24/06/2026 | 13:14:18 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear colleagues, The issue before us is not simply about media representation. It is about democracy, equality and human dignity. Media shape public opinion and influence who is seen as credible and capable of leadership. Yet gender stereotypes remain widespread across traditional media, online platforms and social networks. Women and men are still too often portrayed through narrow and outdated roles that reinforce inequality and limit... 24/06/2026 | 12:21:13 Thank you, Madam President. Madam Minister, Colleagues, First, I would like to congratulate Ms Deborah BERGAMINI on her excellent and timely report on the challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) poses to democracy. Artificial intelligence is transforming our societies at an extraordinary pace. As Ms Kristina KALLAS said, it is an accelerator. Its impact will be felt across every area of our lives, from education and healthcare to public administration and political participation. The... 22/06/2026 | 17:35:46 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Thank you, Mr Chair. First of all, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Chris SAID, and the members of the observation mission for their thorough work. The report rightly concludes that these elections were administered transparently and efficiently. Credit should be given to the caretaker government led by the Prime Minister Andrey GYUROV, which played a proactive role in safeguarding electoral integrity and combating vote-buying... 01/10/2025 | 18:24:04 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, Today we debate the closure of the post-monitoring dialogue with Bulgaria not because this mechanism achieved its goals, but because after 26 years, it has become ineffective. The report notes progress, yes. A difficult one, a fragile one. I took every step in this process. But it also makes clear how much remains unfinished. I will stress two issues that cut to the heart of democratic resilience: the rule of law and media freedom. Bulgaria still... 01/10/2025 | 17:45:28 Thank you, Mr Chair. Colleagues, The Draft Convention before us establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine is more than a legal text. It is a statement of principle, a commitment to accountability and a promise of remedy to victims of aggression. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has brought immense suffering. Lives lost, millions displaced, homes and schools destroyed, hospitals and cultural heritage in ruins, ecosystem damage. They are not statistics. They are the... 01/10/2025 | 11:17:25 Is it better now? Thank you so much. The report raises awareness about the plight of Ukrainian journalists held in captivity by the Russian aggressor. Their only crime is telling the truth. They've been silenced, separated from their families, and in too many cases, tortured, disappeared or killed. Each one of them is an example of how the aggressor has tried to bury the truth. We heard just now some of their names. As George ORWELL said once: "Journalism is printing something that someone... 25/06/2025 | 20:04:54 Thank you, Mr Chair. Dear colleagues, "if we sacrifice our values in response to terrorism, we are delivering the terrorists a victory they could never achieve on their own." These words of former US President OBAMA capture the very heart of our debate now. I commend the Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism for drafting a protocol that amends the Warsaw Convention, establishing the first international binding, comprehensive definition of terrorism. This definition rightly reflects... 24/06/2025 | 17:07:22 Thank you, Mr Chair. Dear colleagues, as a member of this Assembly, I firmly support the two draft resolutions before us on the legal and human rights aspects of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, and on political negotiations to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war. I would like to congratulate all our rapporteurs for their excellent work. These issues are deeply interconnected. Over a year ago, the journalist Ms Viktoriia ROSHCHYNA was abducted in Russian... 09/04/2025 | 20:10:04 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear Madam Chair, Ladies and Gentlemen, Today, we are discussing how to ensure that the values of the European Convention on Human Rights are not just ideals on paper but real safeguards in our lives. This means guarenting justice even when it involves powerful actors—like investigating a murder thoroughly, even if the suspect is a state official; protecting citizens’ property from unfair confiscation; or preventing the misuse of... 09/04/2025 | 18:07:06 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, It is, indeed, more than 11 years since Russia invaded Ukraine. It is more than three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale, brutal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. A war that constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and assault on the very principles that bind us as a European Community – sovereignty, territorial integrity, democracy and the rule of law. The report is not only timely, it is...