Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:00:41
Good morning.
The 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 request button once only.
Our next business is to consider a change proposed in the membership of committees. This is set out in document Commissions (2025) 03 and Addendum 2.
Is it agreed to?
It is agreed. Yeah.
This morning the agenda calls for the election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Monaco.
The list of candidates and biographical notices are to be found in Documents 16118. The opinion of the committee is presented in Document 16140 Addendum 2.
The voting will take place in the area behind the President's Chair.
At 1:00 p.m. I shall announce the closing of the poll. Counting will then take place under the supervision of four tellers, who have been chosen by the political groups.
The tellers are:
Socialist Group: Mr Axel SCHÄFER
Group of the European People's Party: Mr Sergiy VLASENKO
European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates: Ms Sigríður Á. ANDERSEN
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe: Baroness Sal BRINTON
Group of the Unified European Left: Ms Alessandra MAIORINO
I would like to remind them that they will have to be in the room set aside for this purpose at 1:00 p.m. The result of the vote will be announced at the beginning of this afternoon’s sitting.
For these first ballots, an absolute majority of the votes is required. If a second round has to be organised, it will take place this afternoon from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
I now declare the ballot open.
We continue our work in the meantime.
The next item of business this morning is the debate on the Report titled “Foreign interference: a threat to democratic security in Europe” (Doc. 16131) presented by Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA on behalf of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.
I will interrupt the list of speakers at 12:15 p.m. for the address by Mr Xavier ESPOT ZAMORA, Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra.
We will continue the debate this afternoon.
I call Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA, rapporteur.
You have 7 minutes now.
Thank you so much.
Dear colleagues,
Allow me, please, to begin by expressing my gratitude to the committee for the trust it placed in me by electing me as rapporteur for this important topic, and as well for the engaging, thoughtful, and sometimes intense debates we had throughout the discussion of this report.
I have to highlight the outstanding support provided by the Secretariat of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy and, in particular, Mr John DORBER and Mr Cesare COLOMBO, whose work has been truly exceptional.
Dear colleagues,
It has become clearer and clearer that foreign interference directly threatens our democratic security. It is not a marginal issue. It strikes at the very heart of our institutions, our elections, and the trust that binds our societies together. It is a deliberate and calculated effort to weaken our democracies, and it demands our full attention and a robust response from this Assembly.
This interference is not random. It is intentional, covert, and deeply manipulative. It targets electoral processes to distort outcomes, erodes public confidence in democratic institutions, and seeks to influence political decision making for strategic advantage.
The escalation of such interference from Russia since its full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine is a glaring and deeply concerning example. But let us be clear, this is not the only actor, nor will it be the last, to exploit these tactics.
Across our continent we see malign actors operating on an industrial scale, engineering sophisticated disinformation campaigns, launching cyber attacks, and financing political movements that align with their interests. Their methods vary, but their objectives are consistent: to divide, destabilise, and paralyse democratic societies. Their aim? To create a climate of distrust where citizens no longer know what to believe, where public debate becomes toxic, and where constructive dialogue becomes impossible.
We must recognise that in today's world, the integrity of our information space is critical to democratic security. Digital threats may not be as visible as traditional attacks, but their impact can be just as destabilising. When a hostile actor manipulates public discourse, distorts the truth, and erodes trust in institutions, it weakens democracy at its core.
Despite the evidence, some voices have cast doubts on the role of foreign interference, while others have conflated countermeasures with censorship.
Let's be absolutely clear. Taking action against covert vote buying, media manipulation and foreign-funded destabilisation efforts is not an attack on free speech. It is a protection of free and fair elections. It is a protection of democracy itself.
Take Moldova, where the Russian Federation employed a full spectrum of interference tactics, from covert funding of political parties to orchestrated media manipulation.
When states take action to safeguard their electoral processes, they are not silencing debate. They are upholding the fundamental right of their people to choose their leaders free from foreign coercion.
Dear colleagues, in my report, I outlined the multiple forms of foreign interference, from disinformation and cyberattacks to financial and political subversion.
I also make an important distinction. There is a difference between legitimate foreign influence, such as public diplomacy, and covert foreign interference which seeks to manipulate and subvert democratic institutions. While states have the right to engage in diplomacy, no state has a right to secretly manipulate others' democratic processes.
Our response must be both firm and principled.
The resolution before us lays out clear steps to combat this threat, while ensuring full compliance with human rights standards, freedom of expression, association, assembly, and equality, freedom of thought and religion.
We must also ensure that measures to counter foreign interference are not misused as a pretext to suppress legitimate voices.
Some states have introduced laws under the banner of foreign influence regulation that in reality serves to target independent NGOs, human rights defenders, and media organisations.
Make no mistake. Civil society is not the enemy of democracy. Civil society is its backbone.
Laws intended to combat foreign interference must not be weaponised to silence dissent, curb press freedom, or restrict the work of independent organisations that hold governments to account.
But let us be also clear-eyed. Hostile actors will not stop trying to interfere in our societies.
That is why our best defence is not just reactive measures, but resilience. Resilience means proactive measures, like media literacy education, robust cybersecurity frameworks, and financial transparency for political donations. It means strengthening democratic institutions, fostering an active and well-informed civil society, and ensuring unwavering transparency in governance.
These are the cornerstones of our resistance. We must ensure that our institutions are equipped to detect, expose, and counter foreign interference before it takes root.
Dear colleagues,
To conclude, this Assembly has an opportunity to take a stand to fortify our democratic resilience and send an unmistakable message.
We will not be divided, we will not be manipulated, and we will not allow foreign interference to undermine the foundations of our democracies.
Thank you very much.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:10:49
Thank you.
I remind members that we agreed yesterday that all speeches today should be limited to two minutes.
Now I call Mr Pablo HISPÁN from Spain, representing Group of the European People's Party as the first speaker.
Many thanks, Madam President.
I shall be speaking the language of Cervantes.
Today is a happy day because today is the end of a path. Presenting a report to the plenary is a long trajectory. A report that started almost two years ago with a member of the Group of the European People's Party, Ms Valentina MARTÍNEZ, and which went down successfully with our colleague Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA.
Today is a happy day also, because the Council of Europe has a very strong instrument, a powerful one to face up to one of the great challenges of our time, and our democracies in Europe: foreign interference and especially Russian interference. Which moreover is carried out in a hybrid fashion, plural fashion, concerning the means that they use. Sometimes communication tools, Sputnik, sometimes travel, sometimes information services. In any cases, all types of instrument are meant to try to break our democracies and break our rule of law.
We've seen this every day, we've seen it most recently in Moldova, in Romania. We saw it with Brexit, in the recent elections in the United States and also in Spain in the coup d'état against the constitutional order, which is being pushed by the authorities of the Catalan government.
All of this is covered in our report. All of this is highlighted in our report. And I think for our democracies, so that they can go on fighting these challenges and dealing with the problem of foreign interference, especially and particularly Russian interference, this will be a very important report. And I hope that the Council of Europe will continue to work on this issue, many thanks.
And congratulations on your report, Zanda.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:13:25
Thank you, Mister Hispán.
And now I call Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI from the European Conservatives, Patriots and Affiliates.
Poland, ECPA, Spokesperson for the group
10:13:34
Thank you, Madam President, dear colleagues.
And thank you, Madam rapporteur, for presenting this resolution. It is very important.
It is certainly a step in a good direction, although we have some impression that it's only seen with one eye and the other eye remains closed. I will come to that a little bit later.
First I will do something that I do very rarely because I'm in the opposition - I will agree with my government. But sometimes there are issues in which we agree. And we agree fully in Poland that Russian interference is something that must be fought very strongly, that must be denounced, that must be condemned.
I am glad that Poland's government admitted several weeks ago that there has been Russian interference in Poland elections.
I will quote a minister of Poland's government: that there was a giant campaign from the East, a campaign that was supposed to overturn Polish parliamentary elections in 2023. As part of this campaign, around 200 000 text messages were sent to Polish users. Cyber kiosks and TV screens in major shopping malls were hacked. Content that was broadcast was supposed to reduce the chances of one of the political groups in these very parliamentary elections.
This is the reality. This is why we proposed an amendment to also include this type of interference in the resolution. We should be doing that.
We shouldn't be turning a blind eye to this interference.
But unfortunately there are also other cases of interference. It is not just Russia. We have seen various organisations, NGOs or organisations disguised as NGOs taking money, either be it from USAID or from the European Commission. The European Commission has been financing the so called climate NGOs to promote its policies. This is also something that influences voters. This should also be denounced. Democracy is expressed by the will of the people. If it involves funds from foreign governments or other actors this is no longer democracy, this is oligarchy.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:15:44
Thank you, Mister Paweł Jabłoński.
And now I call Mr Konstantin KUHLE from Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.
Microphone, please.
Germany, ALDE, Spokesperson for the group
10:16:03
Thank you Madam Chair.
On behalf of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe I would like to thank the rapporteur for the important work, as the issue of legitimate foreign interference is still dangerously underestimated in Europe.
Russia's war against Ukraine did not begin in 2014. It did not begin in 2022.
For many years Russia has waged hybrid warfare across Europe – far beyond Ukraine.
This includes cyber attacks, disinformation, covert financial support of pro-Russian actors, espionage, sabotage and even targeted killings.
European leaders and societies must finally recognise this threat.
The report contains key recommendations that all Council of Europe member states should take seriously.
Colleagues, we must finally raise awareness in our societies, especially now, as the new US Administration adopts Russian narratives. It is a tragedy that under Donald TRUMP the United States of all states is sending signals that further emboldens those who aim to undermine democratic elections.
The report is also relevant in light of the Romanian presidential election of 2024.
TikTok has recently published evidence suggesting foreign attempts to influence voters in favour of a pro-Russian candidate.
In that context, you all know that Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round results in November of 2024. Given the seriousness of the allegations, this decision may be understandable: but to safeguard democracy and the rule of law, the evidence and further proof should have been publicly available before the ruling. There should also be the possibility of judicial review in such fundamental decisions.
And in general, let's be clear, efforts to counter illegitimate interference should come before – not after – elections. Those who defend democracy must be especially committed to transparency and legal certainty. Otherwise our actions risk being misused by those who seek to erode trust in our institutions.
The report highlights the core dilemma: defending electoral integrity while upholding fundamental rights. Striking the balance is essential.
Thank you for your attention.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:18:21
Thank you.
Now I call Mr George LOUCAIDES from Cyprus.
Cyprus, UEL, Spokesperson for the group
10:18:36
Madam Chair, dear colleagues,
Foreign interference is indeed a threat, but to defend democracy, our response must be principled, balanced and universal.
This resolution fails in this regard. It unfortunately adopts a selective, biased and politically-motivated approach, focusing almost exclusively on Russian interference, while ignoring long standing, well-documented interventions by Western powers – including coups, regime-change operations and economic questions to bend sovereign states to foreign will.
The report says nothing about the role of NATO, the United States, and even the EU, in orchestrating regime changes, supporting authoritarian allies, or using media and financial networks to manipulate political outcomes. These are not relics of the past. They are ongoing practices that undermine democracy just as much as the other interference.
As the Group of the Unified European Left, we believe the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe must not become a forum of one-sided narratives. We must not distinguish between good and bad interference based on geopolitical alignment. Whether it comes from Moscow, Washington or Brussels, interference that overrules sovereignty and democratic choice must be condemned equally.
Moreover, in many cases mentioned in the report, there isn't credible or any kind of proof. The case of the referendum in Catalonia is a prime example.
We are also concerned, dear colleagues, that this narrative could be weaponised against opposition groups, especially in authoritarian regimes, silencing dissent under the pretext of foreign influence and threatening the freedoms of expression and association.
Yes, we must condemn disinformation and manipulation – but through democratic tools, strong institutions, free media, digital education and transparency in political financing. Not by advancing selective narratives that weaken our credibility.
For these reasons, we will vote against this resolution.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:20:56
Thank you you, Mister George Loucaides.
Now I give the floor to Mr Christophe LACROIX from the Socialist Group.
Belgium, SOC, Spokesperson for the group
10:21:04
Thank you for your time. It works.
Thank you, Madam President.
Dear Colleagues,
The Socialist, Democrat and Green Group wishes to express its deep concern at the resurgence of foreign interference in the internal affairs of our European democracies. This continues to be too often underestimated in its scale and seriousness, and this resolution rightly reminds us that any intentional, covert and manipulative interference orchestrated by foreign powers or their proxies constitutes a serious threat to the democratic foundations of our societies: weakening our electoral processes, undermining citizens' confidence, sowing division and influencing our political choices in favour of authoritarian regimes that share neither our values nor our attachment to the rule of law.
The case of the Russian Federation illustrates the scale of this threat. Is it acting alone? Is it alone? No.
We must open our eyes. Let us stand firm in the face of all threats. That's why we also share the concern about the impact of such interference on the elections.
We must also act against hate content which, under the guise of anonymity or freedom of expression, becomes a vector for interference and polarisation.
But interference also takes on new forms, much more insidious forms of economic and cultural coercion. We need to be aware that certain foreign powers, notably the United States of America, are exerting direct pressure on our companies, in particular to force them to abandon their diversity, equality or inclusion programs. These strategies seek to weaken the very foundation of our democratic values by attacking social cohesion and fundamental rights.
For the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, we are calling for the mobilisation of all players: governments, institutions, the media and civil society. Democracy is a shared responsibility.
Madam Chairman,
Dear colleagues,
Foreign influence is an attack on our political sovereignty. The Council of Europe's response must be clear: we will not back down. Protecting democracy is an imperative. It has become a battle, an everyday battle, and we will respond with unity, resolve and courage.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:23:21
Thank you. And now I call Ms Doris BURES from Austria.
Turn on the microphone, please.
Thank you very much.
As a signatory to the motion for a resolution, I am pleased that this report is now available, and I would like to thank the rapporteur for her dedicated preparation.
High Assembly,
A resilient society is our strongest shield against foreign influence. This certainly requires an enlightened citizenry, free media, an independent judiciary, and strong institutions. Disinformation and manipulation are effective where trust in the state and its institutions is deliberately weakened politically. This is why we need to create defence mechanisms against foreign influence on the one hand and, at the same time, cultivate democratic discourse and the ability to compromise in our societies again.
There is no doubt that foreign influence is real, it is dangerous, and it threatens our democracies and our values. But there is also no doubt that our democracies are threatened when injustice grows and when the gap between rich and poor widens. This also diminishes trust in the state and its institutions. Therefore, Europe needs more social justice. We need more trust in the political system and its institutions, because only democracies that are strong from within can create these defence mechanisms to withstand these external attacks.
I hope that this report will also make a contribution to this.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:25:21
Thank you, Madam Doris Bures.
Now I call Mr Vladimir VARDANYAN from Armenia.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
The issue we are discussing is interconnected with the three core principles of international law: the principle of sovereign equality, the principle of political independence of a nation, and the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs. The main core principles of international law.
And we would like to say that in the past, for sure, we have had a lot of challenges of this ideal approach, because with a situation where some countries use military powers, even to change the political climate in the particular countries. For sure, the time has changed. And now we have another situation when due to the increasing of media flows, increasing use of artificial intelligence tools, of deep fake methodology, and further on, we have more cases of possible interferences in the domestic affairs of particular countries.
This interference has become less tangible, more invisible, but nevertheless it is still very dangerous.
Taking into account this opportunity, I would like to say that unfortunately the traditional means of interference in domestic affairs by using the military weapons and military technologies, especially in the framework of electoral processes in this or that particular country, are still continuing.
It's become even more complicated because in the situation of hybrid war, these two elements of traditional military, let's say, chantage as well as the usage of artificial intelligence and other information tools, may create an even more dangerous environment in society.
If we would allow for foreign countries to interfere in domestic affairs of the particular countries, we would face the situation where the general trust towards the elections, which is the basis of existence of every democratic society would be undermined. And this would lead to the total instability in all our organisation countries.
Thank you.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:27:34
Thank you, Mister Vladimir Vardanyan.
Now I call Mr Markus WIECHEL from Sweden.
Thank you, Madam President.
The report in front of us underscores the grave threats posed by authoritarian Russia to our European region. This report is critical to our fight for democratic values and other core values of this organisation, especially combating Russia's relentless assault on our freedoms, which looks an awful lot like what we saw during the Cold War.
Russia employs cyberattacks, disinformation, and political subversion to destabilise us. Their toolkit of aggression includes threats to journalists, sabotage, economic coercion, and corruption, all designed to wear us down to their authoritarian will.
We must stand firm and resist. Latvia and its Baltic neighbours, alongside many other Eastern European nations, endured Soviet tyranny from 1945 to 1990: dictatorship, censorship and oppression. They understand the dire consequences of yielding to such oppression.
In this digital age, artificial intelligence can be a powerful ally in safeguarding our nations. Whether combating cyber threats or analysing disinformation, artificial intelligence does not only pose a threat if used by hostile forces, but it also offers a strategic advantage. We must leverage this technology alongside the recommendations in the draft resolution, verifying information, and staying alert to protect our infrastructure.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam rapporteur, for your crucial contribution.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:29:25
Thank you, Mister Wiechel.
Now I call Ms Sona GHAZARYAN from Armenia.
Thank you, Madam President.
Foreign interference is no longer something exceptional. It became a constant pressure, quiet, strategic, and often invisible. It doesn't come in a form of an open aggression. Foreign interference comes not as a single attack, but as a strategy.
These information campaigns that seed doubts in our elections, cyber attacks that erode trust in our institutions, financial channels that infiltrate political spaces, and targeted attempts to polarise and destabilise open society from within.
Recently, there has been growing concern regarding platforms such as TikTok and other forms of social media and how they influence the outcome of elections.
In Armenia, we face similar challenges.
The Varieties of Democracies (V-Dem Institute) has noted that foreign interference also takes place in Armenia through media.
As a member of a parliament, I see the response in two key areas: introducing legislative initiatives to ensure transparency in financing and investing in the development of media literacy from a very young age. This is not just about politics. It's about weakening the fabric that holds democratic Europe together: public trust, institutional legitimacy, and the shared understanding of truth.
But there is a way forward, and it starts with clarity about what we are facing and about what it will take to respond.
We need to update our concept of security. No longer just national, but democratic. No longer just military, but digital, informational, and civic.
We must invest not only in defence systems, we must invest in public resilience.
We must strengthen the resilience of our society through education, media literacy, and transparency.
And above all, we need to work together.
Thank you.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:31:40
Thank you, Madam Sona Ghazaryan.
Now I call Mr Gergely ARATÓ from Hungary.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
First of all, I want to thank the rapporteur for her balanced and all-round approach.
There is no doubt that this is one of the most important and sensitive issues that we have to deal with during this period.
I would like to draw our attention to the fact that harmful foreign influence doesn't only mean the influence of the states, but also includes the activities of the large economic actors, multinational companies, tech giants, which often influence political and economic processes in uncontrolled and non-transparent ways, especially for example in the field of social media.
A particularly dangerous situation arises when large corporations and government actors become intertwined and corporations capture the state, the government, as can be observed in the United States now.
I agree with the report and my colleague that education and supporting critical thinking is crucial for increasing resilience of the society in that view, too.
At the same time, it is important to distinguish between foreign influence and international cooperation.
Foreign influence should not be used to protect us, to suppress political dissent. The principles of transparency and rule of law help to preserve the integrity of democracy and help to preserve against harmful foreign influence.
Generally speaking, I think this excellent report is only the first step. We will have to work on this topic together in the forthcoming years very intensively.
Thank you very much.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:33:44
Thank you, Mister Gergely Arató.
Now I call Mr Clement SHOPOV from Bulgaria.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
What is happening is that the European political elite is not liking election results and results from referenda all around the Western globe.
There is a great divide between the European people and the European political elite. The European people are not receiving what they need and desire. What they want is a stable economy; a good job; an affordable house; good education for their children; and security when they leave their home. What they receive is the opposite.
The European economy is slowing down. We see fiscal imbalances in France. We see the German economy in recession over the last three years. We see housing prices have risen over 30% in the last five years. We see education that is not focused on science and mathematics, but on gender identity. And we see massive violence out in the streets: when people go out, they feel insecure as the crime rates have risen because of migration.
So the European elite is not taking into account the desires of the people and that is the problem. That is why attitudes in Europe have been changing. That is why election results have been changing. If the European elite does not take this into account, the European quality of life will continue to diminish, as will its global influence.
I will bring to your attention something else. In an interview, Thierry Breton, the former European Commissioner, said something very important. He said that they have cancelled the elections in Romania and will do so in Germany if need be. And as the Vice President of the United States JD Vance said in Munich a few months ago, the biggest threat to Europe is the threat from within.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:35:42
Thank you, Mister Shopov.
Now I give the floor to Sir Edward LEIGH from the United Kingdom.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Of course, China and Russia want to do us down, but we are strong, and our greatest defence is total freedom of expression in our own countries and allowing people to stand for election, even if that inconveniences some people.
I was once an election monitor for this organisation at one of Mr Vladimir PUTIN's elections. Of course, the actual ballot wasn't fiddled. He didn't need to fiddle it. He simply stopped his opponents from standing. And therefore it is a very retrograde step that Ms Marine LE PEN has been prevented from standing.
I know nothing about corruption in the European Union Parliament. I suspect there's a lot of institutional corruption, but I suspect that she's been targeted. But it's very unwise to ban people from standing. I don't approve of pro-Russian candidates, presidential candidates in Romania, but you can't ban them.
And again, the left is constantly trying with their cancel culture to weaken our defence of freedom.
For instance, a lady who was prosecuted simply for praying outside an abortion clinic in the United Kingdom.
Of course, you should not indulge in hate speech. I never do it. I never criticise anybody personally or their sexuality or anything else. But you've got to allow people to make their point of view, and then you can disagree with it in your own way.
The trouble is that our society has been undermined by the left. They promoted mass immigration, which has lessened coherence, which has left us open to interference from foreign powers. And then, having allowed mass immigration, they then say that the right is growing in strength all over Europe and they must be cancelled because they are somehow dangerous to democracy.
The only danger to democracy is people who want to limit free speech.
Sir Winston CHURCHILL once said that tyranny is like a stately galleon, it sails with no problem, it hits the rocks, it sinks immediately. But a democracy is a waterlogged raft: It never sinks.
We should agree to disagree with each other, have powerful debate, and above all, defend freedom.
Thank you.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:38:00
Thank you, Mister Leigh.
Now I call Lord George FOULKES from the United Kingdom.
Madam President,
I ask you to support the report and reject completely Mr Clement SHOPOV's Trump-like propaganda, and also Mr George LOUCAIDES's false comparisons that he made in his speech.
Russian interference is not just fake news, not just disinformation. They are buying up assets in the West, including human assets.
Indeed, why did they support Trump in 2018? Why did they support him in 2024? Because he's a useful idiot!
We understand that he has a name: Krasnov is his Russian code name. And we see now what he's doing, which is helping Russia undermine our democracies. So we must support this report.
We need to take off the kid gloves. We need to do something about the frozen Russian assets that we have: use them; release them; use them for Ukraine. It's ridiculous that we are sticking to the rule of law when the Russians ignore every aspect of the rule of law.
We must mobilise all our forces – overt and covert – against this threat from Russia. All our democracies are under threat. And if the Council of Europe, whose main themes are human rights, democracy and the rule of law, are not in the forefront of this, who is going to lead it?
We must support this report.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:39:43
Thank you. And now I call Ms Ingjerd Schie SCHOU from Norway.
Sorry – microphone, please?
President, colleagues,
The election in Moldova is fresh in our minds. Foreign interference was significant. We must be vigilant in the upcoming parliamentary election.
In the draft resolution our rapporteur proposed developing a broad-based definition of foreign interference. This is important. We all have a notion of what foreign interference is, but a definition we all agree on would make it easier to counter this threat.
A clear distinction between foreign interference and foreign influence is important. Influencing each other has been a driving force for nation states throughout history. It is what the Council of Europe does. With the best intentions and through transparent methods we try to get members, and other states, to live up to our standards.
We want our values to be universal.
In foreign interference hostile intent is key. Russia’s interference in the election in Moldova was with hostile intent and through covert methods.
States that adopt laws against so-called foreign agents argue that they are preventing foreign interference. A clear definition would counter these faulty arguments.
President,
This report is a concrete follow-up of the Reykjavík summit. Our heads of state agreed to commit to countering disinformation that poses a threat to democracy and peace. They confirmed their commitment to take appropriate measures against interference in electoral systems and processes.
The draft resolution proposes a wide range of measures. Measures that address legislative and policy frameworks that protect against interference in electoral systems are important. As are measures that increase the transparency and integrity of legitimate foreign influence activities.
I encourage you all to vote in favour.
Thank you, Madam President.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:42:15
Thank you very much. And now Mr Claude KERN from France.
Thank you, Madam President.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to thank our colleague Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA for her report.
The war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine has been accompanied by new attempts to destabilise Western democracies, particularly on the occasion of elections, as was recently the case in Moldova and Romania.
But these destabilisation attempts are not limited to elections. Cyber attacks regularly target public institutions and organisations. Their aim is to retrieve sensitive data and disrupt their operations. Internet disinformation campaigns, meanwhile, aim to undermine confidence in political institutions and the media.
The French Senate has set up a commission of inquiry to assess the scale of the threat and propose solutions. In its report, this commission of inquiry does not hesitate to speak of a "neo-Cold War", and has called for the mobilisation of the entire nation.
Indeed, it's high time we became aware of the threat we face. To face up to it, each member state must organise its national defence in such a way as to be able to respond to foreign interference. And let's put a stop to the questioning of the rule of law, as has just been done here by the extremes.
Finally, the response to foreign interference must also be organised within a European and international framework. In 2022, the Council of the European Union approved the Strategic Compass, which defines a common vision of the European Union's security and defence policy, including the fight against certain forms of interference. In addition, NATO-accredited centres of excellence have been set up to support the fight against disinformation and cyber-attacks.
Dear colleagues,
I am convinced that the Council of Europe can also make a valuable contribution to the fight against foreign interference, notably by proposing a non-binding operational definition of foreign interference to improve European coordination on this subject.
Such a definition would also help to guide the actions of member states in order to avoid the implementation of repressive policies that would jeopardise fundamental freedoms, and in particular genuine freedom of expression.
Thank you very much.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:44:35
Thank you, Mister Kern.
And now I call Mr Ivan RAČAN from Croatia.
Thank you.
Dear colleagues, the resolution on foreign interference comes at a time when democracies across Europe are under pressure from manipulation, disinformation and covert foreign influence.
So it is not only timely, it is essential.
As a social democrat, I believe democracy is not just about elections, but it is the foundation of social justice, equality and freedom.
And when foreign powers, through cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, or secret political financing, seek to manipulate the will of the people they are attacking the very foundation of our social contract.
This resolution rightly identifies these threats and calls for a coordinated European response. It defends democratic institutions, promotes societal resilience, calls for media literacy education, and demands transparency in political financing.
This is of utmost importance because only informed and free citizens can make decisions that lead to a fairer and more just society.
And this is why I support this resolution.
Thank you.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:45:54
Thank you, Mister Račan.
And now I call Mr Alain MILON from France.
Thank you, Madam President.
Our colleague the rapporteur points out that the threat to our democracies comes mainly from China and Russia. The latter's war of aggression against Ukraine has led to interference aimed at destabilising the Western democracies that support Ukraine, including cyberattacks on various institutions, particularly hospitals. France experienced several such large-scale attacks on its hospitals in 2024.
Faced with these threats, we urgently need to get organised. In its work program for 2025, the European Commission is planning to implement a plan to strengthen hospital cybersecurity. This is a first step, but we need to go further and take better account of cybersecurity issues.
Similarly, we need to organise ourselves to combat misinformation. In 2021, France created VIGINUM, the vigilance and protection service against foreign digital interference. It would be desirable for every member state of our Organisation to develop similar services, and for them to be able to work in a network.
In the face of foreign interference, the Council of Europe is clearly an essential tool for protecting our democracies and fundamental rights. Our Assembly, for example, initiated the creation of the Parliamentary Alliance for Free and Fair Elections. The Alliance's aim is to combat threats to the integrity of the electoral process and promote the Council of Europe's reference standards in this area.
In conclusion, I would also like to stress that foreign interference is facilitated by corruption, and that GRECO is a valuable tool in this respect.
The threat to our democracies is very real, and we must collectively show unfailing determination.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:48:09
Thank you, Mister MILON.
And now I give the floor to Mr Rostyslav TISTYK from Ukraine.
Dear President, dear colleagues,
Foreign interference is a reality that undermines the stability of European democracy every single day.
The most dangerous tools of such interference include disinformation, cyberattacks, hacking, as well as political and financial meddling in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
Today, the main aggressor of the European continent is the Russian Federation. It's waging a full-scale war against Ukraine. But its influence has long extended beyond our country, and Russia systematically interferes in the internal processes of European nations attempting to sow discord and divide Europe.
It uses fake news, propaganda, and informational attacks to influence not only ordinary citizens, but also European politicians.
We are already witnessing how some of these politicians openly support the aggressor or block critical support and assistance to Ukraine.
This is a direct result of a targeted Russian influence.
If we do not stop this political corrosion now, the consequences will be catastrophic for the entire civilised world.
Ukraine fights against Russian interference every day. The enemy attacks us on all the fronts: military, informational, and humanitarian.
Russian cynicism knows no bounds. It recruits Ukrainian teenagers to commit terrorist acts against both military personnel and civilians.
The situation on the information front is no better. According to the European External Action Service, since 2015, the EU Versus Disinformation (EUvsDisinfo) platform has documented more than 15 000 cases of Russian disinformation, and in 2023 alone over 2 000 messages aim to discredit the Ukrainian armed forces and Ukrainian leadership and international partners.
Time is running out. Every day of delay means new victims, new attacks, and new politicians bought by the enemy.
Thank you.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:50:50
Thank you, Mister Tistyk.
Now I call Mr Claude CARIGNAN from Canada.
Thank you for your attention.
Dear colleagues,
I'm delighted to be able to bring a Canadian perspective to today's discussion. I agree with the rapporteur that "the challenge of foreign interference continues to evolve, requiring constant vigilance, innovation, coordination and cooperation at the national and international levels." Canada is no exception in this respect.
In recent years, in Canada we have conducted several investigations into reports of foreign interference in our electoral processes and democratic institutions. These investigations have all shown that Canada must intensify its efforts to detect, prevent and counter foreign threats. China, Russia, Iran, India and Pakistan have all been singled out as the main actors in this context.
Foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections was a major concern for the country. The federal government therefore finally ordered an official inquiry in September 2023. The commission of inquiry headed by Justice Marie-Josée HOGUE published its final report in January 2025. It concluded that the foreign interference had not negatively impacted the integrity of the electoral system or affected the identity of the party that came to power in 2019 or 2021.
However, the Commissioner pointed out that the most serious harm caused to Canada by foreign interference was the erosion of public confidence in Canadian democracy. The Commissioner rightly noted in her report that "undermining confidence in democracy and government is one of the primary objectives of many states that engage in foreign interference activities." She therefore recommended that the government double its efforts to educate, inform the population and avoid fragmenting its efforts.
Commissioner HOGUE also pointed out that transnational repression - foreign state activity aimed at monitoring, intimidating and harassing diaspora communities - is a real scourge.
So, dear colleagues, we must not just sit back, but we must continue to denounce this foreign interference.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:53:25
Thank you.
Now I give the floor to Mr François BONNEAU from France.
Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
The report by Zanda Kalnina-LukaŠevica addresses the threat posed by foreign interference to democratic security in Europe, and I thank her for it.
Foreign interference is a threat to our values of democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
First of all, they aim to undermine the fairness of elections. Vote-buying, disinformation and corruption can enable one state to influence the democratic process of another.
Foreign powers may finance certain extremist parties whose violent or anti-democratic actions will have an impact on political life and institutions. For example, in December 2024, the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the result of the first round of the presidential election after finding that there had been a violation of the essential principles of free democratic elections. It seems to me that each of our countries should adopt legislation to monitor donations to political parties. These donations must be transparent and regulated so that foreign influence on the political life of the state in question can be assessed and controlled.
What's more, the disinformation policies pursued by foreign powers with the aim of undermining the credibility of political institutions now rely on social networks and artificial intelligence. Our democracies must learn to cope with this while preserving freedom of expression. We need to find the right balance to guarantee the rights we defend. To do this, we will need the help of our fellow citizens, who will have to learn to identify false information. We can help them to do this by setting up digital media education initiatives, from the earliest age.
Finally, we need to work together to better regulate the content of digital platforms. This is a subject to which the French Senate is particularly attentive.
The European regulation on digital services already obliges social networks to assume greater responsibility for the content distributed on their platforms. This regulation needs to be applied and sanctions imposed. For its part, in December 2023 the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society adopted a guidance note aimed at combating disinformation.
I will therefore vote in favour of the two texts presented to us today.
Thank you very much.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:55:51
Thank you.
And now I give the floor to Lord Don TOUHIG from the United Kingdom.
Madam President, throughout history, the nations of Europe have sought to dominate their neighbours. It's nothing new. But today, while the objective is the same, the consequences for all of us is the loss of something we cherish most dearly. Our freedom.
Malign foreign influence, most especially from Russia and China, pose the gravest threat to free and democratic societies that we have taken for granted for the past 80 years.
The United Kingdom's National Security Law provides us with the tools to deter, detect, and disrupt modern day state threats. And Britain has a Defending Democracy Task Force working across governments to protect us from these threats.
Elections were the key targets of foreign manipulation when last year over half the world's voting population went to the polls. These attacks were not limited to countries, but also targeted organisations and individuals. The EU, NATO, independent media outlets, and those working to defend us were all amongst those attacked.
Social media platforms remain the hotbed of activity, with X alone accounting for 88% of detected activity.
Last month a commentary published by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London said "as political tensions mount and authoritarianism spreads, Europe's democracies must confront the reality. Hostile states use money to shape the politics of free nations, often working undetected. Foreign powers have discovered that a well-timed donation can affect an election. Using money rather than tanks and missiles and working through opaque networks, these regimes can make democratic political systems more pliable, divided, and less willing to confront the threat".
The RUSI article concluded "Democracies are not powerless. By acting now to sever the hidden financial pipeline falling from hostile states into the heart of our political democracy, we can defend our right to be free and independent".
Colleagues, wise words, good advice. Ignore them and we lose our freedom and liberty.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:58:09
Thank you.
And now I give the floor to Ms Boriana ÅBERG from Sweden.
Madam President, dear colleagues,
I’d like to thank Madam Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA for her comprehensive report.
She mentions the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, the role of which is to identify, analyse and provide support in countering malign information and influence that is directed at Sweden by antagonistic foreign powers, such as Russia and China.
For a long period of time Sweden has also been a target for Islamist foreign interference.
In 2021, disinformation spread in Arabic-language media falsely accused Swedish authorities of kidnapping Muslim children in order to abuse them. This created a very hostile environment and led to threats of terrorist attacks against social services. It also caused some parents to avoid seeking help and to reject support services for their children.
A serious problem arises when large groups within society do not speak Swedish, and instead rely on information from neighbours, ethnic associations, and mosques. Integration is a key factor in combatting disinformation and foreign interference.
In 2023, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the Swedish government of orchestrating what he called "a war against the Muslim world" and urged other countries to harm Sweden for allowing Quran burning-incidents.
Many people, both outside and within Sweden, found it difficult to understand that freedom of expression is protected in Sweden, even when it offends religious sentiments.
The purpose of psychological defence is to safeguard freedom of expression, and an open and democratic society: the very values that are despised by the Islamists behind these disinformation campaigns against Sweden.
Thank you.
Poland, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
11:00:37
Thank you, Madam Boriana ÅBERG.
And now I call Mr Sigurður Helgi PÁLMASON from Iceland.
Madam President, we must stand firmly committed to safeguarding democratic security across Europe.
Escalating threats of foreign interference aimed at undermining our shared democratic principles are of deep concern.
The commitment made by the European political leaders at the Reykjavík Summit in May 2023 is more relevant than ever. We must stand united behind the Reykjavík delegation and the principle of democracy and ensure that our leaders follow through on their promises. We must stay united around our shared values.
I want to thank the rapporteur for her excellent work.
As outlined in the report, foreign powers increasingly exploit digital technologies and covert influence to disrupt electoral processes, divide societies and erode public trust.
There is an urgent need of holistic responses that unite governments, civil society and citizens. Democratic resilience must begin with robust digital literacy programs that empower our populations, particularly young people, to recognise and resist manipulative narratives.
Integrating media literacy into national education is no longer optional.
It is essential for building informed, resilient communities.
Since foreign interference often transcends national borders and intensified international cooperation is of vital importance, I very much welcome the initiatives of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management for countering cyber threats, as well as NATO's efforts in strategic communication and cyber defence.
Enhanced collaboration with the European Union, OSCE, G7 and other international partners is crucial to effectively detect, prevent and respond to these persuasive threats.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:02:55
Thank you.
In the debate now I give the floor to Ms Victoria TIBLOM.
Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Madam Kalnina, for an excellent report.
Democracy is the cornerstone of Europe's strength, yet it faces a growing threat: foreign interference. From disinformation campaigns to cyberattacks and political manipulation, external actors are actively trying to undermine our institutions, influence our elections, and sow division amongst our people. We have seen how malicious cyberoperations have targeted critical infrastructure, how fake news spreads like wildfires, and how foreign money quietly infiltrates political parties.
These actions are not just isolated incidents; they are strategic efforts to weaken European unity and destabilise our democratic values. Eighty-one percent of European citizens believe that foreign interference is a serious problem that must be addressed. The consequences are severe. Public trust erodes, polarisation deepens, and authoritarian influences gain ground. If we allow this interference to continue unchecked, we risk losing the very freedoms and rights that define Europe.
So, what must we do? First, governments must strengthen cybersecurity and counter disinformation efforts. Second, political parties must be transparent about foreign funding to prevent covert influence. Most importantly, we as citizens must stay informed, question what we see online, and stand firm in defending democracy. Foreign interference is a challenge, but it is not insurmountable. By staying vigilant and united, Europe can safeguard its democratic security and protect the future of its people.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:05:10
Thank you.
And I give the floor next to Mr Francesco VERDUCCI. Please.
Thank you, President.
Colleagues,
The first case was Brexit and we still carry the wounds of that, and since then, in every geopolitically important election, there is attempted interference by non-democratic foreign powers against the free vote of democracies. It is part of the offensive of autocratic regimes against democracies. The means are those of disinformation, manipulation, and the prevention of fact-checking to build public opinion. Part, all of this, of a hybrid war waged on the ground of consensus, but a manipulated and therefore unfree consensus.
Democracies must protect themselves without, however, distorting themselves, without ever giving up the prerogatives of the rule of law. The terrain of this offensive, we know, is the web, only apparently free. And so there is a political point that we need to focus on and address. It is not only autocratic foreign great powers that undermine our democracies, but also the big tech that has grown up as a superfetation of the market and unregulated capitalism and that today is a threat to democracy, because it concentrates enormous technological, economic, political power in the hands of a very narrow oligarchy, of a very few private entities, divorced from any democratic rule.
It is no longer the people who decide, it is the lords of algorithms who control and condition our lives, our way of thinking. That is why our democracies need rules, because without stringent regulations there can be no technological development that safeguards freedom as a great common and democratic good that is not the preserve of only the strongest, but in which all can be citizens without discrimination and without exclusion.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:07:32
Thank you.
I call next Mr Serhii SOBOLIEV.
You have the floor for 2 minutes.
Thank you.
Dozens and dozens of facts of interference by Russia, Iran, and other extremist regimes. The fact of free elections interference in terrorist attacks. We can illustrate [this] by some facts that are now done by different agencies, including the very popular German channel ZDF.
How is it possible that in the four days before the case in the city of Mannheim, where there was a horrible attack with a knife against the critic of so-called extremist Islam, the Russians created dozens and dozens of information about this act that would be prepared in only four days?
You can imagine these facts, how they are published in the Russian media against Ukraine.
You hear about the horrible attack in Kryvyi Rih, but maybe not many of you know that officially Russia recognised that they attacked and killed nine children. Why? Because they killed 85 NATO soldiers in a café near this house. No one found any NATO or any Ukrainian soldier. All the real facts were shown all over the world, that there were children killed, that there were women killed. But still now they again and again try to use social media and other masked activity all over the world.
So, it's very important to have this report and to punish all those who use propaganda: Nazism, Russian Nazism, Russian terrorism. It's very important to have the real information about this when all millions of our citizens make their decision for whom they vote in their own countries.
I totally support this report and the amendments that we have passed today in the committee.
It's very important to have the whole picture of this report.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:10:33
Thank you.
I give the floor to Ms Tamara VONTA.
Tamara?
She's not here.
So I go to the next speaker, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN.
Colleagues, from the beginning I share and support the conclusions, the resolution and the recommendation drafted by our rapporteur.
Foreign interference is indeed a fundamental and persistent threat to our European democracies and to democratic security. We should condemn and combat with democratic tools this threat, including those challenges, which are focused, inter alia, on undermining electoral and democratic processes and institutions.
The Russian aggression is against Ukraine, the UK regarding Brexit, Spain, Romania, the Republic of Moldova – and the list can continue. A key element of the resolution is the need to reach a delicate balance, and I quote the rapporteur, "while countering foreign interference", we should nevertheless preserve human rights standards.
We indeed need to build resilient societies with strong democratic institutions. This is a process, it might take time, but we need to adapt faster to these challenges with one amendment: constitutions.
National security is not and should not be subject to any political negotiation. The integrity of the electoral processes should be preserved. We should remind everyone that decisions of courts, including of constitutional courts, based on clear legal and constitutional criteria, should be respected by everyone, whether you like it or not. The Venice Commission Report from this perspective is a relevant point of reference.
I also make the appeal to the member states to sign, ratify and to enforce the Council of Europe's Convention on Artificial Intelligence.
And last but not least, the proposal which is contained in paragraph 7.2 of the draft recommendation, making reference to a non-binding operational definition of foreign interference is most welcome.
I will definitely support the report and vote for the resolution and the recommendation.
Thank you so much.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:13:07
Thank you to you.
I call next Lord David BLENCATHRA.
Maybe he's not here.
No, he's not here.
So I go to the next speaker, Mr Marko PAVIĆ.
Please.
Madam Chair, first of all, allow me to express my strong support for this important report and resolution and to thank and commend the rapporteur Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA for her excellent work.
Foreign interference has become one of the most pressing and complex threats to democratic security in Europe today.
The report rightly identifies a broad range of tactics, from disinformation, cyber attacks, and political corruption to covert funding and manipulation of elections, all aimed to undermine our democratic institutions, dividing our society, and destabilising our values.
This is not an abstract or distant threat. It is happening now on our continent.
The evidence is clear whether we speak about Russian Federation involvement in electoral processes in Moldova and Romania, its manipulation of public opinion through disinformation campaigns, or covert funding of political actors in several member states.
The report is particularly timely in light of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
I strongly support the call for a whole of society approach to resilience, building robust democratic institutions, promoting media and digital literacy, especially among young people.
This brings me to the Croatian perspective.
Croatia is a young democracy that has emerged from war, experienced foreign influence first-hand, and takes these threats really seriously.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Andrej PLENKOVIĆ, Croatia has been a firm advocate of democratic values.
We are also deeply aware of the vulnerability of our immediate neighbourhood.
The Western Balkans remain a strategic target of foreign interference, particularly from the Russian Federation.
Prime Minister PLENKOVIĆ has consistently highlighted that Croatia's sovereignty is best protected through partnership and co-operation. And Croatia supports development of shared European frameworks such as the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, EU instruments like the Digital Services Act and the EU Hybrid Toolbox.
That's why I support this resolution and report.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:15:48
Thank you, Mister Pavić.
I give the floor to Ms Nadejda IORDANOVA.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Esteemed colleagues,
American historian Ms Anne APPLEBAUM once said that liberal societies can be destroyed not just from the outside, but from within, unless we choose to protect them.
That warning rings true today.
Our democracy is threatened. Autocratic influence is trying very hard to seep in. Since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, the international order has been under growing pressure.
And even more so after the start of the full-scale Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Democracies, including Bulgaria, face cyber attacks, disinformation, corruption, and covert political funding. We cannot afford to be passive.
Defending democracy demands urgent and decisive actions. I advocate for strong policies that protect our shared space of freedom and justice, our institutions, and our people, boost cybersecurity and fight disinformation, improve media literacy and digital skills at all ages, support independent journalism, including outlets like Radio Free Europe in light of recent cut of funding, strengthen border security, especially against weaponised migration, modernise our armed forces and intelligence services, ensure energy independence, and protect critical infrastructure.
This is not a one-time fix. It requires unity, long term strategy and cross border co-operation, all rooted in democratic values and human rights.
Democracy is not guaranteed. It must be actively defended.
I support the resolution and recommendation. I urge you all to do so.
Let us rise to this challenge together for a safer and freer future.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:17:59
Thank you.
In the debate I call next Ms Wanda NOWICKA.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Disinformation, deep fake methodology, hostile propaganda and media manipulation are clear signs of foreign interference coming primarily from Russia, and constitute a serious threat to democratic security in Europe.
Therefore, it should be treated as a martial weapon and a form of hybrid war against democracies. If we want to defend democracy and the rule of law in Europe and the world, we need to adopt adequate measures to prevent and efficiently respond to those threats to our security.
In many countries, including my country, Poland, voluntary military trainings for civilians are currently organised so they know how to defend themselves in the case of military aggression.
But we need to do more. We have to put a lot of effort into equipping our societies, particularly young people, to critically verify information they are exposed to. It is reasonable to educate and train young people on how to develop skills to critically assess the messages and narratives they are surrounded with. Young people need to receive from us the capacity and skills to verify information they receive and thus reduce vulnerability to this very war weapon.
And most of all, the collaboration of a democratic society is key to winning this war.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:19:42
Thank you.
In the debate I call next Ms Louise MOREL.
Madam President,
I would like to begin by expressing my indignation at the extreme right-wing propaganda that has been shamelessly spread in our hemicycle since yesterday. I would like to remind you that France respects the rule of law and respects legal decisions. To call them into question is to flout the values of the Council of Europe, and to use one's position as a parliamentarian to serve a project that is disastrous for the European continent and human rights.
To return to the subject of our debate, allow me first of all, Madam Rapporteur, to congratulate you on the quality of your work. I believe that your report brings to light the reality of foreign interference without taboos. And the lesson we can learn from it collectively, elected representatives and citizens alike, is that we can no longer ignore it.
We can no longer ignore the massive disinformation that has taken place in several elections: Romania, Hungary, but also Estonia or the United Kingdom already during the Brexit. We can't ignore the chokehold several states have on their media, preventing access to reliable and sincere verification of information. We cannot ignore the cyberattacks and hacking actions that target our institutions and election candidates, just as we cannot ignore the financial and political interference of foreign countries in our public life.
I'll stop here.
So, as we can see, the threat of foreign interference has, in essence, no borders, but worse still, it seems to have no ramparts. In a world where information is constantly circulating, where the boundaries between truth and manipulation are becoming increasingly blurred, we urgently need to strengthen our ability to protect our institutions, our citizens and our democratic processes.
This is one of the missions that I believe this Assembly must take on. This is all the more urgent when we consider that, today, 42% of young Europeans aged 16 to 30 are informed online about political and social issues.
So, Madam Rapporteur, I'd really like to congratulate you on the quality of your work and say that it's urgent for all of us here to take action.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:22:00
Merci, Madam Morel.
In the debate I call next Ms Natalia DAVIDOVICI.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues, for over 30 years, Russia has interfered in Moldova's affairs.
After its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow escalated hybrid attacks, aiming to overthrow Moldova's government and turn the country into a tool against Ukraine.
One of Russia's main instruments has been the fugitive oligarch Ilon SHOR, who built a vast vote-buying network. It was first tested in Gagauzia's 2023 elections, and later expanded for the 2024 presidential race.
To fund this operation, Russia used various methods: cash smuggling, cryptocurrency and online banking apps. More than 138,000 accounts in the Russian PSB bank were opened to that end.
The Kremlin deployed some of its most aggressive strategies: coordinated paid protests staged in Moldova and abroad to undermine the government; disinformation – false narratives claimed that voting for Maia SANDU would bring war, that foreigners would seize Moldovan land, and that the EU was eroding traditional values.
On election day, Russia intensified its interference through voter transportation: people were bused from Transnistria to polling stations, flown from Russia to Turkey and Azerbaijan, moved within Russia to Moscow and transported to Belarus. There were cyberattacks and bomb threats targeting 14 polling stations in Europe, particularly where the diaspora turnout was high. There were vote-buying corporations. Payments were made at polling sites with instructions sent via Telegram and WhatsApp.
Now, with parliamentary elections just six months away, Russia and its local proxies are already preparing their next move. Their goal is clear: to create a political crisis, replace Moldova's pro-European government and expand Russia's military presence on Moldovan territory.
But these efforts will fail. Moldova is stepping up its resilience and working with its international partners. I believe that together we will protect our democracy and secure our future.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:24:46
Thank you.
I give the floor now to Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
We are now speaking about foreign interference in democracy and security in Europe.
The most dangerous is definitely Russian interference. And please do not oversimplify it. It's not just propaganda or diplomacy; it's everything.
The Russian hockey player Ovechkin. No, he's not a hockey player. He is Putin's instrument, Ovechkin. [Speaks in Russian]. The so-called Russian church and Patriarch, Kirill. No, this is FSB General Kirill, who does not serve God, but Putin.
Russian opera diva Netrebko, whom you now again welcome in London and Paris. No, it's Putin's diva Netrebko and Putin's instrument.
Be aware.
And now I want to address to Russians. So I will switch to Russian.
[Speaks in Russian]
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:26:32
Thank you, Oleksii.
But we couldn't understand because we don't have a Russian translation. Okay.
Thank you, anyway.
So I give the floor to Mr Ionuț-Marian STROE.
Dear colleagues, the very foundations of our democracies are under attack.
Freedom, sovereignty, the rule of law: all are under fire.
And in Romania, we felt this threat up close. Because in December, our presidential elections were annulled due to multiple issues, a lot of them being closely linked to foreign interference.
The use of artificial intelligence, disinformation spread through fake social media accounts, amplifying pro-Russian candidate messages. Illegal foreign financing enabled massive digital manipulation through paid shady influencers. Worse still, paramilitary groups supporting this candidate, further undermining the legitimacy of this process, were ready to intervene and call this.
This wasn't politics just as usual. It was a direct assault on our democratic processes, our institutions, and our people's trust.
And I'm sure that no country is immune any more.
So I ask, do we defend our democracies, or do we watch them being dismantled, paralysed by the intensity of this interference?
We must build resilience before another crisis hits. That means strong institutions, new legislation for the objectivity and independence of the media, and prepared citizens who can tell facts from fabrication.
We need to start with education, of course. Teach digital and media literacy early. Equip our children and people to question, to think critically, to recognise propaganda when they see it, and to transform ever-evolving technology into a lie but not a weapon. And we cannot do this alone.
This is a fast-moving borderless threat. And our response must be coordinated, must be agile.
Romania's experience isn't just a national concern. It's a European wake-up call. And let's take it seriously. Let's act together. Let's defend the values that define us and ensure that the next generation inherits a stronger and safer Europe.
Thank you very much.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:29:19
Okay, thank you.
And now I give the floor for a point of order for just 30 seconds to Ms Sophia CHIKIROU.
Thank you, Madam President.
I'm new to this Assembly, but I must confess I'm shocked that the Rules of Procedure should be breached in this way by a member of this Assembly who spoke in a language we don't understand. We don't even have the translation, so we don't know what he said.
I'm shocked because I imagine that what he said was not the kind of thing we're supposed to say responsibly, i.e. something that promotes diplomacy and common sense. I don't think we can tolerate calls for violence here among us, for example, and so I wanted to remind our colleague to stick to the rules.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:30:07
Thank you.
In the debate I call next Ms Gabrielle CATHALA.
She's not here, so I go to the next speaker.
And so I give the floor to Mr Brian FRANCIS.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Esteemed colleagues,
It is an honour for me to address you today.
Federal parliamentary elections will be held in Canada on 28 April 2025. As such, Canada is exercising a high level of vigilance in relation to attempts by foreign states to interfere in its electoral processes and democratic institutions.
In a 2025 report, Canada’s intelligence community underscored that “it is almost certain that foreign actors target Canadian elections to influence how these decisions are made”. Various official investigations into the phenomena point to China, Russia, Iran, India and Pakistan as the main instigators of such activities.
In response to suspected foreign interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 national elections, the federal government commissioned a public inquiry in September 2023. The public inquiry concluded that despite the prevailing concerns about foreign interference, the country’s “democratic institutions have thus far remained robust”.
Nonetheless, the inquiry raised several red flags, including in relation to the emergence of political misinformation and disinformation campaigns in Canada. Commissioner Hogue described them as “an existential threat”. In her view, information manipulation, frequently carried out via media and social networks, “poses the single biggest risk to our democracy”.
She made various important recommendations aimed at detecting and countering misinformation and disinformation, including, among other measures, through the creation of a government body to monitor the online information environment.
Be certain that, in view of the 2025 general election, Canada is actively undertaking a range of measures to detect, deter and counter attempts at foreign interference.
This is not the time for complacency.
Thank you, merci, wela'lioq.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:32:28
Thank you.
I call next Ms Isabelle RAUCH.
Thank you Madam rapporteur for your report.
Indeed, foreign interference represents a growing threat to the security and integrity of European democracies. And this report, which proposes a definition of the notion of interference, highlights the various forms it takes: disinformation, cyber-attacks, electoral manipulation and hidden financing, all aimed at destabilising our political systems and undermining public confidence.
Faced with these challenges, it is imperative to act on several fronts. Artificial intelligence is a tool increasingly used to spread disinformation on a massive scale, as the report points out. Deepfakes and automated content can manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in institutions. It is crucial to regulate the use of AI in the field of information, while preserving freedom of expression.
The Council of Europe's Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence offers a promising framework, but its practical application remains a key challenge. Member states need to develop their technical expertise and engage in a demanding dialogue with digital platforms to ensure effective regulation.
There is a real difficulty in strengthening the regulatory framework to anticipate measures and effects that we probably don't yet know about. In July 2021 France, to this end, acquired VIGINUM, a vigilance and protection service against foreign digital interference.
Transparency is essential to counter foreign interference, particularly in matters of political funding and election campaigns. However, the measures taken must respect fundamental rights and not hinder our legitimate civil society activities. A delicate balance must be struck to ensure that these measures are not misused to restrict democratic freedoms, as the report advocates.
Digital media education is another essential pillar for strengthening citizens' resilience in the face of disinformation, developing critical thinking from an early age, enabling better identification of manipulative content and guarding against propaganda. It is therefore imperative to systematically integrate digital media education into school curricula, and to launch awareness-raising campaigns for adults.
In the face of attacks on the rule of law – and we've had a few examples of this since yesterday in this hemicycle, and I'd like to reiterate that France respects the rule of law and that the comments that have been made to call into question court rulings are quite simply unacceptable – and therefore in the face of these threats, a global and co-ordinated approach is necessary. Governments, parliaments, private companies, journalists, civil society and citizens must be mobilised, and so I will strongly support this resolution.
Thank you for your support.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:35:05
Thank you [in French].
I now give the floor to Ms Jurgita ŠUKEVIČIENĖ. The floor is yours for 2 minutes. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
Foreign interference is one of the threats to democratic security in Europe today.
Whether through cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns or financial influence, external actors, particularly authoritarian regimes, are actively undermining democratic institutions.
To safeguard our democratic systems, we must enhance resilience, improve cyberdefence, and enforce stricter regulations on foreign funding in politics.
European nations should focus on strengthening democratic institutions, ensuring media literacy, and fostering independent journalism.
The real danger is not external influence alone, but the weakening of our own democratic resilience from within.
Lithuania is actively combating foreign interference through cybersecurity and disinformation prevention.
We have implemented various programmes to protect the public from manipulation and false information. Government agencies monitor and analyse potential threats related to foreign influence in the media.
We are also facing foreign influence during political campaigns. For example, Russian and Belarusian propaganda often attempts to influence Lithuanians' elections and political processes. So, we remain vigilant, particularly regarding possible influence from Russia or other authoritarian regimes.
As an EU member, Lithuania actively participates in international initiatives to combat foreign interference. We support European Parliament and European Commission efforts to control foreign disinformation and manage democratic threats.
Resilience alone is not enough when foreign actors exploit vulnerabilities in our systems.
Disinformation campaigns fuel polarisation, making societies more fragile.
The Council of Europe must implement stricter digital transparency laws and an intelligence-sharing mechanism to combat hybrid threats.
A proactive approach is essential for preserving European democracy.
Thank you so much.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:37:50
Thank you.
The next speaker is Mr Armen GEVORGYAN.
Madam Chair,
Foreign influence comes when internal weaknesses are ignored. To stay relevant, Europe must face and overcome them.
I see five such challenges.
One. Institutional fatigue. Many political institutions in Europe were unprepared for today's challenges. For years, there was faith in the stability of liberal democracy. Problems weren't solved; they were often ignored. Thus, interference becomes possible not just because of external intent, but because of internal weakness.
Two. Shifting the blame. External threats are often used to cover up internal failures: poor governance, corruption or disconnect from society. This may be convenient, but it's not constructive, so blaming domestic crises on foreign plots is a way of avoiding responsibility. It doesn't solve problems, it deepens public skepticism.
Three. Social alienation. Too often, political elites dismiss those who didn't fit the liberal mainstream. This left conservative and patriotic views exposed to outside influence. That is why their elites stop listening – others, even from outside, will step in to listen.
Four. Trust as a strategic asset. Democracy rests on trust in institutions and public life. When that trust erodes, foreign influence becomes not just possible, but effective. Accordingly, no security algorithm can protect democracy if citizens stop trusting the system from within or from without.
And five. Double standards. The West continues to actively use tools of influence today. Now, when others do the same, it seems a threat. But this is a mirror. Then, if democracy wants moral authority, it must admit that influence can come not only from the outside, but also from within, through overconfidence, insincerity and lack of self-reflection.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:40:09
Thank you to you.
In the debate I call next Mr Ioannis OIKONOMOU.
Mr Ioannis OIKONOMOU: Thank you, Madam Chair. And I want also to thank and congratulate Madam rapporteur for this excellent resolution. I will continue in Greek.
He speaks Greek without interpretation
Ms Elisabetta GARDINI: There is a technical problem. Can you start again? Please.
We are talking about a very interesting issue, the question of foreign interference and whether it constitutes a threat to democracy and security in Europe.
May I start by making a general point in the world since the end of the Second World War, and after it took shape after 1989, and following the phase of globalisation, that world is now falling apart. That evolution was not fully understood by our leaders in Europe nor was it sufficiently well explained to our citizens.
Those facts are both very dangerous, but this process has been going on for a very long time, and meanwhile, a violent conflict is a direct threat to our democracy.
There is this battlefield of information. Technology has led to an environment in which citizens are constantly bombarded by huge amounts of information at such an astonishing rate that they cannot process it. There are the conspiracy theories, misinformation, hate speech, and attempts to divide us and the discrediting of fundamental institutions in our society. Algorithms help people spread propaganda; they identify their targets and manipulate information in order to achieve their ends. This undermines the foundations of democracy and societal cohesion.
Given this grave danger, we must, as quickly as possible, take stock and act in order to tackle propaganda and misinformation with major information and awareness-raising campaigns for our general public on the use of the internet and also on how to use social media to face this threat.
Democracy must not sink into censorship and authoritarianism. Democracy must counter these phenomena and aid its citizens, but it is important to understand that democracy must not fear freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is important because it helps us achieve truth.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:43:44
Thank you. I call next Mr Rónán MULLEN.
Thank you very much, Chair.
In my time I would like to stress three points: education, transparency, and balance.
Regarding education, I want to endorse what my Icelandic friend and colleague Mr Sigurður Helgi PÁLMASON said about the importance of digital literacy programs, particularly for young people.
It is essential that we stress and value what our education systems can do much more than what legal restrictions can do.
In fact, I think we must avoid a censorious overreaction as we try to deal with these problems.
Secondly, transparency.
When I was previously on the Council of Europe, I criticised Mr George SOROS and the Open Society Foundation's funding of NGOs in Ireland in order to influence Irish public opinion around issues like abortion and the definition of marriage. And I supported, in places such as Hungary, the call for transparency around foreign fundings of NGOs.
Now, not everybody would agree, but perhaps, as we see now the increasing danger of foreign actors, particularly states and particularly Russia, as they interfere in a covert way, then we do realise that there must be transparency at all times about where money is coming from powerful state or non-state interests in order to influence debates and public opinion in certain countries.
I would say, finally, the issue of balance. This report rightly mentions and supports the Digital Services Act. That Act requires platforms to censor illegal content, but again, this must not become a pretext to undermine legitimate political and philosophical expression using particular countries' vague or overreaching laws. Laws, for example, or points of view that reflect Judeo-Christian traditions about the sanctity of life or marriage are now finding themselves under pressure in what we would expect are democratic societies.
So, yes to challenging powerful actors, but no to the type of censorious overreaction that in the end would damage legitimate free speech.
Let us remember that that Article 10 of the Convention requires any restrictions on speech to be always proportional, precisely defined, and necessary.
Thank you [spoken in Irish].
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:46:04
Thank you. Now I call next Ms Jamila MADEIRA.
The floor is yours for two minutes, please.
Thank you.
I would like to thank the rapporteur for having introduced this issue in the agenda.
We know that at the time when the report was set, the approach was one way, and today we can easily recognise and add a different worry approach. And that's the one I would like to remark on.
The new international trade fragmentation added tension and mistrust to trade relations. The new reality is a trigger that is opposite to freedom and peace and democracy and prosperity. Retaliation is the answer for countries that built their economies based on a global village, that provided increasing levels of development, and spread welfare and quality of life all around the world.
Debt-retaliation will have significant impacts on economic growth and inflation. This will directly affect the more fragile economies and the more fragile consumers; the ones that are most exposed to vulnerabilities, as well as the new era of startups that was leveraged in the big market available to all.
Can we imagine this back in the 2020 when all that we needed were in the antipodes of where we are today? How would the world react? How could we have been able to overcome? We at least I assume that the end of the Cold War will stop anything different like these direct economic threats. We need to act together to not deliver a world that is rewinding to the dark age of protection and the ones making the war are afterwards cherry-picking the more venerable economies and citizens among us to deliver an ideological turnpoint against democracies and trying to trade democracy for essential goods and services.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:48:17
Thank you.
I call next Mr Kacper Maciej PŁAŻYŃSKI.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
First of all, I wanted to strongly support Lord George FOULKES's voice.
Yes, it is time to use frozen Russian assets in Europe because we Europeans pay the price of Russian invasion on Ukraine every day. It is time for Russian oligarchs to pay the price as well.
Secondly, my dear friends, in Article 100 of this report of our rapporteur, it is written that there is this expression that putting legislation that would provide the need for NGOs to share information on which funds they got from abroad is something unnecessary. I think completely differently.
Just this year we discovered that last year in Poland about 100 million zlotys went to Poland from USAID – not for charity my friends, it was for strictly political measures. You could ask yourselves: come on what is wrong with USAID? But is it ok? Is it fair and square for democracy, for countries that are richer and stronger, to buy out so-called independent organisations? I feel differently. I believe that it does matter where the money is coming from: USA, Germany, Russia or any other country. The people have the right to know where it comes from, what this money is buying out, and that's it my friends. It isn't about being left or right, it is about the freedom of of knowledge for our people.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:50:24
Thank you.
I call next Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS.
My dearest colleagues,
I would like to say that this incredibly unscrupulous report by our rapporteur, Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA, is our response to this incredible attack on democracy, on democratic countries, by the union of dictatorships between Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, North Korea, and they have used every possible means against us in recent years to destroy our democratic system. It is about the incredibly large tsunami, for example, against the South American countries from [Russia Today in Spanish. Xinhua, an agency based in Beijing distributes the same news against Ukraine" in English].
The same thing, we must emphasise now, excludes Radio Free Europe. Radio Free Europe, the Current Time TV channel and other stations that were supported by foreign states against Russian and Chinese propaganda last year have now been excluded.
We must do everything we can to ensure that the European Union takes on this role against Russia Today and Chinese propaganda. We have supported this with our colleagues in Brussels, with funding from the European Union. This 140 million for Radio Free Europe, that was my amendment.
I would ask you to support my amendment.
Thank you very much.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:52:56
Thank you.
In the debate I call next Ms Valérie PILLER CARRARD.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
I welcome this report, which highlights the threat to our democratic security posed by foreign interference in all its forms. It is important to send out a strong signal against non-European interference aimed at undermining our democracy, especially as the report describes it as serious and persistent.
I would like to add something. In the report, it's mainly the Russian Federation that takes the cake: manipulation of information, hidden political financing, malicious use of artificial intelligence and so on, even if China is also singled out. However, the big absentee from this report is Donald TRUMP's America, the United States as it has become since that fateful 20 January 2025. Once elected, one of TRUMP's first acts was to thank Elon MUSK, his loyal financial supporter and promoter via his X platform, by hiring him as his right-hand man.
Now, with the richest man on the planet, a significant part of Silicon Valley is backing TRUMP, and with it the social networks crucial to power. Together, they are deregulating the economy at will, and have gone to war against what they call "wokism", a supposedly homogeneous and totalitarian movement - but in my opinion, it is just people from very diverse backgrounds who care about the fate of minorities, rising inequality and the preservation of the planet, among other things. In terms of European meddling, MUSK makes no secret of its intentions, publicly declaring its support for far-right parties in Germany, Great Britain, and Italy.
But the worst is yet to come, and it's happening on a digital level with the manipulation of artificial intelligence. Washington is urging AI scientists to eliminate what they call "ideological biases", and therefore to discard terms referring to inclusion, equity, diversity, to name but a few. There is reportedly a list of 200 words now censored by the administration in order to make people quickly forget about LGBT, disabled people, and by the same token, the climate.
For all these reasons, I urge you to support this report and, at the same time, to fight against the rise of populism, which provides no answers to people's real problems.
Thank you for your attention.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:55:19
Thank you.
I call next Ms Zdravka BUŠIĆ.
Please, the floor is yours now.
The microphone.
Insert your badge.
Yes, it is.
Hello? Yeah. Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam President.
The topic of foreign influence is the most relevant topic of our time. It affects our daily lives and it affects the security of our very continent, especially some countries, like the countries of the Western Balkan, where foreign influence is present.
And it's very obvious that Russian influence is present practically in every country, especially in Serbia, which has not imposed sanctions on Russia.
The same can be said in the case of Montenegro, which is also a NATO member country.
So Russian influence through these two proxies is quite effective in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well, as we heard yesterday in this very Assembly.
It seems that we are obviously very well aware of this fact. But are we vigilant enough?
In our neighbourhood we have Chinese and Russian players who are really certainly not there to spread human rights and democracy, but they are there to spread their own influence.
So we urge our Western Balkan partners to refrain from moves which could further destabilise the already delicate balance of security in this region.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:57:19
Thank you.
Now I give the floor to Mr Mike READER.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Distinguished colleagues,
The report before us should alarm everyone who values democracy. We face a calculated campaign by PUTIN's Russia to undermine Europe through disinformation, financial manipulation and by forcing influence over our democratic processes.
Russia is running deliberate campaigns to corrode our democracies from within.
In Eastern Europe, operatives pumped over $15 million into Moldova to buy votes, and they disrupted Romania's presidential election through digital manipulation. There is a systematic campaign to instal proxy regimes on Europe's eastern flank.
In the West, they financed political parties in France and interfered in German politics. We'd be dangerously naïve to believe that the threat stops at the English Channel. The United Kingdom is considered a top target for Russian influence operations. This threat crosses all domains: cyber, finance, and disinformation.
Foreign interference targets our social foundations, trying to transform our democratic pillars into vulnerabilities.
I fully endorse the recommendations of this report. We do need a united response. We must enhance digital literacy amongst our citizens. We must demand transparency regarding foreign political funding and lobbying, and we must develop a comprehensive cyberresilience framework.
Most critically, we must also work as one united Europe to present a united front to PUTIN. Protecting democracy means ensuring that it is more than just ensuring votes are cast. It means we must ensure and protect the conditions under which those votes take place. If we fail to act decisively, we risk losing our democracy's foundations, our nation's sovereignty and the integrity of the European democratic project. The risks of inaction are simply too great.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
11:59:48
Thank you.
I call next Mr Gusty GRAAS.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Foreign interference threatens our democracies, this is a fact now indisputable since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The attacks on our democratic institutions, once subtle, are now obvious and demand our full attention. Russia, China and Iran are today the main instigators of these sophisticated actions, which are often so difficult to attribute because of the elaborate methods employed.
Defending ourselves against these threats is crucial to safeguarding our democratic values. Several initiatives already exist, such as the Digital Services Act or the Finnish example of media education, which trains young people to detect disinformation.
However, it is clear that our efforts need to be considerably stepped up in the face of the rapid and tactical evolution of interference. Education deserves particular attention, as it forges critical minds capable of discerning truth from falsehood.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In Luxembourg, the Chamber of Deputies has undertaken to subject our democracy to a veritable "stress test". The Parliament's scientific unit has been commissioned to study the resilience of our democratic principles and identify the most effective mechanisms for strengthening their foundations. In the same vein, a recently adopted motion calls on our Government to strengthen our democratic resilience, while combating the dangerous disaffection of our citizens.
In the face of these challenges, it is imperative to make emerging technologies – notably artificial intelligence – our allies rather than weapons in the hands of malevolent actors. Last year, the Luxembourg Parliament adopted a Charter on Artificial Intelligence, establishing a framework for its use based on principles of transparency, ethics and responsibility.
Finally, let me also thank the rapporteur for her excellent work.
Thank you very much.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
12:02:13
Thank you.
In the debate I call next Ms Patricia STEPHENSON.
We have seen a plethora of examples of interference on social media platforms from a range of different actors, both from states, as we've heard already this morning, from states like Russia, but we've also seen it from social media companies who are farming our data and feeding off online outrage for clicks and ad revenue, and this has served to influence public debate and create distrust so that the truth is impossible to understand.
This isn't new. We have known about this issue since the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018. Disinformation and misinformation is affecting every corner of the world, including all of our own countries.
And this very much has a disturbing impact on political dialogue in elections and has contributed to greater societal polarisation and division, particularly in relation to issues around freedom of expression and equality.
And there is a really important role to be played by our traditional media and social media companies in relation to taking proactive steps for fact-checking in real-time to support stronger public trust and accountability.
Failing to fact-check or treating it as an afterthought creates space for conspiracy theories, erodes faith in democratic institutions, and leaves the public vulnerable to exploitation. And by "the public" I also mean ourselves.
On the other hand, transparent fact-checking, with clear sources and clear methodologies, empowers citizens and supports a healthy, functioning democracy.
We need greater regulation of social media companies and traditional media outlets to compel them to fact-check, so that we can start to rebuild public trust in media and information.
The fact is that social media companies will not do this on their own volition. They must be compelled with strong regulation and legislation.
So we do need to urgently take remedial action. We risk further undermining our democratic principles of transparency of free and fair elections and we risk further undermining public trust in our institutions.
Thank you, Madam President. [spoken in Irish]
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
12:04:07
Thank you.
I call next Ms Albana VOKSHI.
Dear Madam President,
I congratulate Ms Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKAŠEVICA for her work on the resolution.
It raises some threats, very often invisible we face today, no longer abstract: disinformation, foreign interference and algorithmic and digital manipulation which lately more and more is actively targeting electoral systems, especially in fragile democracies like those in the Western Balkans. Democracy is under attack from outside and from within.
What Mr Rónán MULLEN mentioned before about the financing of the Soros Foundation is true for Albania as well. The foundation has been drafting and involved in implementing the justice reform, election reform and all other important reforms.
Transparency and analysis of those reforms should be carried out urgently. Those reforms have worsened democracy in Albania. People are not getting justice. One case in court takes 15 to 20 years and based on an OSCE/ODIHR report, elections are not free and not fair.
We are entering in elections with no recommendation implemented. We have witnessed in the past the misuse of application activity used every election by the Socialist party for propaganda, manipulation, voter behaviour, intimidation, public civil servant, silencing opponents. The situation is even more dangerous when compounded by endemic corruption, poor rule of law and centralisation of power.
We need a plan that extends beyond EU borders and protects candidate countries like Albania, Moldova and Georgia.
I agree with what was proposed by a colleague: that this plan should feed into an integrated plan while reinforcing the accountability of platforms like TikTok, Meta and X. We must uphold freedom of speech as a fundamental right: decisions like banning TikTok as done by the Prime Minister of Albania recently, controlling the Internet by special equipment just some weeks before elections is autocratic in nature and undermines fundamental rights.
Our message should be clear: democracy begins with free and fair elections.
Thank you.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
12:06:31
Thank you.
I call next Ms Marietta KARAMANLI.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
First of all, I too would like to thank the rapporteur for this detailed and timely project.
It sets out a number of areas of work around the renewal of concepts, civil society's resistance to these influences, the fight against disinformation, and the need for international cooperation.
I would also add that for several years now, there have been cyber attacks and manipulations via social media aimed at shaping opinion. I would add that the methods of diversion are numerous, indeed as infinite as the imagination.
But democratic states must remember who they are. They must be able to name those who are their allies, but also their systemic competitors, and those who violate international law and human rights. The sovereignty of our States depends on their ability to defend themselves within the framework of the alliance of sovereign and united States. Our defence also involves the values of inclusion, equality, respect, diversity and the promotion of rights.
Our defence also involves the adoption of regulations aimed at vigorously combating hatred, exclusion and discrimination on the networks. It also involves everyone's right to information based on facts and science, and not on partial and manipulative assertions.
So, digital education plays an important role - you mentioned it, Madam Rapporteur - but I also think that while the opinions and advice of experts are indispensable, sometimes they only represent their necessary opinion.
We therefore fully support your report and call on you to go even further.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
12:08:29
Thank you.
I call next Ms Meritxell ALCOBÉ.
Thank you, Madam President.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour and a pleasure for me, as a member of the Andorran delegation, to take the floor for the first time at the plenary session of this Assembly.
Is foreign interference a threat to democratic security in Europe? The answer is yes, in any case, and particularly in the current context where interference is conveyed by digital tools and social media in particular.
Indeed, no country is immune to misinformation and foreign interference, aimed at destabilising democracy and social cohesion. Foreign interference can take different forms and pursue different objectives: the capture of other countries' elites, the covert financing of political life, electoral interference, disinformation, the manipulation of information and even corruption.
But this is not an easy question to tackle. Firstly, because freedom of expression is a fundamental principle of our democracies. Secondly, because the digitisation of our societies facilitates the dissemination of information without any quality control.
So what can we do about it? In our humble opinion – and I'm speaking from the point of view of a small European state – we need to work together, within a concerted framework, because no state can face this new threat alone.
Our actions must be aimed at promoting the integrity of the information ecosystem, rather than multiplying content. Member states must be encouraged to consider measures to increase the transparency and integrity of legitimate foreign-influenced activities, recalling the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy.
For this, we need a framework to promote transparent, accountable and pluralist sources of information. These sources must comply with human rights standards, in particular those protecting freedom of expression, association and assembly, as well as freedom of thought and religion. We therefore need to develop political responses to foreign interference.
Andorra is a small country, but we are very proud to be in the vanguard of the fight for democracy. We cannot renounce our values, and we must fight for them. You can count on us.
Thank you very much.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
12:10:49
Thank you.
I call next Mr Emmanuel FERNANDES.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Foreign interference is undoubtedly a serious threat to European democracy.
To protect it, our response must be based on clear, fair and just principles, and applied universally.
This report falls far short of these criteria because it adopts a selective, partisan approach, focusing almost exclusively on Russian interference, while ignoring the well-documented interference of NATO members, North Americans and Europeans.
Who can forget the role of the United States in the 1973 Pinochet coup in Chile? Who can forget the military intervention in Iraq in 2003 on the pretext of false information about weapons of mass destruction? Who can forget the role played by the Troika and the European Union in the democratic and sovereign process in Greece? How can we ignore the role played by Elon MUSK in the recent elections? And did we not receive here, a few months ago, in this hemicycle, Julian ASSANGE, who revealed the involvement of states claiming to be democratic in unspeakable crimes, also revealing that in France, the American National Security Agency wiretapped three French Presidents between 2006 and 2013? How can we accept that our institution is not lucid in the face of the real state of the world?
We cannot and must not condone this double standard. Yes, we must speak out and fight against foreign interference when it comes from Moscow, but we must speak out and fight against it with the same force and vigour when it comes from Washington, or when our own States are the perpetrators.
Any other approach is unworthy of this Assembly.
Italy, ECPA, President of the Assembly
12:12:42
Okay, thank you.
I call next Mr Yuriy KAMELCHUK.
Mister President,
Distinguished colleagues,
Esteemed members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
I address you today regarding a critical issue highlighted in the recent report by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy: The growing threat of foreign interference in our democratic institutions.
Russia's role in this has been particularly destructive because Russia continues its sustained campaign in hybrid warfare, using disinformation and manipulation to divide European societies.
This threat is not theoretical for Ukraine. It is our daily reality. Since 2014, Ukraine has been subjected to Russia's attempts to destabilise our country through these very tactics. These hybrid attacks on Ukraine are not just a regional issue, but a challenge to the security of Europe as a whole.
Ukraine has been on the front line of this struggle, not only resisting Russian aggression, but also defending European democratic values. We recognise the importance of strengthening Ukraine's democratic institutions and civil society, as the report calls for. We are determined to build a resilient democracy, but we cannot do this alone. Ukraine needs continued support from its European partners to ensure our institutions remain strong and capable of withstanding external threats. We need to impose sanctions and legal tools to counter foreign interference. This is vital for isolating aggressors and holding them accountable.
We strongly support these measures as they directly contribute to defending the sovereignty of Ukraine and the security of Europe.
You cannot fight a fire with silence. You cannot protect democracy by ignoring its enemies. Europe must act not with fear, but with clarity and unity. The cost of inaction is far higher than the cost of preparedness.
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:15:00
Thank you, Mister Kamelchuk.
I will now interrupt the list of speakers to move to the next agenda item.
We will continue the debate at this afternoon's sitting.
I want to remind you that the vote is in progress on the judges to the European Court of Human Rights and we are electing a judge.
The poll will close at 1:00 p.m.
Those who have not yet voted may still do so by going to the area behind the President's chair.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:15:31
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is now my pleasure to welcome among us the Prime Minister of the Principality of Andorra, Mr Xavier ESPOT ZAMORA.
Dear Prime Minister, thank you so much for joining us today and for agreeing to this exchange of views.
Dear Prime Minister, Andorra became a member of the Council of Europe in 1994 and held its first Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers from November 2012 to May 2013.
The great strength of your country lies in its tolerance, multiculturalism, and intercultural dialogue. In Andorra, the organisation of education through three systems (Andorran, French, and Spanish) fosters cultural enrichment and preserves national identity. Andorra has a 100% literacy rate, school is free, and students are multilingual. We all envy you.
In today’s world of increasing tensions and polarisation, the Council of Europe and its main institutions may find inspiration in examples, such as Andorra’s, in order to establish and reinforce the foundations of democratic coexistence.
I would once again like to thank you for taking the time to engage in this dialogue with us.
Without further ado, I would ask you to take the floor.
Thank you.
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:17:21
Mister President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
Mister Secretary General of the Council of Europe,
Madam Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
Distinguished parliamentarians,
Ambassadors,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I know you have just held an interesting debate on foreign interference as a threat to democratic security in Europe.
This is a crucial issue addressed by the continent's heads of state and government last July in the United Kingdom, at a meeting of the European Political Community. I had the opportunity to reiterate that no country is immune to this threat, which can undermine one of the pillars of our democracies: freedom of expression.
With the increasing digitisation of our societies, false information is spreading rapidly; social media use algorithms to disseminate large quantities of emotional content that is often divisive, to the detriment of the quality of information. In the context of the European Political Community, we agreed to work together to counter this threat through a broad network of policymakers and regulators. This concerted action to promote transparent and pluralistic sources of information is indispensable, and the Principality of Andorra intends to play its full part.
You're probably wondering: what can a country of 468 square kilometers do about the global threats facing the world today? What can its 87 000 inhabitants do?
In Andorra, our most powerful weapon is the spoken word. We can look back on a history of peace, in which the spoken word has always been the preferred instrument for tackling challenges of all kinds. That's why we always opt for dialogue, to ensure the survival of the most successful model of social co-existence that has ever existed: democracy.
In the face of new threats, more than ever, the international community must be able to re-establish universal principles and values, and ensure that they are respected by all.
It is precisely on these principles and values that the Council of Europe is founded.
Since its creation in 1949, the Council of Europe has gone through more than seventy-five years of history, marked, it's true, by some tumultuous stages, but above all by brilliant successes that constantly remind us of the genesis of this institution founded on respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.
Today, more than ever, in the current geopolitical situation, the values behind the creation of Europe's oldest organisation, conceived as a peaceful response to man's mistakes, must remain our reference points.
On 27 January, Europe commemorated the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. We have the terrible feeling that distance makes the facts even more atrocious.
The few survivors of this horror remind us, in an increasingly faint voice, that in our present, there will soon be no one left to bear witness to our past, and that history is not memory, because history does not convey trauma, experience or injury. Memory, on the other hand, is indispensable for understanding the vital history of individuals.
We cannot turn our backs on the past.
It is in this spirit that we give our full support to the work of the Council of Europe's Observatory on History Teaching in Europe.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The founding fathers of the Council of Europe were trailblazers and visionaries when they drew up the European Convention on Human Rights and created the European Court of Human Rights, a unique instrument designed to protect people's rights from abuse of power by the state.
The role of this institution is essential to understanding the long period of peace and social, economic and cultural prosperity that our continent has experienced in recent decades; it is also essential to understanding the evolution of the Principality of Andorra, because the Court played a fundamental role in speeding up the adoption of a modern, democratic constitution in 1993.
The institutional system of Andorran power in place until then favoured the maintenance of political institutions that made Andorra a de facto but not a de jure state, and this system no longer had its place in a Europe that was advancing by leaps and bounds.
The relationship with the Council of Europe of what some called at the time a "misidentified state object" began in 1986 with a case against France and Spain examined by the Court, which declared itself incompetent, as the Convention did not apply to the territory of Andorra.
This case, and above all Resolution 946 of the same Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in 1990, highlighted the need to speed up the process enabling the Principality of Andorra to move towards a state governed by the rule of law, with the adoption of a Constitution that would make its entry onto the international scene possible.
With the Andorran people's approval of a modern, democratic constitution in 1993, the Principality of Andorra became the 184th member state of the United Nations. The following year, in November 1994, just over thirty years ago, we joined the Council of Europe.
Over these thirty years, the Council of Europe has become an essential ally in the modernisation of our institutions and legislation, and a guarantor of the balance between the rights and duties of citizens in building an advanced, responsible and sustainable democracy.
The European Court of Human Rights and its jurisprudence, as I mentioned earlier, but also the Venice Commission, the Commission against Racism and Intolerance, and the work of other groups of experts and committees, too many to mention today, have enabled us to participate progressively in a common legal area.
We are convinced that intergovernmental co-operation and multilateral diplomacy are the best way to move our societies forward.
Faced with the current temptations of unilateralism and the acknowledged decline in respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy, we must remain mobilised and true to our convictions.
And we owe it to ourselves to protect civil society in this respect. We therefore welcome the forthcoming opening for signature of the Convention on the Protection of Lawyers, which this august assembly approved at its last session. The safety of journalists and human rights defenders, increasingly under threat, is essential to ensuring our democratic plurality. We therefore support the mission and work of the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, who presented his annual report to you yesterday.
Faced with today's major challenges, we need to work together to find appropriate responses. The Council of Europe has been a forerunner, drawing up a Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, which my country has already signed.
We are also following with great interest the Council of Europe's reflection on the recognition of the right to a healthy environment, in the form of an instrument that should enable us to take a legal approach to the other major challenge of the moment, namely the fight against climate change.
The history of my country, ladies and gentlemen, is not marked by great battles or long monarchical lineages; it was not written by soldiers or kings. My country's history is the fruit of the self-organisation of rural communities in the early Middle Ages, of agreements between feudal lords, of relations between co-princes and institutions of self-government, and above all of the perseverance of the Andorrans who, in a virtually isolated high-mountain territory with a harsh climate, maintained a unique political system over the centuries. Centuries later, the pride of belonging to a territory that has never known war or armies, and whose commitment to peaceful values and the extension of human rights, as well as to dialogue as a solution to conflicts, prevails over all else.
It is for this reason that Andorra has a very clear position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, considering this large-scale war of aggression to be a flagrant violation of international law.
Andorra has supported and will continue to support Ukraine. We welcome the work carried out by the Council of Europe through the Register of Damage, which makes it possible to document and take a fair measure of the extent of the damage. We are contributing to the drafting of the compensation mechanism, and we are also closely following the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression to combat the impunity of aggressors.
For centuries, our unique history has allowed us to enjoy greater freedom than most of the countries around us.
In modern times, for example, Andorra has been a refuge, host and transit country for thousands of refugees from the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War, many of whom did not return to their countries of origin and have contributed to the development and modernisation of our country. This spirit of welcome, giving a second chance to people fleeing armed conflict, still prevails today, and our country has welcomed almost 300 Ukrainian refugees.
It was in the second half of the 20th century that our country began to experience unprecedented economic and demographic growth. Rural Andorra, agricultural Andorra, paved the way for Andorra's service sector, based on trade, tourism and finance, which brought great prosperity and well-being to Andorrans, as well as to citizens from other countries, particularly Spain, France and Portugal. They have been essential to Andorra's growth, and I'm not just talking in economic terms, but also in moving towards a more open and cosmopolitan society.
Just as the political and institutional system lacked international recognition and had no place at the end of the 20th century, as I mentioned earlier, the same applied to a closed economic model. So we had to launch another certification process, in this case in the fiscal and economic fields.
At the start of the 21st century, far-reaching reforms began to shake up our country's fiscal and economic models.
The 2011 monetary agreement with the European Union, the introduction of a tax system, the opening up of the economy with the extension of economic rights to all residents from the first day they move into the country, or the end of restrictions on foreign participation in company capital, all enable the complete lifting of banking secrecy and removal from the list of tax havens, as well as strengthening the fight against money laundering to the point of becoming one of the most successful countries in this field. Co-operation with MONEYVAL was essential in this process.
In just a few years, Andorra has demonstrated that, despite its small size, it is capable of making great efforts. The result of this clear, rigorous and sincere commitment can be seen in the signing of the first double taxation agreements with France, Spain and Portugal, now reaching 21 countries. The signing of these agreements has been the keystone in helping to set up an approved and respected economic and financial model.
In 2020, already under my responsibility and in the midst of managing a global pandemic, Andorra became a member of the International Monetary Fund, an organisation that today identifies us as one of the fastest-growing economies in the eurozone.
At the same time, Andorra joined the Council of Europe Development Bank, which has facilitated, among other things, the financing of projects for the modernisation and digitisation of the public administration, as well as the creation of the National Cybersecurity Agency.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The challenges facing a small country like the Principality Andorra are not as specific or exceptional as you might think. Andorra wants to give its young people more and better opportunities, strike a balance between growth and sustainable development, attract high value-added sectors, diversify its economy, increase levels of social welfare and security, and continue to offer high-quality public services. These are the most important challenges we face, and the complicity, understanding and support of our European environment are essential.
Andorra and the European Commission have concluded negotiations for an Association Agreement that should enable us to consolidate the relationship we began in 1990 with a customs union agreement.
We hope that the Association Agreement will soon be validated by the Council of the European Union. Andorrans will then have the final say in a referendum. This relationship with the European Union should help us to diversify our economy and offer our citizens equal opportunities in this area of shared values. In this sense, we hope that the European Union's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, which has been under negotiation for many years, will soon materialise.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As I was saying, Andorra's relationship with the Council of Europe has been essential to our institutional and legal development. Thanks to this co-operation, we have made progress in modernising our legislation, aligning ourselves with European standards in the fields of justice, transparency, the fight against corruption, and more recently in areas as complex as artificial intelligence, to ensure that the development and application of new technologies respect fundamental rights, particularly among the youngest members of society.
Thirteen years ago, the Principality of Andorra assumed the presidency of the Council of Europe and introduced education on democracy and human rights as a central priority. We have done so because we firmly believe that education is the most powerful instrument for achieving true social cohesion, insofar as it disseminates the necessary and fundamental behaviours and attitudes that contribute to the proper functioning of democracy, freedom and equality.
The ten Principles for Democracy adopted at the Reykjavík Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2023 assign an essential role to education for human rights and democracy, and emphasise the need for greater participation by young people in political decision-making.
With this objective, the path towards a European space for citizenship and human rights education is clear.
I would like to take this opportunity to applaud, in particular, the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers which led us to the Reykjavík Summit, and those who have since endeavoured to apply its principles. This declaration is a renewal of the Council of Europe's vision and objectives.
In this respect, I would like to congratulate the Luxembourg Presidency on the ambition of its programme, which will be reported on at the next ministerial meeting in May.
I can confirm the presence of Ms Imma TOR, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is here with me today.
I would also like to fully support the Secretary General in his objective of building a new democratic pact to reconnect with Europe's citizens. We agree with you, Secretary General: revitalising democracy must be the Council of Europe's priority for the years ahead.
This is an essential time for the future of Europe. We are facing global challenges that transcend our borders: climate change, humanitarian crises, new technological challenges and the defence of democracies in the face of internal and external threats.
Andorra, despite its size, wants to play an active part in building a collective, united and effective response to these challenges. Our voice, like that of any other state, must be heard in this plural and diverse Europe.
Today, before this Assembly, Andorra reaffirms its desire to continue to be a model of peaceful co-existence and respect for democratic principles. We reiterate our desire to participate actively in the work of the Council of Europe, consolidating our institutions and sharing our experience with all the peoples of Europe.
We believe in a Europe capable of uniting its efforts to guarantee freedom and justice for all its citizens. Solidarity between nations must be the cornerstone of our common project.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On 20 March last year, the Syndic General, the President of our Parliament, the General Council, one of the oldest in Europe, remarked before this same Parliamentary Assembly that democracy is above all an attitude, a conduct of which we Andorrans are aware, because it is one of the greatest bastions we have kept intact over the centuries. Today, before you, I can only reiterate these words.
On behalf of the Andorran people, I thank you for your attention and convey to you our deepest wishes for a strong, united Europe, faithful to its original principles. Together, from any territory on the continent of Europe, large or small, we must continue to build a Europe where dignity, democracy and justice guide our actions.
Thank you for your support.
(Applause)
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:39:39
Thank you very much, Mister Espot Zamora, for this interesting address.
Members of the Assembly have questions to put to you.
And we will first hear questions from the speakers on behalf of the political groups and then hear a response from Mr Xavier ESPOT ZAMORA to those questions.
I remind them that questions must be limited to 30 seconds and no more.
Colleagues should be asking questions and not making speeches.
I will start with Ms Annika STRANDHÄLL on behalf of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group.
Sweden, SOC, Spokesperson for the group
12:40:14
Thank you.
Prime Minister,
Andorra remains one of the last countries in Europe to uphold a complete ban on abortion, a policy under which women risk arrest and imprisonment for up to three years for seeking to terminate a pregnancy.
For over 14 years, successive governments have spoken of imminent change, yet the legislation remains unchanged. How does your government justify this stance in light of modern international human rights standards and the principles of gender equality?
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:40:48
Thank you, Annika.
Prime Minister, would you like to respond?
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:40:54
Thank you very much. If you don't mind, I will answer in French: it's easier for me.
Thank you for your question, Madam.
Indeed, the question of voluntary interruption of pregnancy in our country, of abortion, is a sensitive one, insofar as it needs to be analysed and addressed not only from the point of view of, let's say, gender equality and women's rights, but also, as you know, there is an institutional implication insofar as we have – and I mentioned this in my parliament – a long history, a history of democracy, peace and independence that has been sustained as a consequence of our particular institutional structure.
We have had two co-princes for more than eight centuries, two indivisible, equal heads of state, who are the President of the French Republic and the Bishop of Urgell. You know that the Bishop of Urgell represents an institution that is the Catholic Church, apart from, let's say, his condition as Head of State of Andorra, don't you?
From this point of view, you will understand that all the reforms that need to be carried out, and that we are firmly committed to carrying out, must reconcile two objectives: obviously, a clear advance in terms of women, an advance that we want to be as ambitious as possible, but which at the same time enables us to preserve our institutional structure. From this point of view, we have entered into very fruitful discussions, both with one of our Heads of State – with the Episcopal Co-Prince – and also with the Holy See, to find imaginative solutions conducive to this compatibility.
We are, of course, working on the decriminalisation of abortion, a decriminalisation that will undoubtedly be approved before the end of this legislature. I have made this commitment, and of course it will be carried through. We may not find it possible for women to have abortions on Andorran territory, but obviously there will be support and also economic reimbursement for women in vulnerable situations, so that, from a practical point of view, there will be no possible penal response and, at the same time, there will be public support and reimbursement so that all women in Andorra can freely interrupt their pregnancy voluntarily.
Thank you very much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:43:25
Thank you.
Next is Ms Belén HOYO on behalf of the Group of the European People's Party.
You have to insert your card first.
As you know, the challenges that we have internationally are multiplying, day after day, and the geopolitical situation is quite tumultuous and very complicated at the moment.
In such a context, the great powers are fostering bilateral relations – bilateralism. And obviously, that is not good for a small country like Andorra. That is why we wanted to ask you, how do you intend on fostering and promoting multilateralism and if you have any specific measures in mind?
Thank you.
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:44:16
Thank you very much for your question, Mister Parliamentarian. I think it is a very relevant question.
These are of course complex times, as I mentioned in my speech, complex geopolitical moments where it seems a mulitpolar world order is being established in which multilateralism sometimes does not seem to be fashionable any more. But in any case, I and my country have no doubt about the fact that the best way to preserve peace and sovereignty and above all the independence and the idiosyncrasies of all countries that are part of this global order is via multilateralism.
So have no doubt that Andorra will continue to work actively towards this, despite our limited resources. We are a small country, as I said before, of 468 sq. km with 87 000 inhabitants but despite that, we will do everything within our reach to actively contribute to organisations such as the Council of Europe that defend our common values and one of those values, without a doubt, is multilateralism.
That is why Andorra, maybe we will have the chance talk about this in more detail later with other questions, also wants to deepen our relationship with the European space, our natural space, we are very much an enclave within the European Union (EU). An enclave between France and Spain, two countries with which we have good relations based on being neighbours, friendship. Nevertheless, we need to make these relations even broader.
As I mentioned in my speech, this is why over the last 10 years we have been working on shoring up our relations with the European Union (EU) via this Association Agreement, an agreement through which we will be able to progressively and in an organised manner participate in the common market, while preserving our specific features linked to our demographic and geographical situation.
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:46:27
Thank you.
Mr Kacper Maciej PŁAŻYŃSKI on behalf of the European Conservatives, Patriots and Affiliates.
Poland, ECPA, Spokesperson for the group
12:46:33
Yes, thank you.
Prime Minister, you've just spoken about the friendship between Andorra and France. And you know very well that the exclusion of Ms Marine LE PEN in the presidential elections was possible only because of the French Constitutional Council that decided it even before the final judgment.
The Council decided it three days before LE PEN's first instance ruling. And the Chairman of the French Constitutional Council is Mr Richard FERRAND, who just four months ago was a member of Macron's party authorities.
Please, tell me, Mister Prime Minister, would that kind of opposition execution be possible in Andorra?
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:47:15
Thank you. Prime Minister, would you like to respond?
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:47:17
Thank you for your question, Mister Member of Parliament, and since you're talking about events that took place in France, I'll answer in French, if you don't mind.
You will understand that as head of government, as Prime Minister of the Principality of Andorra, it is not my role to interfere or express opinions on the domestic political situation in France, and even less so when it comes to decisions that have been handed down by a court of law. We believe in the common values we have mentioned, we obviously believe in the sovereignty and independence of States with regard to their internal affairs and, above all, we believe in the rule of law, in the separation of powers and in respect for legal decisions in a democratic country like France.
Thank you very much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:48:13
Thank you.
On behalf of the Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group, Ms Marijana PULJAK.
Croatia, ALDE, Spokesperson for the group
12:48:21
Thank you.
Mister Espot Zamora,
Welcome on behalf of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group to the Assembly.
You highlighted the role of education in promoting democracy and human rights. In that light, how is Andorra training young people to use new technologies like artificial intelligence, like digital platforms – not just taking care of their risks and not just training them to use them safely – but as a tool for inclusion, participation and social cohesion?
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:48:58
Thank you.
Prime Minister.
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:49:00
Yes, thank you very much for your question.
I am going to try to answer briefly.
In Andorra there is a national strategy for digital transformation, which will go through several years.
It's been operational through the digital transformation programme of Andorra, for which an update has been defined for the period 2024-2027.
It is articulated around a strategic vision of the Government of Andorra, which is aligned on the European Strategy on digital issues. This digital transformation programme is configured around different strategic lines. One of the lines is precisely citizenship and digital rights, ensuring that digitalisation of society develops in a sustainable way, bearing in mind the different digital capacities of citizens and their rights and the environmental impact of digitalisation. And we have some main milestones that were reached in 2024 and other milestones that are planned in 2025. On citizenship and digital rights in 2024, we have defined the foundations to advance the improvement of digital well-being of children, of young people, with the definition of an action plan and national advice on the protection of children online by the ETU. And the Comprehensive Plan for Good Use of Technologies in Education has also been defined, and a new training in digital skills has been launched for our citizens.
Thank you very much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:50:58
Thank you.
And now, on behalf of the Group of the Unified European Left, Ms Laura CASTEL.
Thank you, Chair.
Mister Espot, I would have loved to be able to speak to you in Catalan, but I can't [spoken in Catalan].
The media has recently uncovered the scandal of relations between the former Andorran Government, which you were a part of, and the Spanish secret services, which aimed to interfere and violate the rights and freedoms of Andorran and Catalan citizens and companies in an attempt to involve some politicians in a plot.
Regarding this issue, have you taken or do you plan to take measures to repair these violations of rights and financial damage and to bring Andorran policies into line with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Thank you, Mister Espot [spoken in Catalan].
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:51:45
Would you like to respond?
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:51:47
Very good day [Spoken in Catalan].
I'd be delighted to answer your question. If you don't mind, I'll do it in French.
Listen, I think we need to be very precise and rigorous when answering this question, because I have the feeling that we're mixing things up a bit.
What I can tell you – and you mentioned it, I was Minister of Justice in 2014 and 2015, when the events you mentioned took place – is that the Andorran Government did what it had to do. The Andorran Government first became aware of a note from FinCEN, the United States anti-money laundering agency, not Spanish, from the United States, for the first time on 4 March 2015, and first became aware of the concrete content of this note on 10 March 2015. It was on the basis of this note, which is an objective fact, which is a verifiable fact, that the Government of Andorra did what it had to do, save the Andorran financial centre and defend the general interest of its country.
On that basis, I can tell you, with full knowledge of the facts, that the Andorran Government, the members of the Andorran Government or the Andorran institutions were not pressured in any way by other governments or political figures to intervene with the BPA. The BPA's intervention was the direct, necessary and obligatory consequence of a note from FinCEN, the US anti-money laundering agency, which was first made known to the Andorran Government and its political leaders on 4 March and whose concrete content was published on the following 10 March.
Many thanks to all.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:53:47
Thank you.
Those were the questions on behalf of the political groups.
And now I will give the floor to my colleagues who are on the speakers' list. I have four of them. So I would like to ask them all to address their questions, and then please take some notes if you want, and give an answer to all of them.
I will start with Mr Vladimir VARDANYAN.
Vladimir, you have the floor.
Thank you, Mister President.
Mister Prime Minister, Andorra is a country which is a Council of Europe member surrounded by EU countries, but is not a member of the European Union.
You already mentioned you have started negotiations with the European Union on an accession treaty or agreement, and Armenia also declared that it would like to be as close to the European Union as might be possible.
So, I would like to know your opinion. My question is the following. How do you think the Andorran experience might be useful for other countries, including Armenia, on this perspective?
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:54:57
Thank you, Vladimir.
Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI is next.
Thank you, President.
Thank you, Prime Minister, for your speech.
A dear greeting from the second to the fifth smallest country in the Council of Europe. If there was a competition, however, Monaco would win for sure, so there is no competition on that.
I would ask you for your assessment of the relationship between small states and multilateral organisations, which are never more challenged than now. If there is a class of states in need of diplomacy, rights and respect for international rules, this is precisely the class of small states, which do not have military might or economic power, but which are also often those whose quality of life and respect for rights is most guaranteed.
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:55:47
Thank you, Gerardo.
Ms Luz MARTINEZ SEIJO is next.
Thank you, President, Mister Espot.
Allow me to emphasise that in Andorra abortion is illegal in all circumstances without exception: including in cases involving rape, when the foetus is deformed, or when the mother's life is at risk. This is a problem of human rights, as this diverges from the democratic principles that apply in the rest of Europe and gender-based European rules. This absolute ban forces women in Andorra to travel to other countries to have an abortion. In Catalonia alone, in 2023 there were 120 women who did so. So for that reason under what conditions and cases do you plan on ensuring free, secure and accessible abortion in Andorra, and within what timeline?
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:56:33
Thank you, Luz.
Mr Paulo PISCO is next.
Paulo, long time no see. Where are you?
Thank you, dear Chair.
I'll speak in Spanish.
Mister Xavier Espot, President of Andorra, it is a pleasure to have you here.
In Andorra, foreign communities represent more than half the population, especially people from Spain, France and Portugal. Some of them have been in the country for decades, but there is a problem: these people do not have political rights. They are limited, therefore, as citizens.
As Andorra becomes closer to the European Union, is the government looking to the opportunity of providing citizens from the European Union with the possibility to vote in local elections?
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
12:57:31
Thank you, Paulo.
Now the floor to Mr Xavier ESPOT ZAMORA to reply.
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:57:37
Thank you very much. I will try to answer briefly these various different questions.
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
12:57:44
I would like to start with the question of abortion. I have already replied to a similar question and you have asked the question again, that is not a problem, I can reply again but there is not much I can add to what I have already said. I can only say that obviously Andorra is firmly committed to gender equality and women's rights. I think this is something we have clearly demonstrated with many reforms over the last few years. For instance, we have created a special secretary of state for gender equality which is part of the government, transmitting the transversality of our gender policies. We have also acheived this by approving a law on gender equality, for the equality of men and women, which is one of the most avant-garde laws in Europe, but we have this reality when it comes to abortion. However, it is not the result of a lack of political conviction, nor is it a decision rooted purely in ethics or religion, it is an institutional issue. We have a very unusual institutional situation in Andorra, which has been built over the centuries, and ultimately it has been very useful for the survival of a small country like Andorra.
Therefore when we engage in reforms, we must weigh up all these different aspects and we are taking all this into account. We are having a calm and frank debate with the bishopric in Andorra in order to find a solution that suits all the interests in play. At the same time, we want to make sure that abortion is available, there is no doubt about this. It will not be possible for abortion to take place in Andorra, but we will be providing support, public services will be provided and there will be financial support for women who find themselves in a vulnerable situation. Therefore what we are trying to achieve is the same practical effect without any kind of criminal punishment for anyone who engages in an abortion. I hope I have answered your question and I am just pointing out that our goal is for this to lead to a change in the next few years and that it will happen before the end of the current government's term.
Regarding the question of nationality, what is clear is that Andorra has a system based on its constitution, it is not a question of legislation, which prohibits dual nationality. It is also true that access to Andorran nationality can be considered strict, given that you have to wait for 20 years in general, only reduced to three years via marriage, and in certain other cases such as having completed all schooling in Andorra, it can be reduced to 10 years. However, to many residents of Portugal, Spain and France, the three countries with which we have our closest relations, it may seem a very long time. However, compared with the nationality systems implemented in other European microstates, ours is one of the most flexible and I would like to defend it as such.
Ultimately, the question of dual nationality and access to nationality is not something that can be dealt with in the same way when half of our population is not Andorran, in a country with a population of 87 000. In a country where, if it were permitted, 90% of our citizens would have dual nationality and therefore Andorran nationality would become merely symbolic. It is therefore a completely different situation to in Spain, France and Portugal. So from this point of view, we need to take into account the idiosyncrasies of Andorra and obviously we need to make efforts to make current requirements more flexible. For example, we have committed to changing our nationality law so the 20 years do not have to be consecutive. If there are gaps within that 20 year period, it will be the total that counts, among other measures. I also ask you to take into account that access to nationality and the prohibition of dual nationality reflects the reality of a country like ours where until very recently Andorrans were a minority. This is no longer the case precisely because we have implemented a mechanism where anyone born in Andorra automatically becomes Andorran, meaning that we not only have jus sanguinis but also jus soli. So from this point of view, I ask you to reflect on this reality and the fact that, as I have mentioned, in the case of permitting dual nationality Andorran nationality would become merely symbolic.
To tie in with another question, I think part of this issue can be solved through the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU). It is precisely this Association Agreement (AA) that will allow the opening up of rights, facilitating a reciprocity without obstacles or problems with associated countries and other members of the European Union (EU). Taking this into account, the restrictions that may currently exist, will cease to exist. However, it is worth mentioning that any foreign national resident in Andorra from their very first day has access to full economic rights, therefore the restrictions are only linked to political rights.
Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra
13:03:56
To answer to your questions, I would say that the discussions regarding the conclusion of the Association Agreement (AA) between the European Union (EU) and Andorra and San Marino are nowadays at a pivotal stage. Following nearly nine years of negotiations, and more than a year after finalising the discussions at the negotiators level. In our view, we have reached a balanced, a mutually beneficial and comprehensive agreement. The challenge has been considerable, but I think that we have succeeded in delivering a text that fully respects the mandates entrusted to us by the Council of the European Union (EUC) and as convened by the European Commission (EC) and by the Government of Andorra.
The aim of the Association Agreement (AA) is that Andorra can fully participate in this market, in the common market in an adapted way, maintaining our specificities. All this will, in our view, facilitate trade, the mobility of people, the provision of services and financial investments, and it will also create opportunities for the citizens and businesses of our country which we do not have at this moment. Participation in the internal market will also allow Andorra to participate in European programmes, which is a very successful network of European co-operation that we do not have at our disposal now.
It is also important to stress that taxation, that is to say, tax regulation for foreign policy, border control, are outside of the Association Agreement (AA), as well as policies that are no longer within the competence of the European Union (EU), such as public health, education, culture, social policy.
I want to say here today that we deeply appreciate the unwavering support of the member states through this process. I think the rotating presidencies of the Council of the European Union (EUC) have played a crucial role in fostering discussions, facilitating progress on multiple occasions during negotiations and continue to do so in the current phase. I think that we can take collective pride in the work accomplished so far.
Europe, and the entire world, is navigating uncertain times, and I think that the European Union (EU) and its values serve more than ever as a guiding beacon amidst this uncertainty. While the Association Agreement (AA), to specifically answer your question, may be a modest contribution to the European Union (EU) integration process, from a legal perspective, I think it is a highly innovative tool. A tool that could, as you say, facilitate in the future the participation of additional countries in the European Union's (EU) internal market and contribute to a stronger Europe.
I think that there is another a question. Yes. From San Marino's member of parliament. You were talking about small states and multilateralism. I would say that today more than ever, and the Spanish Member of Parliament was also talking about this, the value of multilateralism cannot be overstated. In a world that is increasingly defined by complex challenges ranging from climate change to global security, no nation, regardless of its size or its power, can effectively address these issues in isolation. For small states like ours, I think that multilateral institutions, with the Council of Europe and the United Nations (UN) at their core, provide an indispensable platform for our voices to be heard and for our interests to be safeguarded. I think it ensures that decisions affecting global peace, development and justice are made, as I said before, collectively, guided by principles rather than power. We have to preserve that. We have to fight and stand together in order to continue this way, in my opinion and in the opinion of the Government of Andorra.
Thank you very much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
13:09:06
Dear Head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra, I want to thank you so much for being with us today and for accepting to answer the questions posed to you by my colleagues.
Thank you so much.
Dear colleagues,
The ballot for electing a judge to the European Court of Human Rights is now closed.
The counting of votes will take place under the supervision of the tellers.
I invite them to go at once to the count that will take place in the room set aside for this purpose.
The results of the election will be announced at the opening of the afternoon sitting.
The Assembly will hold its next public sitting this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. with the agenda approved on Monday.
The sitting is adjourned.
