Freedom of movement means the living conditions of Roma people are now a pan-European issue, Schokkenbroek added. The Council of Europe is well-placed to offer assistance through its legally-binding mechanisms, monitoring organisations and the Roma mediator programme which began in earnest last week.
Much of the project will be devoted to the alignment of Ukraine’s media-related legislation with that of the European Union and with Council of Europe standards on freedom of expression and information.
The development of codes of ethics and self regulation for the media are among the organisation’s priorities, made necessary by the emergence of new and powerful information providers and platforms. Consultations will begin within weeks with search engines, social networking services and “other actors” concerning the “protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the new media environment.”
The case concerned Astrid Siebenhaar’s complaint about her dismissal from her job in a kindergarten run by a Protestant parish on the grounds of her active involvement in another religious community.
The case concerned Gerald Sporer’s complaint about custody proceedings with regard to his son who was born out of wedlock.
