28/01/2020 | 18:14:43 Mr Speaker, Ladies and gentlemen, Populism is unfortunately back in Europe. The attacks on journalists illustrate the mistrust of democracy. The report before us today shows that no state is spared. At the beginning of the month in France, we were commemorating the fifth anniversary of the attack that decimated part of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper team. Journalists in Greece are regularly targeted by far-right activists. In other states, it is the public authorities who attack journalists... 04/10/2019 | 11:27:14 Madam President, My dear colleagues, Our colleague, on behalf of the rapporteur, presents us with a very well-documented report, with significant figures, which illustrate the demographic and economic difficulties caused by labour migration from Eastern Europe. The examples described in the report, relating to Moldova, Poland, Romania and Ukraine, are interesting and informative. The consequences of this phenomenon are felt both in the countries of origin and in the host countries. The... 03/10/2019 | 20:10:14 Thank you, Madam President. My dear colleagues. First of all, I would like to congratulate our two colleagues, Ms BLONDIN and Mr VAREIKIS, for the quality of their work. This report presents with great precision the institutional and political situation in Moldova. The crisis that began in June 2019, when the Constitutional Court decided to dissolve Parliament and then temporarily suspend the President of the Republic, could have had disastrous consequences. Fortunately, the Moldovans have... 03/10/2019 | 18:29:12 Madam President, My dear colleagues, Four years ago the Paris Climate Agreement was signed, which aimed to contain the rise in global average temperature significantly below 2 degrees compared the pre-industrial era, and to continue the actions to limit it to 1.5 degrees. This agreement is clearly in line with sustainable development of our planet and the fight against poverty. Some developing countries are particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of climate change. This agreement... 28/06/2019 | 10:50:46 Thank you, Mr. President, Madam rapporteur, My dear colleagues, First of all, I would like to welcome the excellent report by our colleague Mrs BAKOYANNIS, which provides a relevant overview of the entire conflict in Syria, by analysing its humanitarian consequences. And, at the same time, it presents an in-depth reflection on the prospects for political transition in the country. For almost eight years now, Syria has been immersed in one of the most serious conflicts the world has... 25/06/2019 | 12:09:00 Madam President, Mr Secretary General, my dear colleagues, The Rule of law, Human rights and Democracy: these are the three pillars that support the Council of Europe's mission and justify its budget. As our rapporteur, Mr Mart van de VEN, points out in his resolution, our Parliamentary Assembly is fully in line with this mission with the assets and particularities conferred by our role as parliamentarians. As we all know, the draft budgets of the Council of Europe and our Assembly are... 24/06/2019 | 18:17:51 Madam President, The motion for a resolution before us today consists of an amendment to the Rules of Procedure of our Assembly. The objective is to provide a framework for its power to impose sanctions when it decides on a challenge to a delegation's credentials. The Assembly could no longer deprive a delegation of its right to vote, to speak and to be represented in the Assembly and in these various bodies. This amendment to the Rules of Procedure should ensure compliance with the Statutes... 09/04/2019 | 11:02:19 The rise in populism and isolationism is bringing into question the multilateralism that has been so important for peace in Europe and around the world. This situation makes it all the more necessary to strengthen co-operation among organisations that promote the same kind of multilateralism, which is true of both the Council of Europe and the United Nations. They both promote – each at its own level and in its own way – dialogue among states, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of...