Day three of the Spring Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was marked by debates on the refugee and migrant crisis, with particularly on the need for stronger European response to the Syrian refugee crisis, the human rights of refugees and migrants in the Western Balkans and the position of refugees and migrants following signing of the European Union-Turkey Agreement.  In a resolution adopted upon the proposal of Dutch MP Ms Ms Tineke Strik, the Parliamentary Assembly expressed concern that some solutions from the EU-Turkey Agreement may be contrary to European Union and/or international law in the part of protection and respect of human rights of refugees and migrants, and send a number of recommendation to the European Union, Turkey and Greece directed to strengthening rights of asylum seekers.

The Assembly also stated that any long-term successful response required practical solidarity by recognising the need for collective action and equal responsibility-sharing, based on full respect of human rights of refugees and migrants as well as basic principles of European and international law,

With regard to the debate on antisemitism in Europe, the Assembly expressed its concern over the targeted attacks against members of the Jewish community which happened during the previous years in several European countries. Resolution 2106 (2016), adopted by the PACE with regard to this, calls on member states, observers and partners for democracy to devote greater attending to the fight against antisemitism, and to implement a set of activities at the prevention of antisemitism in educational establishments, the media and online and encourages them to report and persecute anti-Semitic and other hate crimes.

Speaking on the topic of protection of intellectual property rights, parliamentarians of the Parliamentary Assembly expressed concern about the erosion of intellectual property rights, reminding that it was protected by the first Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. Intellectual property is an important European cultural value and economic asset and an erosion of intellectual property rights would have a significant negative impact on all people in Europe. The resolution on this topic, adopted at today’s session of the PACE, emphasises that, among other things, in accordance with the Convention on Cybercrime, member States must adopt legislative and other measures to establish the infringement of intellectual property rights as criminal offences under domestic law.

President of Austria Mr Heinz Fischer and Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr José Manuel García-Margallo addressed the Parliamentary Assembly, while Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Mr Daniel Mitov spoke about activities of the Committee in the period since January session.

The agenda of tomorrow’s session includes debates on the impact of measures to improve women’s political representation, the humanitarian concerns with regard to people captured during the war in Ukraine, and need for strengthening cooperation in fighting terrorism after the Brussels attacks,

Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro participating in the spring session is composed of: Mr Predrag Sekulić, Head of Delegation, Ms Marija Maja Ćatović and Ms Snežana Jonica, members of Delegation-