Predsedníctvo Slovenskej republiky vo Výbore ministrov Rady Európy
Slovakia’s Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Author(s): Martina Hrvolová
Subject(s): Politics, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Governance, International relations/trade, Politics and Identity
Published by: Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (RC SFPA)
Keywords: Slovakia; 2008; foreign policy; Council of Europe; chairmanship; human rights; citizen; democracy; security;
Summary/Abstract: In 2007 and 2008, the foreign policy of the Slovak Republic in the field of human rights was dominated by two major events. Firstly, the preparations required for Slovakia’s chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the consequent act of chairing the Committee and secondly, the campaign for the successful candidacy of Slovakia in the UN Human Rights Council. In assessing the significance of these events, we should note that in the history of the independent Slovak Republic this signaled the beginning of a period in which Slovakia started to focus on human rights on an institutional basis within its foreign policy. Slovakia continues to do so both intensively and systematically. The aim of this contribution is to offer different perspectives on Slovakia’s chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. This was the very first time that Slovakia had held the chairmanship of a regional international organization with such an exceptionally broad array of member countries.

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