1271bis meeting of the Ministers' Deputies - Transfer of the Chairmanship Estonia to Cyprus

Speech by Gudrun Mosler- Törnström, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

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Ministers, Ambassadors,

First of all, I would like to congratulate Minister Jürgen Ligi for the successful implementation of the interesting Estonian Chairmanship programme. The Congress had the pleasure of having a very lively exchange with Mr Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Interior of Estonia, at our session on 20 October.

I would also like to assure Minister Ioannis Kasoulides that the Congress will take a very active part in the Cypriot Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. It will contribute to the implementation of the priorities of the Cypriot chairmanship presented today by participating in all events with a local and regional dimension.

We will start with a meeting of the Bureau on 10 February and I am looking forward to meeting with the Cypriot authorities on this occasion.

Four weeks ago the Congress adopted its priorities for the next four years. And I am happy to see that many of ours complement your priorities.

The work of the Congress will focus on building stable democratic institutions at local and regional level, on pluralistic and inclusive societies with democratically active citizens. This is fully in line with the Cypriot priorities.

Other areas where the Congress will actively contribute are the inclusion of people with disabilities, the promotion of social rights and responses to the challenges of the migration flows, to name just a few. I refer to the needs to prepare a sustainable integration of those who will stay and to prevent radicalisation among our own populations.

The Chairmanships of the Committee of Ministers provide an excellent opportunity for the Congress to continue our political dialogue with the governments of the member States. This exchange is the natural continuation of the dialogue we engage in during our monitoring and post-monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a good tradition that the Minister representing the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers participates in the session of the Congress and discusses with the councillors, mayors and presidents of regions represented in the Congress. We are looking forward to welcoming you or the minister responsible for issues of local and regional democracy in March 2017.

I wish you, Minister Kasoulides, every success for the six months of the Cypriot Chairmanship.

Thank you.