PACE President Theodoros Roussopoulos delivers lecture at YSU

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Theodoros Roussopoulos, visited Yerevan State University, accompanied by Armenian MP Vladimir Vardanyan and Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Armen Papikyan. During his visit, Theodoros Roussopoulos delivered a lecture on the role and objectives of the Council of Europe (CoE), underscoring the significance of human rights and democracy.

In his lecture, the PACE president emphasized that if a country wishes to join the European Union, it must first embrace the core values of the Council of Europe—democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
"A country that proves its commitment to the values of Europe can become a member of the EU, even if it has not yet fully established democracy within its borders and still has much work to do in that direction," he stated.

He emphasized that the concept of democracy may be old, but it is not old-fashioned: "Democracy is for you and for all of us—for those who strive to succeed in life and to build a better future for ourselves and our children. And remember, when we speak about democracy, we are not talking about something that is simply given to us—it is something we must fight for. The Council of Europe is the very institution that stands by states and peoples in this struggle. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe provides a platform for the parliamentarians of its member states to advocate for the realization of these ideas and values. And often, words alone are tools and weapons enough to fight for."

Following the lecture, students addressed a number of questions to Theodoros Rousopoulos, including topics such as Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, the release of Armenian prisoners of war, and the signing of a peace agreement.

In response, Theodoros Rousopoulos emphasized that Azerbaijan’s delegation to PACE has had its credentials suspended due to the country’s failure to comply with the Council of Europe's regulations. He explained that one of the key reasons for the suspension was Azerbaijan’s refusal to allow CoE rapporteurs to visit penitentiary institutions to meet with detainees and convicts. Furthermore, the Azerbaijani authorities did not invite CoE observers to monitor the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections. Additionally, he noted that PACE rapporteurs were denied access to the Lachin Corridor.

Theodoros Rousopoulos stressed that the Parliamentary Assembly regularly issues reports highlighting the issues with Azerbaijan.
"We do not remain silent. Through our actions, we compel countries that violate our laws to revise their approach," he underscored.

He also encouraged young people to follow the official website of the Council of Europe, where they can find answers to numerous questions, particularly regarding the functions of the CoE.