CoE ready to assist worst-hit countries: Secretary-General

The Council of Europe (CoE) is ready to help countries worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić said at St. Petersburg International Legal Forum held online.

“The healthcare systems of the most-affected countries proved not to be ready to act in an emergency. Therefore, we need to find ways to strengthen the weak points by implementing the European Social Charter, the Moscow Charter, the Convention on Biomedicine, as well as the European Pharmacopoeia,” she said.

“We are ready to provide such assistance,” Burić added, emphasizing that the current crisis threatens the economy and social security in Europe, and even in formerly prosperous countries, unemployment has risen sharply.

“We know that the financial hurdles can lead to increased sensitivity and social upheaval. That is why we should work with the member states to strengthen mechanisms to protect social rights,” the Secretary-General noted.

Earlier, the European Commission said that the coronavirus COVID-19 would “very likely” push the European economy into recession this year.