The message that “democracy may be old, but it is not outdated” was sent by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr. Theodoros Roussopoulosfrom Strasbourg where it is chaired by the European Conference of the Presidents of Parliament.
“The point is not to make Europe great again. Europe has been and remains great thanks to its principles and values, which are timeless and attractive worldwide. And this is the historic moment to become a role model for the rest of the world again, “Mr Roussopoulos continued at this year’s conference marking the 50th anniversary of the first convening of the Conference in 1975.
“Despite the challenges that we politicians, such as the retreat of democracy, the uncertainty, the polarization of freedom of expression and the violence against politicians, believe that precisely these obstacles make it even more necessary to tirelessly defend people in need. This is the heart of our mission. That is why we are in politics, “Mr Roussopoulos added.
The chairman of his parliamentary assembly Council of Europe He referred to the offensive war against Ukraine, which challenges the democratic values of Europe, as well as the increasing spread of rhetorical hatred through social media. He also pointed out that misinformation and manipulation of citizens weaken democracy, while cases of violence against policies not only endanger public life, but also prevent citizens’ involvement in democratic processes. He stressed that the role of politicians is not to follow the crowd, but to guide it, based on the fundamental principles and values of democracy. Finally, he referred to the influence of interests in making political decisions, pointing out that citizens’ confidence is not gained by communication strategies, but with consistency and actions.
The Conference is attended by the Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Secretaries-General of the Parliaments of the 46 Council of Europe Member States, as well as Presidents of Parliamentary Assemblies of International Organizations such as NATO, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) etc. Also present are the Presidents of Parliament by Council Member States, such as Canada, Morocco, Jordan, as well as the Presidents of International Organizations of National Parliament, such as Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Nordic Council.
Overall, this year’s conference is attended by 72 high -ranking delegations, confirming the importance of dialogue and cooperation to strengthen democracy and fundamental freedoms.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Mr. Roussopoulos had meetings with the Speaker of the Federal Parliament of Germany Bärbel Bas, the President of the French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet, the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada Greg Fergus, the President of the Ukrainian Parliament Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Pia Kauma, Vice President of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Plakiotakis the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Marcos Perestrello and others.