22/04/2026 | 13:30:41 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, called the Istanbul Convention, is a key and leading instrument in the fight against violence against women, gender-based violence, and domestic violence. The Report underlines the need for full and overall implementation of the Convention, as well as its signature by all member States of the Council of Europe. In my country, Greece, the... 27/01/2026 | 16:56:57 Thank you, Madam Chair. Many thanks to the rapporteur for a report that contains important references to the restrictions on freedom of expression, on gathering and demonstrations, double standards and campaigns due to financial or other support, decline in the access to election and standards, as well as the international monitoring. Moreover, on fake news and accounts that are paid or instructed to produce and share false information and defamation and cyber attack danger. Dear colleagues... 11/04/2019 | 18:23:27 I thank the rapporteur for the report. The refugee issue is a collective issue and not a collective problem. We have to adopt collective solutions rather than national approaches. We need to maintain our collective values and principles. The blame game against Greece has to stop. Greece is implementing for asylum seekers and migrants international and European law. Let me give family reunification as an example. That programme, which is even provided for in the Dublin Regulation, is blocked... 10/04/2019 | 16:12:34 I thank the rapporteurs for their excellent work. This joint debate comes at a crucial period for Europe’s future. The greatest thing at stake in the upcoming European Parliament elections is the battle against far-right, fascist ideas and racism and xenophobia. It is more than evident that nowadays hate speech and intolerance are on the rise all over Europe. Among other acts of hatred, hate speech has been witnessed in all parts of social and public life. It is appalling that almost every...