28/09/2021 | 11:07:08 Thank you very much. Socio-economic inequalities are deep in all dimensions and intersectionalities. Policymakers have been rightfully concerned and have been seeking out solutions. The 2019 report of the OECD is titled "Under Pressure: the Squeezed Middle Class". It states middle-class households feel left behind as their income grew less than average, if at all. A 2018 report of the OECD entitled "A Broken Social Elevator" provides new evidence of lack of mobility at the bottom as well as... 23/06/2021 | 11:56:32 I salute everybody on behalf of the Socialist Democrats and Greens Group. Ownership and agency of change, solidarity, truth, resources; these four key concepts will build the future of our rights. Ownership and agency of change. Now the Istanbul Convention was born out of centuries-long political and social struggle of women for their rights. It was a hard one. It was not granted by the grace of any political power or individuals. Its powerful roots lie in this history. Its powerful roots lie... 22/06/2021 | 17:08:02 Thank you very much. I'd like to congratulate Mr Andrej HUNKO on behalf of the Socialist, Democrats and Greens Group. The pandemic started as a health crisis evolving very quickly into a deep socio-economic crisis. It has brought the socio-economic inequalities into the limelight and brought the world to the same critical juncture we faced earlier. Will we insist on our current socio-economic model that has been generating these ever deepening inequalities, or will we this time opt to change... 22/06/2021 | 10:32:38 In the context of erosion of democracy and erosion of the rule of law, where populist authoritarian leaders who seek to elude accountability and transparency are gaining power. Our times are ridden with rising corruption. These trends go hand in hand. Non-democratically driven politicians seek to expropriate all economic rents. They seek private benefits rather than the public interest. To conceal that expropriation of valuable public resources, they seek to demolish the rule of law... 22/04/2021 | 13:07:10 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) I speak today as one of those voices representing the ten-millions who are standing strong for democracy and justice in Turkey. · The ten-millions who prefer strong parliamentary regime to one lacking checks and balances. · The ten-millions who care deeply for a human-rights based World order despite the very worrisome trend of powerful actors blatantly negotiating human rights. · The ten-millions who in the 2019 local elections put these... 21/04/2021 | 18:34:40 So, the pandemic has been a reminder of how important our health is and how health conditions can become the premise of discrimination. Early on, the pandemic fuelled racism and xenophobia worldwide. As the pandemic progresses, the differential effect of the virus across different age groups were identified, leading to age-dependent discriminatory lockdown conditions. The pandemic also increased the burden on our health care systems, where health practitioners where forced to make very... 20/04/2021 | 15:14:16 Thank you very much, Mister President. Firstly, as the repertoire for opinion on the activities of the OECD on behalf of the Committee on Social Affairs, I'd like to thank Mr Georgios KATROUGKALOS for his constructive approach in preparing this report on the OECD's commendable work on digital taxation for the Political Affairs Committee. Also, I'd like to thank the Political Affairs Committee for their unanimous support of most of our amendments. I do share Mr Georgios KATROUGKALOS's kind and... 20/04/2021 | 14:34:02 Dear Secretary General, so the challenges to our conventions go hand in hand with an erosion of democracy and rule of law. What if the withdrawal decision of member states from our very own conventions are not rules-based and democratic? As such, do you see a role for the Venice Commission as providing an expert opinion regarding how the organisation could approach such an issue? Second, we have had many problems with finance in the past. What's the current situation we face? And how do you... 20/04/2021 | 11:18:46 I salute everybody on behalf of the Socialist Democrats and Greens Group. Freedom House 2021 report reveals the ongoing democratic recession. It shows that global freedom has been declining for the 15th consecutive year. "The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2020" shows a similar backslide in rule of law. Globally, more countries declined than improved in the rule of law score for the third consecutive year. Clearly we stand at a historical crossroad. A crossroad where the very... 20/04/2021 | 09:26:08 Mr President, Lockdowns or Covid passes? Public health or private rights? The truth is these questions should not be either/or questions, they should actually be both-and statements. Both lockdowns and Covid passes may infringe certain fundamental rights, both bear the risk of being discriminatory in a sense. Lockdowns will treat everybody as infectious and risky and, unless accompanied by strong welfare state support and direct income transfers, they lead to significant erosion and socio...