It is often a way of venting anger and also reflects the confidence Turkish citizens have in the court’s assessments. “This time the European court is coming to İzmir. All citizens are welcome to follow the debates at this conference on the future of the European court,” said one Turkish official.
On April 26-27, the Aegean coastal city will host the High Level Conference on the Future of the European Court of Human Rights, with participants pursuing three main goals in the context of ensuring the effectiveness of the supervisory machinery set up by the European Convention on Human Rights and maintaining momentum in the efforts to achieve this. The first will be to make a preliminary assessment of the impact of Protocol No. 14; the second, to take stock of what has been achieved by the reform process launched by the Interlaken Conference in February 2010; and the third will be to reflect upon further ideas for pursuing that reform.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, as the outgoing chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, will be hosting the conference, which justice and foreign ministers of 47 member-countries as well as of countries that have observer status at the oldest European political organization have been invited. So far, around 17 ministers have confirmed their participation. British Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, whose country is hectically involved in efforts for the court’s reform, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose country has a highly problematic relationship with the Strasbourg-based court, are among those who have confirmed their participation.
