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The Draft Amendments propose changes to constitutional provisions on the status of international human rights treaties and their position in the hierarchy of norms, the separation of powers, the dismissal of members of Cabinet, the manner of appointing/dismissing heads of local state administration, the independence of the judiciary and of judges as well as the roles of the Supreme Court, and of the Constitutional Chamber, among others. The OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission note that the proposed amendments to the Constitution may negatively impact the balance of powers by strengthening the powers of the executive, while weakening both the parliament and, to a greater extent, the judiciary. In particular, although the Constitutional Chamber is retained as such, the Draft Amendments would seriously affect its institutional status and role as an effective organ of judicial constitutional review. Moreover, some of the proposed amendments raise concerns with regard to key democratic principles, in particular the rule of law, the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary, and have the potential to encroach on certain human rights and fundamental freedoms.

1470th Plenary Meeting of the Permanent Council

Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security

1467th Plenary Meeting of the Permanent Council

The present Joint Opinion was prepared in response to a request by the Speaker of the Parliament of Albania. It was adopted by the Venice Commission at its 116th Plenary Session (Venice, 19-20 October 2018).

Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security

Address by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Ms Pia Kauma. The Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Increasing military involvement of certain NATO and EU member States in yet more confrontation in and around Ukraine. Religious “war” unleashed by Kiev against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Continued violations by Germany of its OSCE human dimension commitments. 4th anniversary of the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus. International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, observed on 30 August 2024. Recent developments in the north of Kosovo. Early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, held on 1 September 2024.

Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security

These Preliminary Comments were prepared by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in response to a request from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova received in November 2018.

This monitoring focuses on evaluating and forecasting the legislation by means of identifying contradictions in the legislation, obsolete, corruption-generating and ineffectively implemented statutes, as well as the drafting of proposals on improving the legislation and mechanisms of its implementation by units of the local police service. This edition was published with the financial support of the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan as part of the project entitled “Social Monitoring of the Legislation and Law Enforcement Practices of the Local Police Service in the Area of Preventing Domestic Violence in the Republic of Kazakhstan”.