10/04/2025 | 16:35:03 I feel the need to congratulate the speakers on behalf of the political groups, except of course Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO. And allow me to wonder since when supporting a genocide, the worst crime under international law, is in line with the values of this organisation. Secondly, I want to express my deep regret for the fact that we are not discussing under urgent affairs debate procedure and we have no resolution and no recommendation, once more. Dear colleagues, Gaza has been bleeding for 18... 10/04/2025 | 10:08:45 Good morning, dear colleagues. On behalf of the Group of the Unified European Left, I wish to express our strong support for the draft Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law, and to thank the rapporteur for her dedicated work. We are here to reaffirm the obvious and unquestionable: that the destruction of our environment is not simply an unfortunate by-product of economic activity. It is in many cases a crime: often committed knowingly and with impunity. And like... 09/04/2025 | 19:10:40 Dear colleagues, on behalf of the Group of the Unified European Left, I wish to express my appreciation to my compatriot Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU for his important work and dedication in presenting the 13th report on the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights judgments. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Convention, an extraordinary milestone for a system that has safeguarded the dignity, rights, and freedoms of millions across our continent. However, the strength of... 09/04/2025 | 16:20:32 President, Dear colleagues, The recent arrest of the Mayor of Istanbul, Mr Ekrem İMAMOĞLU, alongside many others, is not an isolated development. It is the latest step in the long and well-documented pattern of democratic erosion in Türkiye. Mr İMAMOĞLU, a democratically elected leader with broad popular support is now being targeted through a judiciary that has repeatedly been criticised for its lack of independence. Let us remember that this is not the first time an elected official... 08/04/2025 | 10:18:36 Madam Chair, dear colleagues, Foreign interference is indeed a threat, but to defend democracy, our response must be principled, balanced and universal. This resolution fails in this regard. It unfortunately adopts a selective, biased and politically-motivated approach, focusing almost exclusively on Russian interference, while ignoring long standing, well-documented interventions by Western powers – including coups, regime-change operations and economic questions to bend sovereign states to... 29/01/2025 | 17:04:36 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, The Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) expresses deep concern regarding the recent developments in Georgia. The report contains several constructive proposals aimed at addressing the troubling situation in Georgia. We welcome the visit of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to Georgia, as well as the process and working group he has initiated to help Georgia align with its commitments and obligations. We believe that joint action... 29/01/2025 | 12:28:39 Thank you, Mister President, dear colleagues, distinguished guests, survivors and dear Chief Rabbi LAU, Today, 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Red Army, we reflect upon the unimaginable suffering endured by millions of Jews, but also by thousands of Communists, anti-fascists, trade unionists, Roma people, disabled individuals, political prisoners and homosexuals who were brutalised by the Third Reich. We pay tribute to all victims. However, Auschwitz-Birkenau is not... 28/01/2025 | 17:53:47 Thank you, Mister President, dear colleagues, I would like to congratulate and thank the rapporteur for the objective and impartial work she has done. Today is an important day for the Parliamentary Assembly because even at this late point in time, through this Resolution, we are saving to some extent the organisation's credibility and dignity in relation to our response to the Gaza war. I would like to recall that for one year this Assembly has not felt compelled to nor shocked enough by the... 28/01/2025 | 12:55:21 I had the impression that we had accepted that those amendments were rejected by a two-thirds majority. They don't stand a chance in the hemicycle to be accepted. So, we wanted to assist the procedure to proceed with the discussion and conclusion of the discussion of this item. But I don't know if there is a need to proceed and vote for it. I could do it. Yes. The argumentation and aim of this proposal is related to the different roles that we have as the Council of Europe with the European... 28/01/2025 | 11:34:00 Okay, I would like to start with a comment. You are great not when you call yourself great, when others consider you great. And Europe will be considered as great by others only when we promote with deeds our values and principles. Dear colleagues, As we reflect on this resolution and recommendation, it’s crucial to address the assumptions that underline the call for a “renewed rules-based international order.” While the document rightly identifies the challenges of the increasing global...