Four candidates have been nominated for the post of the new secretary general of the Council of Europe.

Axar.az reports citing the press service of the Council of Europe that the following candidatures have been received by the Chair of the Committee of Ministers: Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, former Prime Minister of Lithuania Andrius Kubilius, former Foreign Minister, member of Greek Parliament Dora Bakoyannis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Marija Pejčinović Burić.

By the information, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers will interview the four candidates separately in March 2019, and decide upon a final list of candidates that will be transmitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Parliamentary Assembly will then proceed with the election of the next Secretary-General, which is due to take place in June 2019. The mandate of the new Secretary General starts on 1 October 2019.