Doc. 11136
22 January 2007

Situation in the Balkans
Recommendation 1765 (2006)

Reply from the Committee of Ministers
adopted at the 984^th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (17-18 January 2007)

1.        The Committee of Ministers has taken note with great interest of the conclusions of the general policy debate which the Parliamentary Assembly held on 3 October 2006 on the situation in the Balkans. As the Assembly rightly notes in Resolution 1517 (2006), the region is currently going through a crucial period from the point of view of lasting stabilisation, which requires the countries resolutely to continue with their democratic reform processes. The situation also calls for the international community to provide active support in a spirit of European solidarity. Among the many examples of such support mentioned by the Assembly, the gradual liberalisation of visa regimes received particular attention. The Committee notes however that the issuance of visas is a matter for states’ sovereign decisions.

2.       With regard to the proposals contained in Recommendation 1765 (2006), the Committee of Ministers wishes to provide the following repliese.

3.       Accession to the Council of Europe by the countries in the region was and remains a key element in a policy of stabilisation and European inclusion. The Committee of Ministers has sought to enable the countries concerned to derive maximum benefit from their accession to the Council, by ensuring that they play a full part in all of its activities, whether in terms of monitoring of compliance with obligations and commitments, assistance programmes for reforms, specific reconstruction projects or other relevant projects. The invitation that should very soon be extended to Montenegro to become a member of the Council of Europe will further strengthen the impact of that policy.

4.       At the same time, the Council of Europe encourages local ownership of co-operation processes, both bilateral and multilateral. It is co-operating closely with the Stability Pact for South-East Europe and other regional co-operation initiatives, offering assistance with their gradual transformation into processes driven by the region itself.

5.       With regard to the monitoring of commitments, it should be recalled that, upon joining the organisation, Bosnia and Herzegovina and (at the time) Serbia and Montenegro agreed to the monitoring of the commitments and obligations they had entered into on the basis of six-monthly public reports by the Secretariat, which are examined by the Committee of Ministers’ Rapporteur Group on Democracy. These specific procedures are continuing with the essential aim of helping Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia to honour the remaining obligations, in particular regarding the functioning of democratic institutions, the rule of law and respect for human rights, and defining appropriate support programmes (3.1).

6.       Programmes of assistance in all areas relevant from the point of view of countries’ status as member states of the Council of Europe have been conducted throughout the region, with the emphasis being placed on providing the necessary expertise for carrying out reforms and on capacity building during the vital phase of preparation for accession to the Council of Europe and the years thereafter. The Council of Europe is still conducting a wide range of projects in the region, in liaison with the partner countries and in close co-operation with other international institutions. Many ambitious – bilateral and regional – joint Council of Europe/European Commission projects have been carried out. However, there has recently been a marked decline in joint action of this kind in the various countries in the region (3.2).

7.       The Council of Europe’s presence in the region is already fairly extensive and meets the existing needs: six local offices play an active part in implementing the Council of Europe’s programmes and act as interfaces with the relevant national authorities, partner international institutions and civil society as a whole. This presence is visible in the region. The heads of the offices hold regular regional meetings to review common problems and place the work of the individual offices in a broader perspective (3.3).

8.       The situation in the Western Balkans is monitored regularly in the context of the political dialogue conducted by the Committee of Ministers, in particular on the basis of reports by the Secretary General and exchanges of views with political leaders, representatives of other international institutions and the heads of the Council of Europe field offices mentioned above. This dialogue concerns both developments specific to certain countries and overall strategy. In the light of the above, the Committee of Ministers does not believe that it is necessary at present to consider the appointment of a special representative for the Western Balkans (3.4).