24/06/2026 | 18:08:59 Thank you, Mister Chairman. Dear colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to a very important subject, which has not been mentioned in the Report. This is the deportation of the Ahiska or Meskhetian Turks from their ancestral homeland in present-day Georgia more than 80 years ago. Yet for thousands of families, exile has never truly ended. The repatriation process began more than 11 years ago, but progress has been painfully slow. This is simply unacceptable. Out of approximately 15... 24/06/2026 | 16:05:26 Dear colleagues, First of all, thanks to you for this extensive report and thanks to the rapporteur. Yes, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our societies at an unprecedented pace. It offers tremendous opportunities for innovation, education, healthcare and economic growth. Yet, alongside these benefits, AI may also present serious risks to our democratic institutions and to the most vulnerable members of our societies. We are witnessing how AI can be used to spread disinformation... 23/06/2026 | 11:28:29 Madam Chair, Dear colleagues, The strength of any democracy rests upon the independence of its judiciary system, the vitality of its political opposition and the ability of citizens to express their views freely and without fear. Recent developments in Türkiye have given rise to serious concerns regarding the functioning of the judicial system, the prosecution of opposition figures, restrictions on the freedom of expression and the shrinking space for democratic debate. These concerns should... 23/04/2026 | 11:58:17 Madam President, dear colleagues, First of all, I wish to underline the urgent need for peace, stability, and respect for international law across our wider region. We must acknowledge the scale of devastation caused by the United States and Israeli military attacks across Iran, that effects extend far beyond the region. We must also speak honestly about the increasingly aggressive nature of the military escalation by Israel towards Palestine and Lebanon. Repeated airstrikes, the targeting of... 29/01/2026 | 11:43:20 Thank you, Madam President, Dear colleagues, First of all, I must emphasise that we are committed to stop using colonial language when referring to this region. I will therefore call each country by its proper name and refrain from using imposed identities. Secondly each country’s situation and challenges are different and must be addressed as such. The countries concerned in this debate are sovereign states. Iran, in particular, has a civilisation stretching back thousands of years and... 02/10/2025 | 18:31:04 Thank you Madam Chair, Dear colleagues, The profound transformation of the European audiovisual sector in recent years, especially with the arrival of streaming platforms in Europe, have had a significant impact on viewing habits and consumer expectations. In particular, high-quality drama series have taken our screens by storm. The co-production of series in Europe has the potential to be a significant catalyst for our valued cultural diversity and pluralism. The Council of Europe is... 01/10/2025 | 18:09:45 Mister President, Dear colleagues, First of all, I must thank the rapporteurs for their intensive work. I wish to raise some issues about the current challenges facing democracy, freedom and the rule of law in Bulgaria. Recent developments risk undermining public confidence in institutions and weakening democratic governance. The case of Blagomir KOTSEV, the elected Mayor of Varna, is emblematic. His detention has triggered large demonstrations and raised fears that judicial measures are... 01/10/2025 | 17:01:05 Thank you, Madam Chair. Dear colleagues, On behalf of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, it is my honour to present our views on this timely report on Youth Movements for Democracy, prepared with dedication by our rapporteur, Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK. Across our member states, it is often young women and men who stand at the forefront of democratic life. They mobilise in their communities, create innovative forms of participation and defend rights and freedoms, even in the... 01/10/2025 | 12:03:40 Thank you, Mr President. Dear colleagues, I think that the report and the presentation provided by Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK speak for themselves. In that regard I have little to add. I would rather like to make mine the words of Ukrainian journalist and human rights defender Maksym BUTKEVYCH, winner of this year’s Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. Words that were pronounced here in this hemicycle on Monday, that is, less than one year after his release from Russian captivity. He said the... 30/09/2025 | 17:25:31 Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I would like to thank the rapporteur for this resolution. Dear colleagues, Kazakhstan today stands before this assembly as a nation in transition, one that has chosen the difficult but necessary path of democratic reform. I am pleased to voice my support for the resolution on Kazakhstan. In recent years, it has taken meaningful steps to strengthen governance, expand freedoms and build a more transparent and inclusive society. A central milestone was the...