Jan Micallef, President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, was taken to hospital yesterday evening after the discussion of Azerbaijan's elections for local self-government bodies.
No news was heard of his health till midnight.
Yesterday the Congress held a heated discussion on Azerbaijani elections and gave a harsh assessment on the election results.
Azerbaijan's delegate Abulfaz Babayev suggested involving in the draft report a provision which said, "Armenia has occupied Nagorno Karabakh and the neighboring territories, and most of Azerbaijan's territory is occupied today."
However, thanks to the efforts of the Armenian delegation the suggestion was rejected after being put to the vote for four times.
Armenian delegates noticed that the same congressman voted several times. After summarizing the results of the fourth vote, Azerbaijan's accusation laid against Armenia was not included in the European document.
Armenia signs protocols on democratic participation at local level and on Euroregional co-operation
On 18 March 2010, Armenia signed the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority, as well as Protocol No 3 to the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities (Madrid Convention), concerning Euroregional co-operation groupings. Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanian, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe, signed the protocols in the presence of Maud de Boer-Buccquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Organisation.
