Ministers’ Deputies gathered in Malta for their 1539th meeting

The 1539th Council of Ministers (CM) meeting took place on 7 October at the impressive Verdala Palace in Malta, the country's presidential residence. The meeting was opened by Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Ian Borg, who emphasised the importance of multilateralism and Malta’s commitment to promoting shared values during its Council of Europe (CoE) presidency.

The Secretary General, Alain Berset, also delivered opening remarks, reporting on his most recent engagements, including his participation in the 80th UN General Assembly High-Level Week (22–30 September 2025). The discussion also covered the Council of Europe's (CoE) cooperation with other international organisations. The Deputy Secretary General, Bjørn Berge, spoke about the Council of Europe's role in accountability efforts for Ukraine.

At the meeting, various topics were discussed, including the parliamentarian election in Moldova, which took place on 4 October. At this occasion, the EU Ambassador Vesna Kos delivered a statement on behalf of the EU, stating that the election results confirm the people’s enduring support for the European future of Moldova, as enshrined in its Constitution, and that the voters have given a clear and strong mandate to continue Moldova engagement towards EU membership. The EU looked forward to cooperating with the new Parliament and incoming Government to advance EU accession and the implementation of the Reform Agenda, as well as enhancing the country’s resilience and economic growth.  The discussion also featured the consequences of the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. 

An exchange was also held with both with the Executive Director of the North-South Centre, Ms Pilar Morales and Mr Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE). Ms Pilar Morales stressed the importance of a policy of good neighbourhood, based on cooperation with other international organisations in the field human rights education for youth, democratization and public participation projects, as well as media literacy initiatives. Mr Theodoros Rousopoulos, meanwhile, reminded the Committee of Ministers of the last PACE plenary session in autumn (29 September–3 October). He also recalled that PACE unanimously adopted its opinion on the Draft Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, as well as a resolution initialling the platform for dialogue with the Russian democratic forces opposing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On 8 October, Malta, which placed youth participation and democracy as one its Presidency’s priorities, also hosted the 10th CoE Conference of Ministers responsible for Youth under the motto: “Young people for democracy: youth perspectives in action”, with the participation of the EU Commissioner Micallef.