In his speech at today’s Committee of Ministers session in Turin, PACE President Tiny Kox called for a Summit of Heads of State and Government to renew, improve and reinforce the Council of Europe.
“This summit should lead to a Council of Europe with new competencies and better equipped to protect and promote democratic security. A Council of Europe capable of taking more timely and effective collective action to protect and develop rules-based multilateralism, in order to be able to better deal with existing and emerging threats in Europe,” he said.
“Then – and only then – will the Council of Europe be able to function as a cornerstone of Europe’s political architecture. Russia’s unilateral war of aggression against Ukraine has only increased the urgent need to strengthen this multilateral architecture,” the President underlined.
“Our citizens – rightly – demand from us a more secure and sustainable Europe. Simple solutions will not be available. We are politicians, not magicians. But if there is a will, there is a way to a more secure future for the citizens in our 46 member States,” Mr Kox concluded.