2 September 1992

Doc. 6655

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

on the establishment of a support fund

on behalf of new democracies which are members

or special guests of the Council of Europe

presented by Mr TARSCHYS and others

1.       The new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe, just emerging from the collapse of the communist regimes, are not yet in a position to meet the whole of the costs entailed by their representatives' effective participation in the activities of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

2.       The Council of Europe, backed by over 40 years' experience at both parliamentary and intergovernmental level, would fail in its mission by hesitating to grant requests from the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe for assistance in consolidating their democratic structures, establishing political pluralism, upholding the rule of law, protecting human rights, modernising education, upgrading technical training and adapting to modern life and the market economy.

3.       Fearing that, for financial reasons, representatives of these new democracies may be excluded from the proceedings of the Assembly - which would no longer have the force of numbers needed for the full discharge of its due pioneering role in pan-European construction - the Assembly requests that a support fund be established on a provisional basis. Its purpose would be to defray part of the expenses of representatives arising from their participation in the Assembly's activities, which the parliamentary assemblies of the new democracies would be unable to meet.

4.       The Parliamentary Assembly accordingly recommends that the Committee of Ministers establish such a fund, its financial requirements and grant allocation criteria remaining to be decided.

Signed:       TARSCHYS, VALLEIX, BARTODZIEJ, REHN, KONEN, SZENT-IVANYI, TERNAK, SZELÉNYI, FODOR, HAGLUND, FLÜCKIGER, DRAUS, JEAMBRUN, IRMER, JOHNSTON, A. PROBST, SEILER, GASSNER, SEVERINSEN,