10/10/2023 | 17:31:42 Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Dear colleagues, In Europe, the surge of far-right movements and parties has contributed to the erosion of our democracies. Targeting minority groups based on ethnic or religious background leads to discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes, greatly compromising basic human rights. The rise of populism, nationalism and polarisation threatens social cohesion and weakens democratic societies. The eruption of new conflicts and war in the wider region, such as... 26/04/2023 | 17:04:57 Dear colleagues, Humanity recently witnessed one of the most disastrous earthquakes in the Middle East. Thousands of lives were lost. While recovery in Türkiye and Syria has been hard and painful, from the very first moment Cyprus expressed its full support and solidarity with the people of Türkiye and Syria and offered valuable assistance in humanitarian aid contribution to the efforts for recovery from this tragedy. This scale of destruction should never be repeated. Governments should... 12/10/2022 | 12:30:41 Thank you, Mister Chairman. First of all, allow me to thank the co-rapporteurs for their comprehensive work, report. Dear Colleagues, President Erdoğan has led Türkiye even further further away from our shared democratic values and principles. Worrisome developments have seriously weakened the system of checks and balances, created a democratic deficit, and eliminated the functioning of independent institutions. Türkiye is rapidly moving towards authoritarianism by manipulating national court... 11/10/2022 | 10:34:46 Madam Chair, Allow me first of all to thank and congratulate Mr George PAPANDREOU for his excellent report. Dear Colleagues, The European perspective of the Western Balkans must remain a strategic priority for the European Union. In this sense, the Council of Europe may have a notable contribution in encouraging both sides to reaffirm their commitments to the integration process and in supporting a new dynamic of dialogue and co‑operation. It is essential that the process become fast-paced... 21/06/2022 | 17:18:10 Dear Colleagues, Today Europe and its wider neighbourhood face rising geopolitical tensions, new major conflicts, and a number of other complex security threats that must be urgently addressed. Russia's war against Ukraine has prompted the international community's immediate and strong reaction of solidarity and support. It has awakened Europe to unite against authoritarian leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, who poses the biggest security challenge in Europe and beyond. However... 26/04/2022 | 11:15:25 Dear President, Dear Colleagues, I wish to thank Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN and all those who contributed to this report that outlines the great margins of existing co‑operation and future prospects between the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU). Certainly, the Council of Europe and the EU have specific interests and competences, yet they both face the same challenges and share the same values. We must therefore invest in renewed co‑operation and a better distribution of competences and... 15/03/2022 | 19:49:54 Madam Chair, Our thoughts, prayers, sympathies, and solidarity at this time are with the people of Ukraine. Cyprus’s position is one based on principles, in line with EU and UN decisions. We are clear on this. Aggression is aggression and should be condemned wherever it comes from. As a small EU member state, Cyprus, 37% of its territory of which continues to be illegally occupied since the Turkish invasion of 1974, cannot afford neutrality. We are on the side of Ukraine. We are on the side... 27/01/2022 | 11:08:17 Dear colleagues, I should like to thank Mr André GATTOLIN for this important report and the opportunity provided to debate on these very sensitive issue that is unfortunately a global phenomenon, no matter whose rights are violated by the practice of disappearance, which constitutes a particularly heinous violation of basic human rights and the criminal act in itself. Arrests, detentions, and abductions with direct or indirect government concerns fall under this category. What makes it even... 22/06/2021 | 10:36:23 Thank you very much, Mister Chairman. Dear colleagues, allow me first to thank our rapporteur Mr Roberto RAMPI for his excellent report. The ability of journalists to report freely and carry out their research on fact-based and valid information, as well as the right of civil society to access, analyse free and trusted media is a critical indicator of the quality of our democracies. Attempts to throttle the independence of the media sector and the continued persecution of journalists are...