A delegation from the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, headed by MP Vladimir Turcan, chair of the parliamentary commission for appointments and immunity, is participating in the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), taking place in Strasbourg during June 23-27. An urgent debate on the functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey, a general policy debate on the situation in China, and a special debate on the state of democracy in Europe, involving guest speakers from civil society, are among the highlights of the summer session. Other topics to be debated include the functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan, the fight against harm to the environment in the Black Sea, empowering women in a modern, multicultural society and the abandonment of children at birth. The Moldovan delegation includes Communist MP Grigore Pentrenco, chair of the commission for foreign policy and European integration; MP Vlad Cubreacov, leader of the Christian-Democratic faction; Democrat MP Oleg Tulea; and MP Valeriu Cosarciuc of the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) Party. Last week, the Moldova Noastra Alliance, a major opposition party, petitioned repeatedly for its leader, Serafim Urecheanu, to be included in the delegation to the APCE summer session. The proposal was rejected by the parliamentary majority. AMN Secretary Leonid Bujor said the party would inform the PACE about the “hostile attitude” of the Communist majority and the violation of the rights of a parliamentary faction.