“The Reykjavík Declaration reaffirmed member states’ commitment to democratic values and standards and agreed a set of 10 Principles of Democracy by which to measure and address the health of our democracies. These principles cover participatory democracy, the separation of powers and the rule of law. I trust these Principles will form an integral part of these EPC discussions”, declared Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić while addressing the European Political Community Meeting at Blenheim Palace.
The Secretary General took stock of the Reykjavik Summit and reiterated the importance of education to develop a culture of democracy. She also referred to the need to put civil society at the centre of our work and to counter hate speech online and offline. "There cannot be full democracy without protecting and promoting human rights and the rule of law", she concluded.
A meeting with David Lammy, United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, was also on the agenda.
