Recommendation 1313 (1997)

Honouring of obligations and commitments by Estonia

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Assembly debate on 30 January 1997 (7th Sitting) (see Doc. 7715, report by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Mr Bindig; and Doc. 7730, opinion by the Political Affairs Committee, rapporteur: Mr Björck). Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 January 1997 (7th Sitting).

1. The Assembly refers to its Resolution 1117 (1997) by which it has decided to close its monitoring procedure of Estonia's honouring of obligations and commitments under Order No. 508 (1995).

2. However, in view of Estonia's remaining obligations and commitments, which Estonia is bound to fulfil within one year, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers aid Estonia's efforts by:

2.1. stepping up its aid to Estonia to carry out its prison reform, in particular in the framework of the Council of Europe - European Commission joint co-operation programme;

2.2. offering assistance (including financial means) and advice from the Council of Europe to the Estonian Ministry of Justice to organise a public information and education campaign in favour of the abolition of capital punishment, as has also been recommended in Recommendation 1302 (1996) on the abolition of the death penalty in Europe;

2.3. including in its co-operation programme a project to improve the teaching of Estonian as a foreign language, both in public schools and universities, and in adult education, for example through a teacher-training programme