Addressing the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities at its 47th plenary session, Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly highlighted the most pressing challenges facing both the Assembly and the Congress, including democratic backsliding, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the global environmental crisis, gender inequality, the impact of AI on democracy and human rights and the migration crisis.
“The direct access you have to the concerns and expectations of citizens in terms of democracy, human rights and the rule of law makes your Congress a crucial local and regional dimension of governance,” he said. -he underlined, referring to the 30th anniversary of this body.
The PACE President welcomed the revised priorities of the Congress following the Reykjavik Summit, in particular the strengthened monitoring of local democracy and respect for the rule of law. “This constitutes an important part of an early warning system to signal signs of democratic erosion in our member states,” he said.
“As in any parliament, battles are fought within the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as in this Congress, but our weapons are not bullets, they are words that combine to create arguments,” concluded Mr. Rousopoulos.
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