Speech by Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok at the Council of Europe
Reforms to protect media freedom after a journalist was prosecuted and convicted for a report about extremists…
Better protection for peaceful demonstrations after a protest was banned…
And ongoing reforms to combat domestic violence after a man killed his wife and son…
These are just three examples of how individual countries have fulfilled their responsibility in recent decades after judgments by the European Court of Human Rights…
And of how a great idea – protecting human rights – can improve lives...
…with drops of freedom so small that you might not notice them, but together ensure a constant flow of gradual change.
This is the true potential of the Council of Europe: promoting greater freedom for us all while preserving the autonomy of member states.
Today, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights.
By cherishing its achievements, certainly, but above all by looking forward. Protecting democratic values requires constant vigilance. That is why the Council of Europe was created, and why it’s still important today.
Or perhaps I should say, especially today… when we are facing and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. And when people’s lives, homes, jobs and rights are under threat in places like Nagorno-Karabakh and Belarus. Because democratic values are not half-promises you make when the sun is shining. They are there to protect us when it storms...
Whether it concerns our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, justice for the 298 victims of the downing of flight MH17 and their next of kin, or better protection for women and the LGBTI community, the power of the Council stands or falls with the political backbone of its member states…
Membership means taking responsibility…
…when it comes to implementing the Court’s binding judgments, for example. Because when states fail to do so, this severely undermines the credibility of the Convention system.
But also when it comes to the rights of journalists, who can protect our democracies, especially in a time of disinformation. Journalists should be able to work without obstruction and intimidation… a core theme of the World Press Freedom Conference we are hosting in December.
And lastly, taking responsibility when it comes to tackling major challenges. Domestic violence, for instance. The Istanbul Convention can significantly improve the lives of women whose homes are not safe havens, but places where they must endure violence, hidden from public view.
We deeply regret that this great achievement of the Council of Europe has become controversial and turned into an obstacle for a common response of the Committee of Ministers to the challenges we face.
So I call on all member states to sign and ratify the Convention, and on those who already have, to uphold its provisions.
They say… with age, comes responsibility.
So let’s celebrate today’s special occasion by recommitting ourselves to the values our predecessors signed up to 70 years ago.
Thank you.