Committee of Ministers

Bulgaria assumed on Tuesday the rotating Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This occurred at a meeting attended by representatives of the organisation's 47 member states at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg.

Bulgaria looks at the forthcoming presidency of the Council of Europe as an opportunity to contribute to security in Europe, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said at a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland in Sofia on Monday.

Council of Europe has withdrawn from a joint group on human rights issues in Azerbaijan, according to a written statement released Sept. 7, by the spokesperson of the organization's secretary general.

The Bulgarian presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe starting next month has been in the focus of Monday's meeting between the Secretary General of the Council Thorbjorn Jagland and Bulgaria's newly appointed permanent representative Katya Todorova.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, will meet with President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Sofia on Thursday.

STRASBOURG - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has published a report on the supervision of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights for 2014, which says that Serbia will have to pay around EUR 2.7 million in damages.

In 2013, the sum was around EUR 1.65 million.

ECHR rulings in 2014 to cost Serbia EUR 2.7mn

STRASBOURG -- The CoE Committee of Ministers has published a report on the supervision of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights for 2014.

The document states that Serbia will have to pay around EUR 2.7 million in damages.

In 2013, the sum was around EUR 1.65 million.

Council of Europe resolution to foster minority rights, languages in Albania

A law on nationalities would help clarify Albania's policy, and other steps also are needed to address remaining discriminatory practices against minorities.

A new Council of Europe resolution requires Albania to provide education to minorities in their native languages. [AFP]

VIENNA - Besides new challenges in Europe, there is a problem that remains unchanged in its gravity - it concerns the human rights of Serbs and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo-Metohija, Serbia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday addressing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE).

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin took part in the 124th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe held on May 5-6 in Vienna.

During the session, the 65th anniversary of the organization was marked.