European parliamentarians honored memory of Kemerovo victims with moment of silence

UFA, 28 March 2018. /Bashinform News Agency, Gulfiya Akulova/. The 34th plenary session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg began with a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the tragedy that occurred in Kemerovo. This was reported by the Chairman of the State Assembly - the Kurultai of the Republic of Bashkortostan Konstantin Tolkachev, being a member of the Russian delegation.

"Opening the meeting, the Chairman of the Congress Gudrun Mosler-Ternström noted that the whole Europe was mourning with Russia and the families of the victims. Parliamentarians from different countries approached members of our delegation, expressed their condolences", Konstantin Tolkachev told.

Official representatives of 47 countries, including the Russian delegation, take part in the work of the Congress. The key themes of the first day of the plenary session are the promotion of human rights at the local and regional level, the integrity of national states, the fate of refugee children in Europe, the situation of local elected representatives in the Republic of Moldova, as well as local and regional democracy in Latvia. Today, during the Congress, Konstantin Tolkachev will address the parliamentarians of Europe with a report on "Regional Identity and Integrity of Nation State". The Chairman of the Bashkortostan Parliament will acquaint his colleagues with the state national policy of Russia, aimed at preserving the national identity of ethnic groups, supporting their languages and culture.