In his speech, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen made a strong commitment to Europe and its values, and reiterated Austria’s attachment to the Council of Europe. “Without the principles this organisation stands for,” he said, “we cannot have the Europe that we all want.” He stressed that democracy, human rights and the rule of law have to be regained every day and that hence “a premise, based on these values, is something that we need more than ever”.
In the face of “worrisome trends” with respect to these values in some member States, the Council of Europe should “revive the spirit of the strong basic consensus of its earlier years, especially after the fall of the Iron Curtain. It’s about Europe’s ability to take responsibility on the international stage, to show leadership, to radiate and to influence other regions, be they close or far away,” he said.
