“We are meeting at a time when a Council of Europe member state, Ukraine, is the victim of an act of war committed by a former member state, the Russian Federation, said Congress President Leedert Verbeek at the opening of the 42nd session. “This new reality has produced the opposite effect from that sought by the aggressor: it has united us all, it has demonstrated the resolve of the Ukrainian people to defend its independence and sovereignty and it confirms our determination to defend our values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law throughout Europe”, he said.
Congress President Verbeek praised the role of mayors, local and regional elected representatives and public servants, who were on the front line in ensuring security and essential service for their citizens. “This week, we are going to hold our session without the presence of the Russian delegation for the first time since the country joined the Council of Europe in 1996. Like all convinced Europeans, I regret this situation because the Common European Home which President Gorbachev called for in 1989 has just lost one of its residents,” he said in conclusion, while urging “Russia’s leaders and people to end this atrocious war and not let a new Iron Curtain permanently divide Europe”.
“The Russian Federation’s action is a breach of international law and the Statute of the Council of Europe”, said Mariastella Gelmini, Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomy, on behalf of the Italian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, pointing out that further to the decision of the Committee of Ministers, the Russian Federation had ceased to be a member state of the Council of Europe on 16 March. “In this situation, it is not only national governments that have a role to play. Local and regional authorities have a huge responsibility on the ground,” she said. Ms Gelmini stressed the urgency of the needs in connection with the millions of Ukrainian refugees and urged local and regional authorities to provide support and assistance. “Through the tens of thousands of local and regional authorities which your Congress represents, you have the potential to have a significant impact at local level and to promote cohesive communities, which are more necessary than ever”, she said in conclusion.
Addressing Congress members the same day, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić also praised the courage and loyalty of Ukrainian mayors and local officials. “Ukrainians are paying the highest price – with their own lives,” , she said with regret. The Secretary General reiterated the importance of local and regional governments in making a democratic culture based on human rights take hold. “While we will need the determination of national and international leaders, we will also need the commitment of local and regional leaders,” she said in conclusion.
During the afternoon, the Congress adopted a Declaration condemning the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine as a blatant breach of international law. It expressed its full and total support for Ukraine and its people. The debate was preceded by a remote exchange of views with the Minister for the Development of Communities and Territories, Oleksiy Chernyshov, and the Mayors of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych, who unanimously expressed the urgent need to defend not only Ukraine but also Europe’s democratic values.
In addition, in connection with monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the Congress adopted a report on the situation of local democracy in Germany. The rapporteurs, Konstantinos Koukas (Greece, EPP/CCE) and Jani Kokko (Finland, SOC/G/PD), welcomed the “high standards” of local democracy and the “sophisticated legal framework” covering all aspects of local self-government in Germany. Nevertheless, they drew attention to the reduction in local authorities’ financial autonomy as a result of the increasing needs in the social sector, the need to extend the taxation powers of counties (Kreise) and the lack of diversification and flexibility in their revenue system. The Congress called on the German authorities to provide local authorities with adequate financial means that allowed them discretion in how to spend the funding, and also to revise the financial status of counties.
Lastly, the Congress held a debate on involving children in sustainable development and examined guidelines for local and regional authorities, seeking to raise children’s awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.