25/06/2026 | 17:06:43 Thank you. Colleagues, targeting political exiles is not a recent development. Historically, states have frequently pursued dissidents across borders. The intent of governments to suppress opposition abroad has always existed. What makes this report necessary right now is the shift in how these operations are actually conducted. The methods have moved largely beyond physical violence. Today, foreign governments are actively misusing international and European bureaucratic systems. They are... 24/06/2026 | 16:52:27 Thank you. Colleagues, I have prepared a speech, but I will not read it. Let me be very clear, I am all for being very pragmatic in politics. I have been pragmatic my entire life and I do believe in a pragmatic approach. However, we are in a quintessential rules- and values-based organisation: the Council of Europe. This is not a military alliance. This is not a trade bloc. This is not an informal organisation. This is a rules- and values-based organisation. And we are here to protect those... 24/06/2026 | 12:27:54 Thank you colleagues. This resolution merits strong commendation for its objective approach to technology governance. The text systematically avoids fatalism and scaremongering, explicitly refusing to demonise artificial intelligence. Instead, it provides a well-balanced, forward-looking framework that recognises that human choices will determine our societal trajectory. The report accurately identifies how AI can serve as a structural asset, highlighting its capacity to enhance public... 22/04/2026 | 19:09:23 "Tracking the proceeds of the crime denounced by Sergei Magnitsky and holding his perpetrators accountable" is the report in front of us. The crime was the theft of US$230 million from the Russian state treasury in 2007 through fraudulent tax refunds. Mr Sergei MAGNITSKY was a Russian lawyer who uncovered the scheme and alerted the authorities. For his efforts to bring about justice, the Russian authorities arrested Mr Sergei MAGNITSKY and held him for almost a year. In detention, he was... 22/04/2026 | 18:03:25 The universal abolition of the death penalty is a practical requirement for any modern justice system that claims to respect human rights. While we have successfully made the Council of Europe a death penalty-free zone, we cannot ignore the fact that Belarus remains a glaring exception on our own continent. Nor can we ignore the backsliding we are seeing globally. We need to be direct with our observer states. In the United States, we've seen a disturbing move toward experimental execution... 21/04/2026 | 20:22:07 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Public life is undergoing a dangerous transformation. What was once a space for robust debate has become, in many corners of Europe and beyond, a toxic space of intimidation. Violence against politicians is alarmingly on the rise, and we must be clear: any attack on a representative, regardless of their political banner, is an attack on the foundation of democracy. The data tells a grim story. A staggering 71% of parliamentarians report... 01/10/2025 | 10:32:15 Thank you. Dear colleagues, Serbia today is in a blind alley, and tragically it is moving even deeper into it. Political stagnation, contested elections, captured institutions, and shrinking media freedoms all point to a path that does not lead forward. Instead, it narrows, it darkens and it isolates. Europe can and must act with principle, by setting clear conditions on the EU path, by protecting independent journalism and civil society, by confronting disinformation, and by offering real... 27/06/2025 | 10:27:33 Thank you. Three days ago right here, President of Ukraine, Mr Volodymyr ZELENSKYY, and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain BERSET signed the statute for a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. It is the first court in modern history designed exclusively to judge the decision to wage an illegal war, closing the gap the International Criminal Court still has over aggression cases. This signature comes after two years of Ukrainian diplomacy and a decisive... 09/04/2025 | 10:43:26 Thank you, Marco. Dear colleagues, dear Frank. It is a privilege to speak in support of this landmark document. This is not just another report. It is, in every sense, a comprehensive and thoughtful blueprint for ethical standards in our institutions. This report carefully examines the past. It acknowledges the deep wounds left by the scandals. It names names, it cites convictions, and it demonstrates what happens when ethical oversight fails. But more importantly, it moves us forward - not... 08/04/2025 | 10:44:44 Thank you. Dear colleagues, the resolution on foreign interference comes at a time when democracies across Europe are under pressure from manipulation, disinformation and covert foreign influence. So it is not only timely, it is essential. As a social democrat, I believe democracy is not just about elections, but it is the foundation of social justice, equality and freedom. And when foreign powers, through cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, or secret political financing, seek to...