Brussels, 08/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - An envoy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Bogdan Klich (Poland, EPP/CD), is visiting Morocco from Monday 7 July until 10 July, in the framework of the “Partnership for democracy”.
A press release reiterates that the Moroccan parliament was the “first to be granted the status of partner for democracy by the PACE, in June 2011”. This status “allows a delegation of 12 members of the Moroccan parliament to take their seats - but without voting rights” - within the PACE. In return, the Moroccan parliament has undertaken to “promote the values of the Council of Europe and, in particular, to create conditions which are conducive to the holding free and fair elections and to move towards abolishing the death penalty”.
Klich is the rapporteur appointed to observe how European values are promoted in the country. He will deliver his verdict at the end of his visit. In an initial review in June 2013, the PACE announced itself to be “satisfied with the progress made”, but also “called for the reforms to continue, particularly the abolition of the death penalty in law and a moratorium on all executions in the meantime”. (FB)