25/06/2012 Session
“We must remain on our guard to make sure that all member states of our organisation respect our values and honour their undertakings in this time of crisis,” said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon at the opening of the summer part-session. “I am thinking here, for instance, of the developments in Hungary, where some laws passed recently raise doubts about compliance with our standards, in particular regarding the independence of justice. I am also concerned about the possible consequences of the new Russian legislation on demonstrations, as respect for freedom of assembly and freedom of expression is vital in democratic societies. Major reforms in Ukraine are making little progress ahead of the parliamentary elections due to be held in the autumn. Moreover, I must reiterate my concern about the situation of the former prime minister and opposition leader, Ms Tymoshenko, who is currently in jail. The Supreme Court will begin considering her appeal on points of law tomorrow and I hope that she will soon be released,” the President said.
Jean-Claude Mignon also once again appealed to all parties, and especially the armed forces of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, to end the violence in Syria and give the peace process a chance. “There is a very real threat of civil war. We therefore need to act now and I call on all members of the Security Council, in particular the permanent members, rapidly to enter into practical dialogue about more decisive international action which could be envisaged in response to this intolerable situation, while complying strictly with the provisions of the United Nations Charter,” he said.
The President expressed his concern about developments in Egypt, pointing out that the processes of democratic transition appeared to be in jeopardy. “The dissolution of Parliament and the granting to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of major powers, in particular the power to draft the new constitution, could seriously destabilise the situation. Although the results of the elections were announced yesterday, we still have doubts about the President’s actual future powers. We must keep a very close eye on this rapidly changing situation,” he said.
With regard to Tunisia, the President expressed his hope that the discussions taking place would enable the National Constituent Assembly to apply for Partner for Democracy status, thereby opening up new opportunities for closer co-operation.