Strasbourg, 23.03.2020 – Following the spread of the COVID-19 virus to northern Italy, the Enlarged Bureau of the Venice Commission had decided not to hold the scheduled 20-21 March plenary session or other usual meetings in Venice.
Instead, only some opinions of those on the agenda have been adopted by written procedure, as follows:
Armenia: a joint opinion with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on draft amendments pertaining to political party regulation
Kyrgyzstan: a joint opinion with ODIHR on amendments to legislative acts related to sanctions for violation of electoral legislation
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Republic of Moldova: a joint opinion with the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe on a draft law amending and supplementing the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova with respect to the Superior Council of Magistracy.
In addition, the Commission adopted its Annual Report of activities for 2019 (available by the end of Monday 23 March).
Opinions scheduled for the March session, but postponed to the 19-20 June 2020 session include the following:
Albania: A draft opinion on draft amendments to a law on the Audiovisual Media Service and a draft Opinion on the appointment of judges of the Constitutional Court
Latvia: A draft opinion on recent amendments to legislation on education in minority languages
Russia: A draft opinion on the draft Amendment to the Russian Constitution (as proposed by the President of the Russian Federation on 15 January 2020), relating to the implementation of decisions by international bodies.
Republic of Moldova: Endorsing an urgent joint opinion with the Directorate of Human Rights (DHR) of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe on the Draft Law on amending the Law No. 947/1996 on Superior Council of Magistracy.
Poland: Endorsing an urgent joint opinion with the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) on amendments to the Law on Common Courts, the Law on the Supreme Court and some other Laws.
Turkey: A draft opinion on decisions regarding elected mayors.
Contact: Panos Kakaviatos, Spokesperson/Media officer, Tel. +33 6 98 37 64 04
Council of Europe