12/10/2022 | 12:36:43 Thank you President, Since this is my last intervention in this Parliamentary Assembly, I can be completely open and candid. I fully agree with what Mr John HOWELL said about co‑operation, with very good co‑operation with Turkish representatives. The debates were sometimes very heated; we often disagreed, but they were open, constructive and this is very important. Mister Ahmet YILDIZ, I can't accept your criticism. Yes, the report is very critical, but not because of some prejudice or... 12/10/2022 | 11:13:59 Dear Mister President. As the final timely issue addressed in this report is the preparation for the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2023. Here are some of our findings that concern the electoral environment. First, we regret to see that the situation of opposition politicians remains difficult. Let us recall the previous resolutions adopted by this Assembly and our concerns about the issue of parliamentary immunity. Dozens of MPs have seen their immunity lifted. This is... 24/01/2022 | 16:31:30 Thank you Madam President I am strongly against this proposal. I would like to remind you that already in April the Committee and the Assembly decided to reject the list of candidates from Poland both on substantive and procedural grounds because the national selection procedure was not compatible. This is indeed unprecedented, that the government of Poland submitted absolutely the same list, the same three candidates who are already rejected once. Within more than 20 years of my work in the... 24/01/2022 | 13:33:19 So, dear colleagues, The sitting is resumed and I will now announce the results for the election for the President of the Assembly as in the protocol signed by the tellers which is... the protocol is coming. But in the meantime can I announce the results now? Okay, let's wait while we have the protocol in our hands. Here it is, so I can just read from the protocol which is signed by all tellers. So, the total number of members voting is 249 – spoiled or blank ballot papers 5, valid votes cast... 24/01/2022 | 10:45:29 Thank you, madam. So Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK is challenging the credentials of the delegation of the Russian Federation on procedural grounds under Rule 7 of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure. I remind the Assembly that under Rule 7, the challenge must be supported by at least ten members from at least five national delegations. I will invite those who support this challenge to indicate their support using the available voting system. Members present in the chamber should stand in their place... 24/01/2022 | 10:39:52 Thank you. So, Mister ZINGERIS is challenging the credentials of the delegation of the Russian Federation on substantive grounds under Rule 8 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure. Under Rule 8 your challenge must be supported by at least 30 members from at least 5 national delegations.I will invite those who support this challenge to indicate their support using the available voting system. Members present in the Chamber should stand in their place and use the voting system of the hemicycle... 24/01/2022 | 10:30:48 Ladies and gentlemen, the sitting is open. I declare open the 2022 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Dear colleagues, it's good to address you again in this hemicycle, not remotely. Even if the hemicycle is still quite empty. Our Assembly faced serious difficulties in organising its work under the conditions of pandemic and I would like to praise our Secretariat and the entire staff who cope quite well with the numerous problems. However, we should not... 30/09/2021 | 18:05:57 Thank you, President. I hope I can nature this time with my brief intervention as a Chairman of the Reporting Committee. Yes, first I would like to express my gratitude to all those who took part in this debate and indeed Mr André GATTOLIN did make some very important points, as well as Mr Hişyar ÖZSOY and Mr Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU. Of course, it is a very specific issue and apparently it is not a proper format for us to discuss technicalities but this is certainly correct. And our... 29/09/2021 | 12:33:04 Thank you, Madam President. Any political programme or project or concept needs a legal framework to be implemented, and these ideas which were expressed by today's rapporteurs and participants in this debate anyway must be put into the form of some legislation, both international provisions and national legislation, in order to be implemented. This is what we are interested in. And this is what we must do as politicians. It is very easy to speak for a long time, very loudly, very beautifully... 29/09/2021 | 10:16:43 President, dear colleagues, The report of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development presented by Ms Edite ESTRELA rightly focuses on the threats to the rule of law related to climate crisis and the latest developments concerning tackling this phenomenon at European level. It focuses on Council of Europe's existing instruments which might prove useful in promoting climate resilience while ensuring the respect for the rule of law, democracy and human rights. Moreover...