Conclusions of the Conference – presented by the President of PACE and the President of the Storting

Conclusions de la Conférence – présentées par la Présidente de l'APCE et le Président du Storting

“The situation in Ukraine has been the main topic of this conference”, said President of the Storting Olemic Thommessen.  He chose to mention this issue specifically in the closing speech he presented jointlywith the President of the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Anne Brasseur on Friday. 

Russia's violation of international law, primarily the annexation of the Crimea, and its conduct in the eastern parts of the country, were sharply criticized in several of the speeches. Furthermore, Thommessen urged the parliamentary presidents to make it attractive and relevant for the entire population to participate in society.

“In many countries we are seeing that support for democracy cannot simply be taken for granted. Active participation and the building of trust between the people and the authorities is crucial,”  said Thommessen.

Fewer votes

“We must consider how we practice politics. It is now easier than ever to participate in the political process, but a declining number of people are choosing  to vote at the elections or to become members of political parties. Citizens do get involved, but often through NGOs and civil society, ” said Anne Brasseur.

The President of the Storting pointed to the challenges of ensuring sustaining confidence in democracy in a time when people are pessimistic about their future, not least because of widespread youth unemployment in Europe. Thommessen also addressed the opposition’s responsibility to hold governments accountable, and he talked about how to ensure the conditions needed for civil society to become a driving force in the political efforts to safeguard human rights.

ECHR

Brasseur also referred to the process of EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and reminded the parliamentary presidents of their responsibility to support this process in their home countries.
“We need strong parliaments to promote and protect our common values: democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The European Convention on Human Rights is the anchor in our constitutional architecture,” said Brasseur.
Thommessen and Brasseur concluded by reiterating their call to support the proposal to establish 22 July as a European day of remembrance for the victims of hate crimes.