SPEECH BY MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY,

FOR MR ARNE KÖNIG, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS

(Strasbourg, Tuesday 25 January 2011, 10.15 A.M.)

Dear Mr König,

Thank you for joining us in this debate today. You are yourself an experienced journalist from Sweden, and the President of the European Federation of Journalists, with which the Assembly has always maintained close working contacts, as well as with its umbrella organisation, the International Federation of Journalists.

Professional journalists are vital for informing the public and nourishing political debates necessary in a democracy. This role is not being reduced, on the contrary, it is becoming even more crucial in the era of instant communications on the Internet. Journalists are also the first to feel restrictions on media freedom.

Your Federation, Mr König, has helped us to make our reports more relevant and precise. Your Federation has also participated in hearings of the European Court of Human Rights and thus contributed to the jurisprudence of the Court. It is therefore a great pleasure to have you among us for this debate. You have the floor.