The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights welcomes the admission of the State Community of Serbia and Montenegro to full membership of the Council of Europe. Our country became a member of this European organisation, which is a step long expected and a boost to all democratic forces which have fought for this moment in their struggle for rule of law and respect for human rights during many years. Membership of a country in the Council of Europe primarily means that all European standards regarding the respect and implementation of human rights must be met. The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms represents for all Member States the most important instrument that should be a guideline for the governments in their legislation policies and for the courts in their jurisprudence. Still, the biggest beneficiaries of the country’s membership in the Council of Europe will be the citizens of Serbia and Montengro and all persons in its jurisdiction. They will have the possibility to turn to the European Court for Human Rights every time when they believe that the State Community Serbia and Montenegro violated their right guaranteed by the European Convention, and did not set satisfaction in that respect before the national courts.
The Belgrade Centre points out that, upon the admission to membership, Serbia and Montenegro still has a number of obligations to fulfill, such as the ratification of the European Convention, as well as of the other binding instruments of the Council of Europe.
We believe that in this way the respect for human rights and for individual freedoms, as well as rule of law, as principles set out in the Statute of the Council of Europe, will be improved in Serbia and Montengro and that very soon our citizens will be able to enjoy their rights in an even better and more accessible manner.
