The Council of Europe (CoE) has awarded Serbian President Boris Tadic its annual North-South Prize for his contribution to reconciliation in the Balkans and Serbia’s EU integration.
“(The award) for the North, to Boris Tadic, President of the Republic of Serbia, in recognition of his political action for the reconciliation of the Balkans and the integration of his country in the process of European construction,” the CoE said in a release.
The release also stresses that Tadic’s support for international justice has been a determining factor in the arrest and transfer to The Hague, of the last two criminals sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic.
The other recipient of this year’s award is Souhayr Belhassen, the president of the International Federation of Human Rights in Tunisia.
Belhassen was awarded in recognition of her long-time commitment in favour of human rights in the world, as well as for her fight for the rights of women in developing countries, reads the release.
“Her path is both an example and symbol of the major role played by the women in the historic changes which have taken place in 2011 in the Arabic world,” said the CoE.
Since 1995, the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe is awarded every year to two personalities who have distinguished themselves by their commitment to the promotion of human rights, the development of the intercultural dialogue and the strengthening of solidarity between North and South.
Tadic and Belhassen will be presented the award by the president of Portugal in Lisbon in spring 2012, in the presence of the CoE Secretary General and other officials, according to the release.
