11/10/2022 | 19:50:57 Thank you. The Schengen Treaty is a true achievement. It is one of the pillars upon which the European Union is built, upon which European integration is built. It creates a space of freedom, security and justice. Without the Schengen Treaty we cannot speak of free movement of citizens within the European Union, nor can we speak about security or justice. We are living in very difficult times, ladies and gentlemen. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the extended war, the consequences have... 23/06/2022 | 18:45:26 Thank you very much. Well, I think that "anybody who thinks freely, thinks well." That was something that was said by one of the first visionaries of Europe. This is the gist of human value. It is the core of human value. Freedom of thought forms part of human freedoms, human rights. That is what gives meaning, a sense, to our existence, to our life as human beings. So we are talking about a society that should be free. That is our vision. And we can gain that freedom through knowledge. But... 28/04/2022 | 15:47:39 Thank you, Mr Chair. I would like to thank the rapporteur for the excellent and the well elaborated presentation, together with the rapporteur for opinion for this presentation. Genuine democracy should not only be declared but most importantly should have specific content. Elected representatives and public authorities, therefore, should give practical meaning to norms and regulations by encompassing the essence of human and civil rights, upon which the concept of democracy is founded... 27/04/2022 | 20:02:37 Thank you, Madam Chair. I strongly support the well elaborated report by Mr Oleksandr MEREZHKO, which highlights a number of very important issues on the use of excessive and unjustified force by law enforcement agents. These issues are both current and enduring and pertain both to the relevant national legal frameworks, as well as to the pertinent international legal standards. Let me start my intervention by stressing that a democratic society requires the enforcement of the law. This is... 26/04/2022 | 16:49:19 This is a fantastic pronunciation. Thank you very much. For years, institutionalisation proved to be the excuse for not assuming our special responsibility and duty to care for the vulnerable. The practice of confining and forgetting is no longer acceptable. Our co-citizens who happen to be vulnerable must be supported and free to exercise their human rights as a matter of principle, no matter the cost or effort. Therefore, I commend this well-elaborated report. The findings of which and be... 27/01/2022 | 10:50:33 Thank you, Mr President. Firstly, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr GATTOLIN, for his thorough work on this ongoing vital issue and we agree with his proposal for the conference which must be issued as soon as possible. We all agree that the practice of enforced disappearances is shameful for all mankind, especially when applied against civilians, but also to military personnel. During the last years we have all seen outrageous scenes of people abducted in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. We... 26/01/2022 | 11:11:23 Thank you very much, Mr President, and allow my congratulations for your election and please accept my certainty that you will fulfil, in the best manner, your high standard mission. My congratulations also to Lord George FOULKES for his excellent report, and my greetings also to Mr Giovanni INFANTINO and Ms Tsakona here as an associate. Playing sport teaches many universal values such as fairness, sportsmanship, teamwork, inclusion and respect. Everyone is equal in sports and everyone should... 30/09/2021 | 17:49:28 Thank you, Mister Chair. Firstly, I would like to thank and congratulate Mr Kamal JAFAROV for his extraordinary and thorough work and his report. Our remark is at the explosive growth of the internet and our accelerated dependence on digitalisation, which has facilitated the dramatic search of new and more sophisticated criminal cyber activity, with systems often transcending borders across multiple jurisdictions. This growing systematic misuse and exploitation by cybercriminals highlights... 29/09/2021 | 11:30:58 Dear colleagues, Human activity has played a fundamental and detrimental role in the deterioration of our planet. Therefore, it is essential that governments, parliaments and stakeholders join efforts towards effective environmental protection policies, as well as awareness campaigns and incentives, so that citizens become informed and actively involved in the fight against environmental deterioration. Accountability must be resumed by all actors in particular public and private, no matter... 27/09/2021 | 19:41:06 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear colleagues, First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr Tiny Kox for his thorough report on this very important issue for all of us. Today, we seek to adopt a set of guidelines on the scope of the parliamentary immunities enjoyed by members of the PACE, thus taking a much-needed step towards further improving and updating the current regime of immunities, as set by the Statute of the Council of Europe, the General Agreement on...