ROME: Delegates from Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia will attend the European Conference of Prosecutors in Palermo on May 5 and 6 organized by the Council of Europe and the Italian government, to discuss several critical issues including the independence of the judiciary and fighting transnational crimes.
The conference will host representatives from all the CEO’s member states. Delegates from Canada, the Holy See, Kazakhstan and the US will also take part in the event.
The symposium will focus on the independence and accountability of public prosecutors, co-operation in the investigation of transnational crimes, including a focus on offences related to the abuse of the environment, and the misuse of information technology.
“We are particularly interested in hearing the contributions from our colleagues from Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia so that we can share and implement with them best practices especially on protection of human rights,” Antonio Balsamo, president of the tribunal of Palermo and judge of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, told Arab News.
The plenary session will be held in the “Bunker Courtroom” built in the capital of Sicily especially to host Mafia trials. It will be chaired by COE Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić.
Italian president Sergio Mattarella will attend the event. The interior and justice ministers of Italy Luciana Lamorgese and Marta Cartabia will moderate working sessions.
Recognizing the essential role of the public prosecutor in the criminal justice system of a state governed by the rule of law, the COE Committee of Ministers decided in July 2005 to institutionalize the regular organization of conferences of prosecutors general of Europe and established the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors.
This consultative body to the Committee of Ministers is composed of high-level prosecutors of all member states.
The conference has the task of preparing opinions for the ministerial committee on issues related to the prosecution service, to promote the implementation of COE recommendations, and to collect information about the functioning of such services in Europe and neighboring countries, including North African states.
During the conference, the 30th anniversary of the killing of top anti-Mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino will be commemorated.
Falcone and Borsellino were killed by the Mob with car bombs in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, in May and July 1992 respectively.
