18.06.2010

SPEECH BY MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE,

FOR MR IVO JOSIPOVIĆ, PRESIDENT OF CROATIA

(STRASBOURG, MONDAY 21 JUNE 2010, NOON)

Dear President, it is an honour and a pleasure to welcome a good friend of the Council of Europe to this Chamber. May I recall that in the past you acted as a Council of Europe expert and therefore know our Organisation very well.

Your career is linked to us also in many other ways – you are a reputed lawyer, so like us, you have been defending the rule of law, democracy and human rights in your country. You were a member of parliament, so like us you have been promoting values and principles emanating from the people and aimed at the people. Finally, you are also a well-known composer, so like this Organisation you have been a master in making many different European voices sound in harmony.

Croatia will hopefully soon become a fully-fledged member of the European Union and, in that respect, can serve as a model in South-Eastern Europe. You were elected as President at the time that the economic crisis was shaking Europe, but you have been determined to improve living standards, bring more social justice and fight corruption and organised crime. We wish you every success and look forward to hearing from you your ideas and thoughts about the present and future of your country.

President, you have the floor.