10.6.2009

WELCOME BY MR LLUĺS MARIA DE PUIG,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

TO DR THOMAS MIROW, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROEPAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (EBRD)

(Strasbourg, Tuesday 23 June 2009, 3 p.m., Chamber)


Doctor Mirow, on your first visit to Strasbourg as the new President of the EBRD, I am pleased to welcome you in our Parliamentary Assembly. In July of last year you took over the leadership of the EBRD, succeeding to Jean Lemierre. We look forward to continued close cooperation between our two institutions towards anchoring the rule of law, democracy and socio-economic development as a foundation of stability in our member states.

The protracted financial and economic crisis has shaken up our society so much that its tremors have rippled through all countries, all institutions, all sectors of human activity on our continent. Just a year ago we hoped to escape the gloom of the storm. Yet the worst started to unfold last autumn, affecting most seriously the younger democracies in Europe despite their otherwise considerable achievements in reform. We now face a real threat that some hard won acquis we are so proud of in Europe might erode. We cannot allow this to happen.

In this extraordinary situation, both the Council of Europe and the EBRD face new tasks. We have to be vigilant about our resources whilst doing our utmost to help our member states uphold good governance and high ethical standards - in the public and private sectors. Parliaments and parliamentarians have special responsibilities in this regard and I trust that our debate today - with your precious input, Doctor Mirow - will better equip us all to make well informed decisions.

Doctor Mirow, we look forward to listening to you.