21/06/2023 | 17:21:34 President, I would like to start by thanking Mr Domagoj HAJDUKOVIĆ for his excellent report on the vital topic of integration of migrants and refugees and how integration can be of benefit to all. Access to society is a key factor, both in terms of being given the opportunity to take part in society and of being able to build one's own unique skills and capabilities. Access to society creates value and, as mentioned in the report, builds on the vision that integration entails a long-term... 25/04/2023 | 16:08:38 I would like to start by expressing my sincere gratitude to all the member States that have committed to attending the upcoming summit in Reykjavík. Your heads of state and government will receive a warm welcome in Iceland. Reykjavík has already demonstrated that it can have a significant role in dire times. Reykjavík was the place where the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union, Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, met. The Reykjavík meeting paved the way for further... 13/10/2022 | 12:25:46 President, our thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering in Ukraine. Last month, I went to Kharkiv in Ukraine. I brought iPads from Iceland to children from poor households, to enable them to participate in online schooling because of the war. After 14 hours of travelling by train from Lviv to Kharkiv accompanied by Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA, head of the Ukrainian delegation, I saw the war with my own eyes. I saw the devastation by the Russian invasion: hospitals, schools, homes... 22/06/2022 | 16:57:15 Mister President, I want to thank the rapporteurs. My input is directed to the third report: Justice and security for women in peace reconciliation. The plague of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situation continues to be a matter of grave concern. In the aftermath of conflict, violence against women often increases, underlining the importance of rebuilding rule of law institutions. The challenges faced by women in post-conflict situation include getting access to justice... 22/06/2022 | 11:30:14 Madam President, I want to talk about the power of education in combating prejudice. The most recent annual Antisemitism Worldwide Report, demonstrates a significant increase in various types of antisemitic incidents in most countries with large Jewish populations during the year 2021. The Report suggests that the number of antisemitic incidents in the world was directly impacted by two major events: the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in May 2021, and the Covid-19... 15/03/2022 | 18:40:40 Mr President, Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering in Ukraine. Innocent people, who have lost their loved ones, women and children. Millions of refugees who were forced to leave their home. The breaking up of families. Putin’s war in Ukraine is a crime against humanity. A war against Europe. A war against democracy. The biggest assault on a European state since World War II. The world will not be the same. We have to remember our European history. Dictators cannot be... 29/01/2020 | 11:08:15 Mr President, I welcome the report of the Rapporteur, Mr Davor STIER, his resolution and recommendations. The formal mechanism of reasonable accommodation, would be beneficial for employees and employers. Allowing employees to manifest their religious belief could improve employee well-being, improve a company's public image, and help with the recruitment and retention of staff, resulting in a better quality of working life and higher work satisfaction. Over the recent years, there has been... 27/01/2020 | 15:39:07 Mr President. When I arrived in Minsk shortly before the election a day in last Novembe,r I was optimistic for the people of Belarus and excited about the elections because Belarus has been showing signs that it wants to draw closer to the EU. I left the country with great disappointment. I have never seen elections like this before. They were non-free, non-transparent and, undemocratic. The people of Belarus are friendly, honest and polite. They deserve better. Sadly to say, the locals whom... 24/01/2019 | 10:43:54 I want to draw attention to an historic event that took place in Ukraine just couple of days ago that could affect European security. History was made when the Ukrainian Church became independent from the Russian Church, bringing to an end hundreds of years of Russian control over Ukrainian Church affairs. It is well known that, after annexing Crimea, the Russian Federation used its dominance over the Church to justify the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. Moscow has used the Russian... 21/01/2019 | 17:49:10 I thank staff members of the Assembly for their good work in organising the Election Observation Mission in Georgia. It was my first time as a member of an election observation mission. I appreciate the efforts of our staff; everything went smoothly from the first day of our arrival in Tbilisi. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the presidential elections in Georgia, where we saw indications of vote buying and voter intimidation, a huge imbalance in campaign donations, and the fear of...