Strasbourg, March 19.– The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will hold its plenary session during which a debate on Russia’s war against Ukraine is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon (21 March).
On this occasion, Congress President Leendert Verbeek will present a draft declaration for adoption, followed by a video message from Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, President of the Parliamentary Assembly Tiny Kox, as well as the Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, on behalf of the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, are invited to address the members of the Congress during the plenary sitting.
Members of the Congress will consider a report on the observation of local elections in Slovenia, and two reports on local and regional elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany (Berlin), as well as a report on the monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Romania.
In addition, the agenda will include thematic debates on “Regional strategies for the protection of the environment”, “The resilience of cities and regions in the face of multiple crises”, “Strong democracies through youth engagement at local level” and “Direct election of mayors” as well as a debated under the title “Are regional interests sufficiently represented through the second chamber of parliaments?”.