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Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 14580 | 21 June 2018
Follow-up to the report of the Independent Investigation Body on the allegations of corruption within the Parliamentary Assembly
1. The Committee of Ministers has carefully
examined Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2128 (2018) on “Follow-up
to the report of the Independent Investigation Body on the allegations
of corruption within the Parliamentary Assembly”. It has brought
it to the attention of the member States and transmitted it to the Group
of States against Corruption (GRECO) for information and possible
comments.
2. The Committee of Ministers recalls that the fight against
corruption is a high priority for the Council of Europe. Corruption
poses a major threat to the core values defended by our Organisation,
in particular the rule of law. The fight against corruption is also
the main priority of the Croatian Chairmanship of the Committee
of Ministers, which will organise, in co-operation with GRECO, a
high-level conference on “Strengthening transparency and responsibility
aimed at prevention of corruption”, on 15 and16 October 2018, in
Šibenik (Croatia).
3. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the Assembly’s “zero tolerance”
in respect of corruption and unethical behaviour, wherever it occurs,
and takes note of the measures already taken by the Parliamentary Assembly
since January 2017 when allegations of corruption within the Assembly
were revealed.
4. When seized of this matter last year, the Committee of Ministers
adopted a series of decisions in which it underlined the need for
a full and fair investigation into these allegations. It welcomed
the Assembly’s decision to establish an independent external investigation
body to look into them and urged member States’ to fully co-operate
in the investigation, in accordance with applicable national law.
5. As indicated in the letter sent on 3 May 2018 by the Chairman
of the Committee of Ministers to the President of the Parliamentary
Assembly, the Committee of Ministers raised its serious concerns
with regard to the conclusions of the report of the Independent
Investigation Body of the allegations of corruption (IBAC) within
the Assembly, published on 22 April 2018. While these allegations
of corruption concern members of the Assembly, they undermine the
trust, legitimacy and respect of the Organisation as a whole. The
Committee of Ministers considers that it is of upmost importance
that the Organisation not only ensures the highest level of integrity
in its activities but also ensures that its relevant rules and regulations
are in line with the highest standards.
6. The Committee of Ministers concurs with the Assembly that
all member States should take appropriate action against corrupt
practices. In that respect, it informs the Assembly that GRECO will
take the findings of the IBAC report into account in its monitoring
of the member States mentioned in the report.
7. As regards the overall integrity framework of the Parliamentary
Assembly, the Committee of Ministers recalls GRECO’s Assessment
of the Code of Conduct for Members of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe adopted by GRECO in June 2017 and notes
that the IBAC report “strongly endorses” GRECO’s recommendations
and calls for their full implementation. The Committee of Ministers
welcomes the steps taken so far by the Assembly to implement these
recommendations. It strongly encourages the Assembly to stay fully
engaged in its action in this direction and to ensure effective
follow-up of the recommendations contained in the report of the
IBAC as well as to those formulated by GRECO.
8. The Committee of Ministers reiterates its commitment to support
the Assembly’s efforts in combating corruption among its members.
It will continue to follow this matter closely and invites the Assembly
to inform it of the other measures it will take in order to fully
restore confidence in its activities.