House Speaker László Kövér opened a two-day meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Political Affairs and Democracy Plenary Committee on Wednesday.
Kövér said that nations, states, alliances and continents characterised by firm values and national identity will strengthen in the future while those without values that tightly hold societies together are doomed to decline. Hungarians greatly appreciate the CoE’s work in protecting national identities and minorities, he said. National identity is one of the most important issues in Europe which the CoE, fighting for the interests of over 800 million Europeans in 47 member states, must also represent, Kövér added.
The House speaker said that promoting effective protection of national minorities has been one of the priorities of the Hungarian presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers, which is ending on November 17. Four events were held on minority protection in order to direct attention to the issue, he said. The Strasbourg Declaration of the Hungarian presidency was published during the period declaring the basic rights of national minorities in order to guarantee the peace and stability of Europe, including concrete proposals to the CoE Committee of Ministers, Kövér said. Inter-religious dialogue, protecting persecuted Christians, the rights of children and traditional family values were further priorities of the Hungarian presidency, he added. Kövér criticised the European Union which he said limits common thinking about the future of the continent to current EU members. None of the European countries should be left out from this process, especially countries of the Western Balkans that have been on the “thorny path” of European integration for years, he added.
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