The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is hosting the meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), with around 60 parliamentarians from the 46 member states of the Council of Europe expected to attend. The meetings will take place on November 20–21. On this occasion, Chișinău will also welcome Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis, Secretary General of PACE, TRIBUNA reports.

On the sidelines of the event, several high-level meetings will be held, including those of the Presidential Committee, the PACE Bureau, the Ad Hoc Committee on the New Democratic Pact, and the Standing Committee of PACE.

The opening of the PACE Standing Committee meeting will feature speeches by the President of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Grosu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Mihail Popșoi, and Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of PACE. The agenda also includes a debate on PACE’s observation of the recent parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, as well as a discussion on preventing and combating gender-based discrimination in healthcare. A current affairs debate has also been requested on the topic “Mobilizing Citizens in Defense of Human Rights and Democracy: Recent Developments in Latvia.”

Additionally, on Friday at 15:30, discussions will be held on combating violence against women and the role of parliaments and parliamentarians in implementing the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention.

While in Chișinău, PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos is scheduled to meet with the President of Parliament, Igor Grosu, and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Mihail Popșoi.

The Parliament is hosting these PACE meetings in the context of the Republic of Moldova holding the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from November 14, 2025, to May 15, 2026.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is one of the two statutory bodies of the Council of Europe, an international organization dedicated to the protection of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

The Republic of Moldova joined the Council of Europe on July 13, 1995, becoming a full member state. The country previously held the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2003.