23/04/2026 | 12:30:40 Dear colleagues, The Middle East is a melting pot for cultures, civilisations, alongside deep historical ties and also complex challenges. The destruction of Gaza by Israel underscores an urgent need to respect international law and a renewed commitment to peace and stability. The attack of the US and Israel to Iran has shown us that conflicts and wars are not regional anymore. Their effects are much wider and the whole world is simply vulnerable, with the immediate effects being felt... 21/04/2026 | 20:12:16 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Mr. President,Distinguished Members, Hate speech remains a growing challenge, affecting not only public discourse but also the sense of safety and dignity within our societies across Europe. While open debate is a fundamental element of democracy, the increasing normalisation of hostile and exclusionary language risks deepening divisions and undermining social cohesion. In such an environment, politicians inevitably become among the primary... 28/01/2026 | 11:32:19 Thank you, Ms Sona GHAZARYAN, for your valuable work. We all agree here that young people should be more involved in democratic life in our countries and across Europe. This report rightly highlights the the vitality of youth participation. We must not forget that democracy is not only about having elections. Sound youth participation clearly comprises of involvement in all social, political, economic and cultural decision-making processes. In the draft resolution, I quote, 'the Assembly... 26/01/2026 | 17:59:02 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) The system of international justice is a cornerstone of the international rules-based order, to uphold the rule of law, ensure accountability, protect human rights, and provide peaceful means for resolving disputes among states and individuals. All states have a responsibility to respect international law, cooperate in good faith with international justice mechanisms, and comply with their decisions. Nowadays, the system of international... 25/06/2025 | 13:11:51 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) We all know that Olympic Spirit can guide us to promote tolerance and to understand each other. Indeed, educating youth through sports for a peaceful future is one of the main goals of the Olympic Movement. It is important to remember that Olympism aims to promote a peaceful society with human dignity and respect. It seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and social responsibility... 09/04/2025 | 16:53:45 Dear colleagues, Türkiye is not an oil rich Arab or Gulf country. Türkiye's richness comes from its founding principles and the dedication to secular democracy, rule of law, human rights and freedom of speech. Türkiye has been a breach between East and West for centuries, as its geography dictates. Both Europe and the Turkish people need a democratic Türkiye. History has proved on many occasions that as Türkiye gets more democratic and as the rule of law prevails, its economy grows and the... 28/01/2025 | 18:43:21 President, These days we are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. And during these commemorations held in Poland, we have seen the survivors of the Holocaust speaking, those who were able to travel at that age there to tell the world what should be learned from the Holocaust and from those bad experiences. One of them said, memory hurts. Memory helps. Memory guides. Without memory, we have no history, no experience, no point of reference. Another one said, be... 27/06/2024 | 16:16:45 Do you hear me? Yes, now. Thank you. Sorry about that. Dear colleagues, The Report and the Resolution that we are discussing here today focus on the Varosha issue. In fact, the Cyprus issue has many different aspects that need to be addressed, such as the isolation of Turkish Cypriots regarding trade, transport, education, communication, travel, sports and so on. In this regard, it is high time to focus on the comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem rather than just focusing on Varosha... 23/01/2024 | 18:09:44 Dear colleagues, Yet again we are witnessing a humanitarian disaster. I would like to start by condemning the attack by Hamas towards Israeli civilians. Nothing can justify that kind of terrorism. At the same time, the Israeli response towards civilians is not acceptable either. The attacks towards Palestinians have been resulting in shocking numbers of civilian causalities every day. The killing of individuals is not acceptable. Each day, hundreds of lives are getting lost and the... 26/04/2023 | 17:44:53 Distinguished Chair and distinguished colleagues, Before I start, I would like to convey my deepest condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones in the devastating earthquakes that took place in Türkiye on 6 February 2023. As is well-known, the earthquakes had severely affected millions of people in Türkiye and Syria and more than 57 000 people had, unfortunately, lost their lives. Among those, there were 50 Turkish Cypriots, half of which were schoolchildren of a volleyball team...