07/04/2025 | 16:47:15 Thank you, Madam President. Dear colleagues, On the progress report, once again, we will debate many issues here. We will condemn human rights violations all across the world, even outside Europe. Very important things. But we again turn a blind eye to the problems that we have here, at home, in Europe. In Romania, a politicised court first annulled the presidential election. Then a politicised electoral bureau banned a candidate with the strongest popular support from running in these... 30/01/2025 | 17:48:23 Mister President, dear colleagues, and most of all the citizens of European countries, because it is about you and not about these politicians here, let it be said very clearly: Freedom of speech is under attack. And the spectre is haunting Europe today. A spectre of censorship. The censorship is disguised sometimes as protection from hatred, from populism, from so-called hate speech. But in reality, it's about power, it's about control. Left wing politicians want to control what you say... 30/01/2025 | 11:49:18 Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, dear colleagues, But first of all, let me welcome our Belarusian colleagues. Great to be here with you. Thank you very much for what you have been doing. We commend you for your bravery, for your courage, for your relentless fight in the name of your people. Many of you have been subject to persecution, to torture, imprisonment, forced exile. But nonetheless, you have been fighting. And you are here. You are representing the Belarusian people. Mr... 30/01/2025 | 10:54:14 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, I am a lawyer myself, and I can attest to that, lawyers are under attack. Lawyers are under political attack in Russia, in Belarus, but unfortunately not just there. Also in the countries that are members of this Assembly. We shouldn't be taking anything for granted. And what is even more worrying, these attacks at times come from the political sides that claim to be safeguarding the rule of law. Just last year in Poland, many conservative lawyers... 28/01/2025 | 17:10:50 Thank you, Mister President. Thank you, Madam rapporteur. Dear colleagues, the tragedy of Gaza is a stark reminder that horrors of the past genocides may always be repeated if the word stays silent. And it is also a reminder of the importance of the institution safeguarding international humanitarian law. A reminder that nothing in this regard should be taken for granted. And a reminder of the urgency with which we must act now to protect even the most basic human rights. The deliberate... 02/10/2024 | 17:06:51 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, We are discussing probably one of the most important reports during this 4th part-session. It is most important because it concerns human lives. And this is no metaphor. This is very, very real. This afternoon we had the opportunity to talk to people that suffered, that were victims, that were victims themselves; that have relatives, close loved ones, neighbors, that have fallen prey to Russian aggression. They have been detained illegally. They... 02/10/2024 | 16:37:06 Mister President, Point of order. Procedural motion based on Rule 37.1, letter D. I move for a reference of the report back to the Committee. It is clear after this discussion that Mr Marcin ROMANOWSKI wasn't given adequate time. And no, Madam rapporteur, the convention applies. The convention guides us in all our actions. We cannot close our eyes to the convention. Moreover, we have Rule 73.3 and the Committee was obliged to examine whether a competent authority filed. It wasn't the minister... 02/10/2024 | 15:55:12 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, the European Convention on Human Rights. Madame Rapporteur mentioned it and it is very important. 75 years ago, almost, in this very building, it was adopted. It was created by this very Assembly. We're all proud of it, and we should be. But the question is, do we ensure that the Convention is observed, is applied, that human rights are safeguarded, defended, are protected? And most of you here so far have been right. It is not our job to judge on...