Madrid - Council of Europe ministers on Tuesday agreed to speed up the functioning of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos announced. Moratinos spoke at a press conference following a meeting of foreign ministers or representatives from the 47 Council of Europe countries who gathered in Madrid to mark the 60th anniversary of one of the oldest political organizations in Europe.
A row meanwhile broke out over the election of the council's next secretary-general, with its parliamentary assembly threatening to reject the ministers' proposal that a former Norwegian or Polish prime minister succeed Terry Davis.
The ministers approved measures to increase the ability of the European Court of Human Rights to process applications as Spain passed the council chair to Slovenia.
"From now on, Europeans will feel that their rights are better protected and guaranteed," Moratinos said.
About 100,000 applications are waiting to be dealt with by the European Court of Human Rights. A quarter of them concern Russia.
A single judge will be able to decide whether to admit a complaint, down from three judges to date, Spanish diplomatic sources explained.
The measures were described as a temporary alternative to a wider reform opposed by Russia.
Moratinos said he expected Russia to agree to the new measures affecting the tribunal.
The ministers approved a Madrid Declaration adding the equality of the sexes to the list of rights promoted by the Council of Europe.
They proposed the former prime ministers of Norway and Poland, Thorbjorn Jagland and Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, as candidates to succeed Terry Davis as secretary-general.
The parliamentary assembly criticized the proposal for not including two candidates it was proposing, Belgian politician Luc van den Brande and Hungarian Matyas Eorsy, who are members of the assembly.
Traditionally the assembly accepted the ministers' proposal, and could now reject it for the first time, said Lluis Maria de Puig, president of the assembly.
On inaugurating the meeting, Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis said its mission - democracy, human rights and the rule of law - remained as necessary as 60 years ago.
Spain's Crown Prince Felipe said the council had contributed to stability and security in Europe, urging it to focus on "big evils" such as terrorism.
