Register a “first step” on road for compensation
Prime Minister António Costa will be on his way to Reykjavik, Iceland, on Tuesday for a Council of Europe Summit on the agenda of which is the creation of a register of damages caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The register “will be one of the main decisions by the Council” – an organisation from which the Russian Federation was suspended on February 25, 2022 and excluded on March 16 of the same year, writes Lusa.
A national diplomatic source has told the State news agency that “materialisation of this record of damages” is considered “a first step towards the subsequent creation of a compensation mechanism”.
In addition to this agreement, the summit should also result in a political declaration that aims to be a document “of unity around the values and principles” of the Council of Europe.
“It will be a declaration of support for Ukraine and of reinforcement of the system for implementing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights,” said the same source.
The Reykjavik summit, under the theme “United around values“, is the first in 18 years. The last such summit took place in 2005 in Warsaw.
During the two days of proceedings, the heads of state and government of the Council of Europe member states will analyse the situation in Ukraine, particularly “focusing on Russia’s accountability for atrocities committed”.
A Portuguese diplomatic source has also said member states will seek to “strengthen the mission of the Council of Europe, particularly in the ability to act in light of new threats to human rights and democracy”.
Another ‘central issue’ to be analysed relates to the role of the Council of Europe in Europe’s multilateral architecture.
In November 2022, Iceland succeeded Ireland in the presidency of the Council of Europe, a position it maintains until the end of this month.
LUSA
