30/09/2025 | 15:47:12 And on this happy note, we are going on with our agenda. The next item of business is the communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly, presented by Mr Ian BORG, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta, President of the Committee of Ministers. Dear Minister BORG, it is with great pleasure that we welcome you once again to our hemicycle. Your presidency of the Committee of Ministers has been rich in events. It has given us the opportunity to... 30/09/2025 | 15:36:54 The sitting is open. Dear colleagues, I remind you that, in order to be registered for the sitting, you should insert your badge when you take your seat, and keep it inserted for at least 30 seconds. You should also insert your badge in order to speak or vote. To request the floor, please press the “request” button. I also remind the Assembly that members who have not submitted an annual declaration of interests are required to start any intervention with an oral declaration of interests... 30/09/2025 | 13:01:24 Sir Edward LEIGH, thank you for your remarks. I just want to remind you, maybe you are an older member than me in this Assembly, that we have never asked a Prime Minister or Head of State not to make the speech that they have planned. Of course, all our visitors know the time limit. So I think, especially in this case, it is worth listening to the Armenian Prime Minister more. Don't underestimate the questions of my colleagues, I am one of you, though I cannot ask questions. It is because of... 30/09/2025 | 12:04:47 Prime Minister of Armenia, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Strasbourg and to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Armenia has been a committed and constructive member of our Organisation since 2001, and your presence, dear Prime Minister, here today comes at a decisive moment for your country and for the wider South Caucasus region. The Council of Europe remains closely attentive to developments in the South Caucasus. Armenia’s commitment to peace is of historic... 30/09/2025 | 12:02:10 Dear Stefan, Before you go, dear colleagues, I want to thank our dearest Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, whom I consider a close friend of mine. Even though he doesn't know it, we are friends. I really appreciate his work. He has been with this Assembly for so long and I think that your last speech in this Assembly is on Friday. So I will be here on Friday. I believe that Stefan is what I call for some of our colleagues, the role model of being a member of this Assembly. He has principles, principles... 30/09/2025 | 11:03:47 It was a lively discussion. Lovely and lively. And Lord Don TOUHIG set the tone at the end. Thank you, dear colleagues. Dear Secretary General, thank you so much for being with us today and asking the questions to my colleagues. Colleagues, I remind you that the ballot is in progress for the election of the Secretary General of our Assembly. The election is taking place in the area behind the President's Chair. The poll is open until 1pm, so I call those who have not yet voted to vote. They... 30/09/2025 | 10:11:47 The sitting is open. I remind members that, in order to be registered for the sitting, you should insert your badge when you take your seat, and keep it inserted for at least 30 seconds. You should also insert your badge in order to speak or vote. To request the floor, please press the “request” button. I also remind the Assembly that members who have not submitted an annual declaration of interests are required to start any intervention with an oral declaration of interests under paragraph... 29/09/2025 | 12:34:32 Of course, with all these drones and bombing, it’s very difficult to look up to the skies. Dear colleagues, I am very honoured to open the Award Ceremony of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, the prize by which we recognise and honour the work of thousands of individuals and organisations who share our values and goals: the protection of fundamental freedoms and human dignity. I would like to first welcome the jury of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize who have joined us today. Ms Anne... 29/09/2025 | 12:17:49 Thank you so much, dear Ms Elisabetta GARDINI. I fully agree with what you have said about the violence against politicians. I just want to remind you, colleagues, that after my proposal last March, we had this issue as a main issue to be discussed among the 60 speakers of the parliaments, members of our Council of Europe observers, and it was really the most important issue to be discussed. So I believe that maybe Ms Elisabetta GARDINI's proposal should be thoroughly discussed in the... 29/09/2025 | 11:47:45 Dear colleagues, I would like to invite all of you to hold a minute of silence to remember a long-standing and extremely vocal member of our Assembly from Switzerland and ALDE, Mr Alfred HEER, who passed away 10 days ago. Thank you. Dear colleagues, Before I move to our first item, let me remind the Assembly that members who have not submitted an annual declaration of interest are required to start any intervention with an oral declaration of interest under paragraph 20 of the Code of conduct...