26/06/2025 | 10:04:37 Ladies and gentlemen, Dear colleagues, It's time for the fourth day of the session. Good morning. I declare this sitting is open. I remind members that they should insert their badge before taking the floor. As you begin your speech, please press the microphone button once only. And also I remind the Assembly that members who have not submitted an annual declaration of interests are required to start any intervention in the Plenary with an oral declaration of interest under paragraph 20 of... 25/06/2025 | 16:41:29 President, Dear colleagues, The situation in the Middle East doesn't give us time for a relaxed summer yet. Gaza in particular is in extremely urgent need of international help. Also, for the ceasefire way towards the two-state solution and international humanitarian aid. I want to welcome this report, which is quite balanced through this infected topic and managed to navigate through polarised issues. But we are a house of human rights. We are not here to take sides, but we are here for the... 24/06/2025 | 17:43:48 Thank you, Chair and dear colleagues. Every Ukrainian needs justice and deserves peace. And this is what this institution is about. We need to work until we get every child returned and reintegrated into Ukrainian society. And I support both of these reports and I very much underline the sentence that Mr Eerik-Niiles KROSS has in his report: "This assembly believes that the future peace negotiations should address the situation and define the role of the conditions for return and... 30/01/2025 | 12:39:21 Thank you. Thank you, Chair. I want to thank colleagues for the support previously on this work and today in this plenary and I really plea for everyone to take the right side of history and remain committed to helping Ukraine. This House calls for democracy, the rule of law and respect for international law and it is not to make one side surrender to give up on these core principles that this House stands for. We are, unfortunately, seeing the case that if we reduce the amount of military... 30/01/2025 | 12:08:50 Thank you, President. Dear colleagues, it is an honour to present you this urgent report on the European commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. In a rapidly evolving geopolitical situation, Ukraine needs us more than ever. The full-scale war has been going on for nearly three years, but Ukraine has been under attack for 11 years, and we hope peace is on the horizon, but not at any cost. We are standing in the critical juncture for Ukraine and Europe and I want to underline that... 28/01/2025 | 19:59:34 The debate is now closed. And we proceed further. The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights has presented a unanimous draft resolution and a unanimous draft recommendation to which no amendments have been tabled. We will now proceed to the vote on the draft resolution contained in Document 16092. A simple majority is required. I declare that the vote is open. I announce that the vote is closed. I can clearly say that the draft resolution is adopted. Thank you. Then we need to... 28/01/2025 | 19:30:30 Dear colleagues, we will continue. There is still one item on our agenda. Very good evening for everyone who stays. It will be the debate on the report by Mr Andrea ORLANDO titled "Addressing risk to human rights and the rule of law posed by mercenaries and private military and security companies: a call for comprehensive regulation", Document 16092. It will be today presented by Lord KEEN on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. Can I please ask the members who will not... 03/10/2024 | 10:32:51 Mister President, dear colleagues, Clear blue sky above the yellow grain field, those are the colours of the Ukrainian flag, and this is a story of Ukrainian grain. In 1932 and 33 the great famine of Ukraine, known as Holodomor, claims the lives of estimated at least 4 million people. Holodomor in English is "death by hunger". The great famine was intentional and targeted. In 1932 the Kremlin decided how much grain would be obtained and exported from Ukraine. Stalin dismissed all concerns... 02/10/2024 | 16:59:46 Mister President, dear colleagues, I start by underlining our repeated message of undivided support for Ukraine in the fight for its independence and territorial integrity against the unprovoked hostile war by Russia. I thank the rapporteur for this report, as there is still much to work on for missing persons, prisoners of war and Ukrainain civilians in Russian captivity. This week here in Strasbourg, we have met, talked, seen pictures and have seen proof of young Ukrainians who have been... 02/10/2024 | 12:39:53 Dear President, thank you for prioritising the children of Ukraine. There is not a day to rest. But I will ask you how to integrate civil society more with our work. The Council does in principle recognise the invaluable role of civil society in all its line of work, not only by declaration from the Reykjavík Summit and principles of democracy, but also the roadmap for engagement. I would like to see this in principle translating to more in practice. Unlike in authoritarian states, NGO's...