21/04/2026 | 11:49:21 Thank you, Mister Chair. Dear colleagues, Coming from Romania, where we have recently seen politicians threatened and targeted both online and physically, during election campaigns and beyond, I know this is not a distant issue. It is real, and it is growing all across Europe. Violence and hate against politicians are increasing and becoming a serious threat to democracy. And when politicians are threatened or pushed out of public life, pluralism suffers, and democracy, of course, cannot... 02/10/2025 | 10:26:14 Thank you, Mister Chair. And thank you, Mr Iulian BULAI, for your draft resolution. Russia's aggression goes far beyond Ukraine. Through drones, cyber-attacks, disinformation and hidden financing, it tries to destabilise all of Europe. We have seen missiles hitting schools and homes in Ukraine, but also drones entering NATO airspace, including my country, Romania. Let me be clear: Romania will defend its territory. From now on, any drone that crosses our skies will be stopped and destroyed... 01/10/2025 | 18:05:50 Thank you, Chair, Honourable President, Esteemed colleagues, When we look at Bulgaria today, we see a country that has taken significant steps to strengthen democracy, rule of law and of course, good governance. The road has not always been easy, but the progress is real and deserves, of course, recognition. The recent constitutional amendments and judicial reforms show a clear determination to modernise institutions and address long-standing concerns. These changes strengthen accountability... 01/10/2025 | 16:54:03 Ladies and gentlemen, Dear colleagues, Across Europe and beyond, young people are stepping forward as determined defenders of democracy. They refuse to accept a shrinking civic space, or that politics should remain the privilege of the few. Instead, they bring new forms of engagement, from creative protests and digital campaigns to participatory budgeting and civic labs where ideas turn into action. These young people are driven by the belief that democracy must be lived, not just inherited... 08/04/2025 | 11:26:50 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... 29/01/2025 | 10:21:14 Thank you, Madam Chair. Dear colleagues, As we see worrying trends of democratic backsliding and societal polarisation across Europe, it is critical to reaffirm education's fundamental role in protecting our shared values. The Group of the European People's Party welcomes this timely contribution on multiperspectivity in memory and history education for democratic citizenship, and we fully support the central message of this report. In an era of misinformation and historical revisionism... 17/04/2024 | 20:16:59 Thank you, Mister Chair. Thank you, dear colleagues, for your words, for your interventions. Of course, I will take somebody's words and begin with the fact that, of course, nothing is perfect. You saw that the Committee was fully aware, and we, the rapporteurs were fully aware of the numbers of concerns which remain to be addressed. Even if the authorities and the political forces in the parliament have assured us about their will to address all these remaining concerns, I will say from the... 17/04/2024 | 19:25:02 Thank you, Mr Chair. Dear President, Dear colleagues, It is my pleasure to present this report. The last time the Assembly debated this subject was in 2014. From the very start, I want you to know that clear and great progress has been made by Albania since that time. I will begin my presentation by highlighting the positive developments. While the political environment remains polarised, we can fortunately say that the systemic political crisis that has dominated politics in Albania for far... 11/10/2023 | 20:02:49 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear colleagues, I think today's discussion is improperly called a "debate" - because a debate includes opposing arguments and I do not think anyone here today has a different opinion on who is the victim and who is the aggressor. I condemn in the strongest of terms the barbaric and brutal terrorist attacks that Hamas has launched on Israel and I am appalled by the horrors and pure evil these so-called "men" could inflict on innocent people... 10/10/2023 | 16:38:14 Thank you, Madam Chair. Dear colleagues, The Group of the European People's Party welcomes this timely report on the rise of far-right extremism, a critical issue that threatens the core values of our countries are built upon. The recent surge in far-right extremism both in Europe and globally poses a clear and present danger to our commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and threatens the inclusive and diverse societies we aim to uphold. Over the past two decades, the...