Democracy must adapt to the new situation - Latvian MP

RIGA - Democracy must move with the times and adapt to the new situation without losing its core values, Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica (New Unity), head of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said during a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, in Strasbourg.

Kalnina-Lukasevica and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe discussed the Council of Europe's current work, as well as the situation in a number of member states.

The officials agreed that democracy must adapt to the new era without losing its core values.

New technologies, artificial intelligence, social platforms and other innovations of this century have changed people's lives, perceptions and habits, as well as the internal and external policies of countries, and have had an impact on each other, the Latvian lawmaker said.

The Secretary-General inquired about the Kalnina-Lukasevica's report "Foreign interference - a threat to democratic security in Europe", stressing that this issue is very relevant today. The Secretary-General's Office is also developing the concept of "Building a New Pact for Democracy" and looks forward to close and coordinated cooperation with the members of the PACE.

The head of the Latvian delegation highlighted a number of issues that are currently relevant to Latvia's foreign policy and security context, with a particular focus on Russia's expanding war in Ukraine and its war crimes. Berset stressed the role of the Council of Europe in ensuring compliance with international law: the Council of Europe is the only organization that is specifically working to ensure accountability in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe congratulated Latvia on the 30th anniversary of its membership of the Council of Europe, appreciating Latvia's contribution to the organization's work and its unwavering commitment to strengthening human rights and democratic principles.

During the meeting, the officials also discussed the agenda of the PACE, including the most pressing issues on the agenda of the Monitoring Committee chaired by Kalnina-Lukasevica - the situation in Georgia and Moldova. The officials also discussed an issue of particular importance to Latvia - the situation regarding the employment of Russian citizens in the Council of Europe.