Greece has the historic obligation to be a leader in this era of major challenges for the cause of human rights, was the message sent by Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, in his address at the Conference on “Legal Challenges of Europe of the Future”, organized by the European Public Law Organization (EPLO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Region of Attica, in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe. He also added that “we will continue to promote issues of European Principles and Values that are at the core of the Union, exactly as we did this year with the Recovery Fund and the EU Digital COVID Certificate.”
In particular, Mr. Varvitsiotis made specific historical references to the importance that the Greeks always attached to the observance of the law and pointed out that the struggle for the protection of Human Rights is ongoing and must be done without any compromise. “We are entering an era of major challenges for the Rule of Law and Human Rights, and this issue will be the focus of European institutional integration in the future”, he pointed out.
The Alternate Minister then outlined the challenges that Greece and the European Union are called upon to manage in the post-COVID era, stressing the need to protect the fundamental European Values in the face of the pandemic-induced restrictions. He also recalled that Greece played a leading part in this issue last year, when, during the Greek Chairmanship of the Council of Europe, the adoption of the Joint Declaration of Athens was achieved.
The Alternate Minister also referred to the migration challenge, as on the one hand there is the need to protect the borders and on the other hand the need to protect asylum seekers, as well as the issues of family reunification and access to justice. In the same context, he underscored the need to shield ourselves against populism, misinformation, fake news and the inadequate protection of minorities, even in countries within the European Union.
For this reason, the Alternate Minister called on all Greeks to offer their proposals on the issues of Democracy, the Rule of Law and Human Rights, in the context of the National Dialogue on the Future of Europe. “Greater participation of Greeks in the Conference will strengthen our voice and our presence in Europe. Our will and aspiration is for Greece to undertake a leading role in the European dream. Greece has both the historical background and the active presence today, but in the future it aims to position itself at the forefront of the struggle for more Europe, more freedoms and rights”, he said.
The Minister of State, Mr. Georgios Gerapetritis, was the keynote speaker. The Director of EPLO, Professor Mr. Spyridon Flogaitis, the Regional Governor of Attica, Mr. Georgios Patoulis, and the Italian Constitutional Court Judge and former Prime Minister, Mr. Giuliano Amato, also addressed the Conference.