28/09/2021 | 15:53:11 Thank you, President. And I think it is necessary to underline that it is only one question but I will try. The pandemic has been a challenge for us all. We are slowly emerging from the crisis and Europe will return to normal – maybe a new normal? As the pandemic struck we saw several member states derogating from the Convention, citizens' rights being restricted, what will be your priorities to ensure that a new normal is not a step back when it comes to democracy, human rights and the rule... 27/09/2021 | 19:32:11 Yes, thank you, President, a few words. Dear colleagues, First of all let me warmly thank our rapporteur Tiny KOX for his work in preparing this report. What may seem, at first glance, to be a rather technical report, is actually an extremely important subject for our work as parliamentarians in an international parliamentary assembly. The matter is not an academic exercise, it conveys protection to Members of the Assembly, when they are acting as such, in order to enable them to perform... 23/06/2021 | 13:01:36 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) President, colleagues, It has been nearly a year since the presidential election in Belarus. A year since Svetlana Thikanovskaya had to leave her country for a life in exile. A year with the developments in Belarus at the top of our agenda. Unfortunately, the situation and the state of democracy in Belarus does not seem to be changing. With the forcing down of the Ryan Air flight bound for Vilnius in May, the trend is definitely negative. And... 23/06/2021 | 12:20:51 Dear President and colleagues, The Istanbul Convention is very important. It improves the lives of women and children all over Europe. Yet, there are member states that have still not ratified it. There are member states that have not signed, and there are even member states withdrawing. This is deeply worrying. It is preventing the convention from helping as many as it could. President, our organization is currently shared by a member state whose parliament has rejected its ratification... 21/06/2021 | 17:38:07 Yes, I am here. In his last speech to PACE, Mr Michael ROTH, the Special Representative of the Federal Government for the German Presidency of the Council of Europe, underlined the importance of the Istanbul Convention. It was especially important now, he said, when we see that the pandemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in domestic violence against women and children. He considered the Istanbul Convention to be a very central instrument in this respect and strongly regretted that a... 22/04/2021 | 11:03:59 Thank you. President, colleagues, In January we had a current affairs debate on the exact same topic as our ongoing urgent debate – the arrest and detention of Mr Alexei Navalny. Since being poisoned by Novichok in August last year, the situation for Mr Navalny has been urgent. Sadly it is no less urgent today, than it was in January. By September 19, Russian voters will cast their ballots and decide who will represent them in the State Duma. Regrettably, the candidates they can vote for will... 21/04/2021 | 11:23:22 Thank you Mr President and Colleagues, The EPP welcomes these two reports, and commends the two rapporteurs on their excellent work. They show only too well what can happen when elections – time and again – are not free and fair. After the fraudulent elections in August last year, we have seen a Belarus in crisis. There has been an unprecedented wave of violence against political oppositions, human rights defenders, journalists and ordinary citizens. The electoral system in Belarus is flawed... 20/04/2021 | 12:47:14 Thank you so much Mister President. Dear colleagues, Let me start by thanking Mr Tiny KOX for this well written and comprehensive report. I also welcome the idea of a four year strategic framework for the Council of Europe, and I believe that Mr Tiny KOX’s report is a good contribution to the discussion on such a framework. I fully support his vision on the strategic priorities, his recommendations and conclusions. I appreciate Mr Tiny KOX’s emphasis on the core values and the core tasks of... 28/01/2021 | 11:29:03 Thank Mr President. I do hope that you can hear me bacause I only see a frozen picture, but I think I'm the next one... Yet again, freedom of expression is a focus for our debate. It is a fundamental right and a prerequisite for political life and democracy. Over time, how we express ourselves has evolved. From speeches in the town square, to opinion pieces in the newspapers, to expressing our views and opinions on online platforms – run by big tech companies. Over time, how our expressions... 28/01/2021 | 09:10:29 Misterr President and Dear Colleagues, Monday morning the credentials of the Russian delegation were challenged on substantive grounds. In accordance with Rule 8 of the rules of procedure, the matter has been referred to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for opinion. The Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) decided to propose that the Assembly ratify the credentials or...