussion on social services in Europe, adopted the Resolution calling for its member states to adopt laws and procedures which truly put the best interest of the child first in removal, placement and reunification decisions. In Recommendations adopted with the same purpose, the PACE recommends to the Committee of Ministers to include the issue of respecting children’s rights in decisions to remove them from parental care during drafting of the Strategy for the Rights of the Child 2016-2019.

In the morning part of the session, Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of Belgium Mr Didier Reynders presented the Communication on activities of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the period between two sessions (February-April 2015). He especially referenced the activities in the field of combating radicalism and extremism, as well as the areas of the rule of law, human rights and social cohesion.

During the day, meetings of political groups were held, as well as meetings of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media; the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development; the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination; the Joint Committee, and the hearing of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy; and the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons on the topic of Ukraine and humanitarian challenges. 

Today, the meeting of heads of permanent delegations of the parliaments in the region was also held, where they shared opinions on the currents issues at the Spring Session and cooperation of these delegations within the PACE.

On day four of the session, the day before last, the PACE will hold debates under urgent procedure on the recent tragedy in the Mediterranean, as well as the Proposal for Additional Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism. Furthermore, the topics will include the post-monitoring dialogue with Monaco as well as the use of drones in the context of human rights and international law.

At the tomorrow's meeting of the Monitoring Committee, it was planned to name the co-rapporteurs for Montenegro in the post-monitoring dialogue.

Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro at the Spring Session consists of: Mr Predrag Sekulić, Head of the Delegation, and Mr Goran Tuponja and Ms Snežana Jonica, members of the Delegation.