The President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine An. Tassoulas met with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset, who is on a visit to Greece.
Mr. Tassoulas praised the role of the Council of Europe as the guardian of the values that constitute Europe’s common legal culture and commended its contribution to the defense of democracy, the rule of law and human rights on our continent and beyond.
He also stressed that in a period of global challenges, rapid geopolitical shifts, constant questioning of the international legal order and testing of democratic governance, multilateralism and international cooperation based on international law are more necessary than ever.
In this spirit, the President of the Hellenic Republic reiterated Greece’s commitment to the principles of the Council of Europe and to its obligations deriving from the Organization’s extensive conventional framework, with the European Convention on Human Rights as its cornerstone. At the same time, he praised the efforts of the Council of Europe to strengthen democracy, expressing Greece’s support for the promotion of the initiative for a “Democratic Pact for Europe.”
Finally, Mr. Tassoulas praised the multifaceted engagement of the Council of Europe in support of independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, recalling the need for strict compliance with international law, including the case of Turkey’s illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe expressed his gratitude for Greece’s commitment to the principles and values of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, as well as for our country’s support for his efforts to promote a “Democratic Pact for Europe.” Finally, he praised Greece’s contribution to the initiatives of the Council of Europe in favor of accountability and justice in Ukraine.
