22/04/2026 | 17:13:15 Okay, can you hear me now? The year is 2026. We find ourselves in the chamber of what is supposed to be the world's leading human rights organisation, defending human rights not only just in its member states, but around the world and defending democracy. It is worth reminding ourselves this, because the topic we are discussing is not just the death penalty and the abolishment of the death penalty, because I hope we all understand here in this room – although it's increasingly questionable... 02/10/2025 | 16:47:34 Dear colleagues, Thank you for your support and valuable contributions. In a short response to my dear colleagues from the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates Group, I fully agree. We come from a variety of political cultures and ideologies, and we are here to find joint solutions, peaceful solutions through a democratic process. But I re-emphasise, my dear colleague and I here speak, and as chosen and elected by the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by... 02/10/2025 | 16:16:09 Dear colleagues, There is no segment of democratic practices in life in Georgia today that does not find itself under enormous, enormous and dangerous pressure. Particularly, we look at one by one the attacks on civil society. We look at the arrest of and the frozen accounts of the civil society organisations. May I remind you that Georgia once had the thriving, most promising civil society in the region that now finds itself on the brink of existence due to the adopted legislation that... 02/10/2025 | 11:55:50 Dear colleagues, On 25 June, in this very Chamber, we were addressed by President Volodymyr ZELENSKYY on the occasion of the signing of the treaty for the Special Tribunal for the Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine. On that day, I did something that the security protocol of this building forbids, which is that I managed to sneak in my then 9-year-old son into this room and hide him in the last row so he could see and witness that what we do here – what I do here – what we do here jointly... 01/10/2025 | 10:29:33 Thank you. Mass protests, mass detentions, arrests of the opposition, surveillance of journalists and regional destabilisation. All of this didn't inspire the Council of Europe to do its job and conduct a monitoring procedure of Serbia for not 1, 2, 5, 7 years, perhaps a decade. No, 13 years. 13 years this chamber hasn't discussed or adopted or considered a monitoring report on Serbia. And this is our record on the books. Compared to Russia, let's say that went as far as seven years, Serbia... 30/09/2025 | 10:26:36 Thank you, dear Secretary General, We primarily welcome your efforts to ensure that the mechanisms of the Council of Europe, such as the European Court of Human Rights and Venice Commission, are available to all the citizens of our member states, including those states such as Azerbaijan, who are absolutely failing to meet our standards. On behalf of the the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, I might kindly suggest that you also consider forming a task force together with the... 10/04/2025 | 11:48:58 Dear colleagues, I consider it an enormous privilege to stand here today. This is my first time being a rapporteur. This privilege also comes, as we all know, with certain responsibilities. The same goes with the membership in the Council of Europe. I consider my country's access to the European Court of Human Rights, to the Venice Commission, and to this chamber to be an enormous privilege. But that privilege – and I hope we all agree with this, comes with great responsibility. And that... 10/04/2025 | 11:02:11 Dear colleagues, when we analyse the situation in a member state, we analyse it against the democratic standards and the pillars of democracy. I will remind you that those pillars are: rule of law, ensuring equality and justice, based, among other things, on separation of powers, second free and fair elections, and three; protection of human rights, safeguarding individual freedoms. If we analyse the situation in Georgia, for which we are here today, and if we analyse the time between the... 08/04/2025 | 17:19:13 Ukrainians banned Russian language. They banned their alphabet, they robbed their church, and killed civilians in Odessa. "It is under Mr Vladimir PUTIN's genius leadership that people of Ukraine are being liberated." is today's quote by Serb leader Mr Milorad DODIK in his another praise of the genius of Mr Vladimir PUTIN. When we talk about the Western Balkans, stereotypes are incredibly politically convenient. They are an anti-intellectual shortcut whose primary purpose is to prevent action... 27/01/2025 | 16:04:38 Dear Minister, thank you for your lively and inspiring introduction. In one of your interviews, you said you want to say "Europe first". While considering that we are in the Council of Europe, we want to say, well, for us, "Council of Europe first". In light of emboldened, we would say, extremist forces around the world and growing challenges to human rights, do you think that the Council of Europe should use this opportunity to take an even stauncher stand and more deliberate stand towards...