Venice Commission of the Council of Europe marked its 20th anniversary

5 June 2010 - Professor Jasna Omejec, President of the Croatian Constitutional Court and a substitute member of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) from the Republic of Croatia participated in the celebrations marking 20th anniversary of this Commission, held in Venice on 5 June 2010. The ceremony gathered more than 100 dignitaries who were addressed by the members of the state and regional government of Italy, as well as by the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Secretary General of the Council of Europe as well as the President of the Republic of Hungary, and the President of the Republic of Georgia. The Commission, established in 1990 as a partial agreement of 18 member states of the Council of Europe today has 57 full members (in addition to all Council of Europe member states the membership also includes Kyrgyzstan, Chile, the Republic of Korea, Morocco, Algeria, Israel, Tunisia, Peru, Brazil and Mexico), seven observers and one associate member. From its establishment it successfully aims at upholding the three underlying principles of Europe's constitutional heritage: democracy, human rights and the rule of law - the cornerstones of the Council of Europe.