SEISMIC CHANGE: THE FUTURE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AFTER RUSSIA'S EXPULSION FROM THE COUNCIL AND THE REYKJAVİK SUMMIT

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 83 Sayı: 1

Eray Acar

https://doi.org/10.30915/abd.1541332

Öz

The Council of Europe decided to expel Russia from the Council on 16 March 2022 following Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia's initiative was characterised as a 'seismic change' in the sense that it constituted a clear incompatibility with the fundamental values on which the Council was built and threatened the existing political-legal order in Europe. In the wake of this threat, the Council held its 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik on 16-17 May 2023, after an 18-year break. This study will examine the place of the Summit in the functioning of the Council of Europe and its current position in the context of the Council's aim to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe. The Reykjavik Summit is compared with the content of the previous Summits in Vienna in 1993, Strasbourg in 1997, and Warsaw in 2005 in the context of the circumstances surrounding these meetings. These meetings, organised to deliver a strong political message in times of crisis, are also crucial in revealing situations considered exceptional or crises for the Council of Europe. By comparing the Summits of Heads of State and Government and analysing them in light of current developments, the aim is to predict the future direction of the Council of Europe.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Council of Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Reykjavik Summit, human rights

SİSMİK DEĞİŞİM: RUSYA’NIN AVRUPA KONSEYİ’NDEN İHRACI VE REYKJAVİK ZİRVESİ SONRASI KONSEY’İN GELECEĞİ

Öz

Avrupa Konseyi, Rusya’nın Ukrayna’ya karşı başlattığı saldırı savaşı sonrası 16 Mart 2022’de Rusya’nın Konsey’den ihraç edilmesine karar verdi. Rusya’nın girişimi, Konseyin üzerine inşa olduğu temel değerler ile açık bir uyumsuzluk teşkil etmesi, Avrupa’daki mevcut siyasi-hukuki düzeni tehdit etmesi bağlamında “sismik değişim” olarak nitelenmiştir. Bu tehditin sonrasında Konsey 4. Devlet ve Hükümet Başkanları Zirvesi’ni 18 yıllık bir aradan sonra 16-17 Mayıs 2023 tarihlerinde Reykjavik’te düzenlemeye karar verdi. Bu çalışmada Zirve’nin Avrupa Konseyi’nin işleyişi içerisindeki yeri ve Konsey’in Avrupa’da insan hakları, demokrasi ve hukukun üstünlüğünü koruma amacı bağlamındaki güncel konumu irdelenecektir. Reykjavik Zirvesi, daha önce 1993’te Viyana’da, 1997’de Strazburg’ta ve 2005’te Varşova’da düzenlenen Zirveler’in içerikleri, bu toplantıları çevreleyen koşullar doğrultusunda karşılaştırılmaktadır. Kriz anlarında güçlü siyasi mesaj vermek adına düzenlenen bu toplantılar, Avrupa Konseyi için istisnai veya kriz olarak addedilen durumların ortaya konması bakımından da önem arz etmektedir. Devlet ve Hükümet Başkanları Zirveleri’nin karşılaştırılması ve güncel gelişmelerle birlikte değerlendirilmesi yoluyla Avrupa Konseyi’nin geleceğine dönük bir yön tahminine ulaşmak amaçlanmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Avrupa Konseyi, Rusya, Ukrayna, Reykjavik Zirvesi, insan hakları

Kaynakça

• Agapova, Olena, “International Register of Damage: The Guarantee of Recovering Justice in Ukraine”, Journal of Liberty and International Affairs, Cilt 10, Sayı 1, 2024, s.97-110.
• Aydın, Zeliha, “Avrupa Birliği’nin Avrupa İnsan Hakları Sözleşmesi’ne Katılım Sorunu: Avrupa Birliği Adalet Divanı’nın 2/13 Sayılı Görüşü’nün Değerlendirilmesi”, Journal of International Trade & Arbitration Law / Uluslararası Ticaret ve Tahkim Hukuku Dergisi, Cilt 5, Sayı 2, s.399-432.
• Barry, Colleen, “Italy’s plan to screen migrants in Albania hits another snag with 2nd group returning to Italy”, AP News, (https://apnews.com/article/italy-albania-migrants-meloni-1a5b74afb20cf6db5e2994047d6e5d92) (Yayın Tarihi: 12 Kasım 2024.)
• Benoît-Rohmer, Florence ve Heinrich Klebes, Council of Europe Law: Towards a Pan-European Legal Area, Strasbourg, Council of Europe Publishing, 2005.
• Botticelli, Veronica, and Isabella Risini, “Ukraine, the Netherlands and 26 Third States Without Russia Before the ECtHR”, Verfassungsblog, 1 July 2024, https://verfassungsblog.de/ukraine-the-netherlands-and-26-third-states-without-russia-before-the-ecthr/.
• Breuer, Marten, “Register of Damage for Ukraine: A Promising First Step towards Reparation?”, Revue des Droits et Libertés Fondamentaux 2024 chron. no. 29., https://revuedlf.com/cedh/the-register-of-damage-for-ukraine-a-promising-first-step-towards-reparation/.
• Brummer, Klaus, Der Europarat: Eine Einführung, Wiesbaden, VS Verlag Für Sozialwissenschaften, 2008.
• Burić, Marija Pejčinović, “Statement from Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić on the Military Attack by the Russian Federation on Ukraine”, 24 February 2022, https://www.coe.int/en/web/kyiv/-/statement-from-council-of-europe-secretary-general-marija- pejcinovic-buric-on-the-military-attack-by-the-russian-federation-on-ukraine.
• Burić, Marija Pejčinović, Our Rights, Our Future: Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe 2024, Strasbourg, Council of Europe, April 2024, (https://edoc.coe.int/en/module/ec_addformat/download?cle=be100b06aa2c4c5164f9f1c4a4fe2781&k=5b68fc6e105b6dab57f417a26052f255)
• Buyse, Antoine, “Reykjavik Summit and Declaration”, ECHR Blog, 17 May 2023, https://www.echrblog.com/2023/05/the-reykjavik-summit-and-declaration.html.
• Closa, Carlos, “Institutional Design of Democratic Conditionality in Regional Organizations”, EUI Working Paper Series, RSCAS 2013/45.
• Donald, Alice ve Philip Leach, “Responding to Seismic Change in Europe—The Road to Reykjavik and Beyond”, European Human Rights Law Review, Sayı 2, 2023, s.95-111.
• Dzehtsiarou, Kanstantsin ve Donal K. Coffey, “Suspension and Expulsion of Members of the Council of Europe: Difficult Decisions in Troubled Times”, International & Comparative Law Quarterly, Cilt 68, Sayı 2, 2019, s.443-476.
• Dzemczewski, Andrew ve Rick Lawson, “Exclusion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe and the ECHR: An Overview”, Baltic Yearbook of International Law Online, Cilt 21, Sayı 1, 2024, s.38-98.
• Evans, Paul ve Paul Silk, The Parliamentary Assembly: Practice and Procedure, Strasbourg, Council of Europe Publishing, 2008.
• Gragl, Paul, “The New Draft Agreement on the EU Accession to the ECHR: Overcoming Luxembourg’s Threshold”, European Convention on Human Rights Law Review, 2024, s.1-26.
• Gawrich, Andrea, Demokratieförderung von Europarat und OSZE: Ein Beitrag zur europäischen Integration, Wiesbaden, Springer VS, 2014.
• Giuashvili, Teona, “The European Political Community: A Forum in Search of a Role”, School of Transnational Governance, Issue 2023/11, May 2023, (https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/75609/STG_PB_2023_11.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y)
• Harmsen, Robert, “The European Convention on Human Rights after Enlargement”, The International Journal of Human Rights, Cilt 5, Sayı 4, 2001, s.18-43.
• Heri, Corina, “Justice in the Liminal: The Council of Europe and the Right to a Healthy Environment”, International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Cilt 73, 2024, s.319-360.
• Janis, Mark, “Russia and the Legality of Strasbourg Law”, European Journal of International Law, Cilt 8, Sayı 1, 1997, s.93-99.
• Joris, Tony ve Jan Vandenberghe, “The Council of Europe and the European Union: Natural Partners or Uneasy Bedfellows?”, Columbia Journal of European Law, Cilt 15, Sayı 1, 2008, s.1-42.
• Juncker, Jean-Claude, Council of Europe and the European Union: A Sole Ambition for the European Continent, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Doc. 10897, 11 April 2006, https://pace.coe.int/pdf/175486787ddf2cab41577a0c93f536671f1661d55caa5cca0ef026bd0e5a3b28?title=Doc.%2010897.pdf.
• Karayiğit, Mustafa T., Avrupa Birliği Anayasa Hukuku, Ankara, Seçkin Yayıncılık, 2018. Karvatska, Svitlana, Vitalii Vdovichen ve Ivan Toronchuk, “Interstate Lawsuits of Ukraine to the ECtHR: Is It Realistic to Achieve Final Judgments?”, Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty: Law, Cilt 12, Sayı 1, 2024, s.1-13.
• Lawson, Rick, “Council of Europe: Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law”, in Ramses A. Wessel ve Jed Odermatt (Ed.), Research Handbook on the European Union and International Organizations, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019, s.507-528.
• Leuprecht, Peter, “Innovations in the European System of Human Rights: Is Enlargement Compatible with Reinforcement?”, Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems, Cilt 8, Sayı 2, 1998, s.313-336.
• Lock, Tobias, “The Future of EU Human Rights Law: Is Accession to the ECHR Still Desirable?”, Journal of International and Comparative Law, Cilt 7, Sayı 2, Aralık 2020, s.427-448.
• Mazur, Sylwia K “Evolution of the European Political Community in Times of the EU’s ‘Geo-political Awakening’”, Croatian Yearbook of European Law & Policy, Cilt 19, 2023, s.79-104.
• Mijatović, Dunja, “Commissioner for Human Rights’ Statement on the Situation in Ukraine”, 24 February 2022, https://www.coe.int/tr/web/commissioner/-/commissioner-for-human-rights-statement-on-the-situation-in-ukraine.
• O’Leary, Síofra, “Why the European Convention on Human Rights Still Matters”, Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies, 2024, s.1-18.
• Özkan Duvan, Ayşe, “Avrupa Bi̇rli̇ği̇’ni̇n Avrupa İnsan Hakları Sözleşmesi̇’ne Katılımının İnsan Hakları Yargısına Etki̇leri̇”, Review of International Law & Politics / Uluslararası Hukuk ve Politika, Cilt 11, Sayı 43, 2015, s.69-92.
• Polakiewicz, Jörg, “A Council of Europe Perspective on the European Union: Crucial and Complex Cooperation”, Europe and the World: A Law Review, Cilt 5, Sayı 1, 2021, s.1-19.
• Polakiewicz, Jörg, Antoine Karle, and Emilija Spasovska, “Fairness in the Practice of International Law and Organisations: The Council of Europe’s Perspective”, AEL 2024/08 Academy of European Law European Society of International Law Paper, 2024, s.1-18.
• Soyaltın-Colella, Diğdem, “Council of Europe and The Reykjavik Principles for Democracy ‘Are They Enough?’”, Revue des Droits et Libertés Fondamentaux, 2024 chron. no. 21, https://revuedlf.com/cedh/council-of-europe-and-the-reykjavik-principles-for-democracy-are-they-enough/.