Press Release Council of Europe Press Division Ref: 283a06 Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60 Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11 [email protected] internet: www.coe.int/press 46 members Council of Europe Congress to observe referendum on the Albania future state status of Montenegro Andorra Armenia Strasbourg, 17.05.2006 – A joint Congress and EU-Committee of the Regions Austria delegation will observe the referendum on the future state-status of Montenegro which Azerbaijan will take place on 21 May. Belgium Bosnia and On 19 and 20 May, the delegation will meet Miodrag Vlahovic, Minister of Foreign Herzegovina Bulgaria Affairs, Dragan Djurovic, Minister of Interior of Montenegro, as well as representatives of Croatia political parties and local authorities. Cyprus Czech Republic The delegation will also have meetings with Ambassador Frantisek Lipka, Chairman of Denmark Republican Referendum Commission, as well as representatives of domestic observer Estonia group, the media, and international organizations, and international observers. Finland France Georgia Germany Membership of the delegation: Greece Hungary Congress Iceland Ireland Nathalie Aureglia-Caruso, (Monaco, Non Registered) Italy David Lloyd-Williams, (UK, ILDG) Latvia Tereasa McGuire, (Ireland, EPP/CD) Liechtenstein Sean O’Brien, (Ireland, SOC) Lithuania Ludmila Sfirloaga, (Romania, SOC) Luxembourg Georg Spartanski, (Bulgaria, EPP/CD) Malta Moldova Keith Whitmore, (United Kingdom, ILDG)- Head of delegation Monaco Inkeri Yritis, (Finland, SOC) Netherlands Norway The EU Committee of Regions Poland Portugal Catherine Bull, (United Kingdom, PES) Romania Ruth Coleman, (United Kingdom, ALDE) Russia Patrick McGowan, (Ireland, UEN/EA) San Marino Franz Schausberger, (Austria, PPE) Serbia and Montenegro Slovakia Contact: Dmitri Marchenkov, Head of the Congress Communication Unit Slovenia Tel: +33 3 88 41 38 44 ; E-mail : [email protected] ; Mob: +33 6 75 65 03 49 Spain Sweden Switzerland “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact : [email protected] A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46 member states. .