In the opening lines of her 2023 report on the state of democracy, human rights and the Rule of law in Europe, published on Friday 5 May, Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, calls on European leaders, who will meet for the 4th Summit of the Organisation in Reykjavik on 16 and 17 May, to “demonstrate their determination to ensure that the Russian Federation will be both the first and last country to break away from our values and our organisation”.
The call is all the more urgent because beyond the war in Ukraine, which “has made a deep impact on the geopolitics of Europe and the wider world”, in many areas “democratic backsliding continues”, warns Marija Pejčinović Burić.
She cited the increase in violence, surveillance and intimidation of journalists, the decline in freedom of demonstration, the increase in obstacles to the work of NGOs, the polarisation of the political environment and the increase in hate speech often targeting women, minorities and vulnerable groups.
“These negative trends are not found everywhere”, the Secretary General underlined, citing positive developments in some Member States, including progress in the fight against violence against women and domestic violence, better protection of children’s rights and increased efforts to combat hate speech.
The quality of the reception of Ukrainian refugees is also highlighted.
However, the European democracies are being hit by bad winds.
To counter them, the Secretary General reminds member states of the importance of respecting the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, stresses the need for continued assistance to Ukraine, insists on co-operation with the European Union (all of which will be on the Summit agenda) and confirms that the Council of Europe will be at the side of Moldova, Georgia and other countries to help them undertake the reforms necessary for their accession to the EU.
New human rights instruments are under consideration, she said.
They concern artificial intelligence and the right to a healthy environment, which will also be discussed at the Summit.
“Europe cannot be allowed to go back to the wild”, concludes Marija Pejčinović Burić.
“Reykjavik will be the litmus test for us all”.
Link to the annual report: https://aeur.eu/f/6qi (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)