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Summit of the Council of Europe creates the Register of Damage caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine

 

On May 16 and 17, 2023, the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe took place in Reykjavík. Its central focus was support to Ukraine as well as the response to Russia's aggression. The Summit confirmed the establishment of the Register of Damage caused by the aggression of the Russian federation against Ukraine. The Czech Republic was significantly involved in negotiations of the Register and has also become one of its founding members.
 

The Czech Republic was represented at the summit by President Petr Pavel. The Czech delegation also included Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the Council of Europe, Czech Ambassador in Norway, and Director of the Human Rights and Transition Policy Department.

The Council of Europe has played a key role in the establishment of the Register of Damage to record and document evidence and claims of damage, loss, or injury because of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. The register is an important part of current international initiatives to set up a compensation mechanism for Russia’s crimes of aggression The Czech Republic was actively engaged in negotiating the Register (with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the lead) and has also become one of its founding members.

Minister Lipavský underlined that the Council of Europe already in March 2022, less than a month after the Russian aggression started, expelled Russia from this organization, and thus confirmed its credibility. We see the establishment of the Register of Damage as the most important outcome of the Summit. Now it is essential that the Register becomes operational as soon as possible.

This year's summit, organized by the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, was only the fourth summit in the history of this organization (the last such summit took place in 2005 in Warsaw). Apart from supporting Ukraine, the summit was an opportunity to reaffirm the commitments of Council of Europe member states to its core principles and values, such as human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Another important outcome of the Summit was the Reykjavik Declaration of heads of state and government of the Council of Europe's member states. At the end of the session, Latvia took over the rolling six-month Presidency of the Committee of Ministers from Iceland.

The Council of Europe is the continent’s main human rights organization. Its aim is to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. To this aim, it provides a common legal space centred on the European Convention on Human Rights, with the essential role of the European Court of Human Rights. Czech Republic has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1993.

Resolution on the Enlarged Partial Agreement

 “Reykjavik Declaration – United around our values” 

 

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