The execution of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings is a prerequisite for delivering justice in Cyprus, ensuring a future of peace, security, and prosperity for all Cypriots, said MP Nikos Tornaritis on Monday. Tornaritis made the statement while attending a conference in Rome marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Council of Europe and NATO.
According to a statement from the House of Representatives, Mr Tornaritis, head of the Cypriot delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), participated in the conference titled “75th Anniversary of the Council of Europe and NATO as Pillars of Democratic Security.”
In his address, Mr Tornaritis noted that Cyprus’s participation in the Council of Europe brings additional hope for the restoration of citizens’ human rights, which have been violated for fifty years due to the 1974 Turkish invasion and the ongoing occupation of part of the island.
He stated that ECHR rulings are particularly important in this context, as they document Turkey’s violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cyprus. Executing these rulings, he added, is essential to delivering justice that will ensure a future of peace, security, and prosperity for all Cypriots.
Mr Tornaritis praised the prominent role of the Council of Europe in promoting democratic principles and values, upholding the rule of law, and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. He also highlighted the Organisation’s significant contribution to maintaining unity, peace, and security in Europe.
Today, Mr Tornaritis emphasised, amid ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, as well as other complex challenges, it is crucial for the Council of Europe to further strengthen its significant role, harnessing the declared political will of member states to reinforce its influence, as expressed at the Council’s Summit of Heads of State in Reykjavik in 2023.
At the same time, the Cypriot MP stressed that member states must fully and unwaveringly adhere to the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Organisation’s acquis, and the decisions and recommendations of its institutions.
Mr Tornaritis noted that Cyprus, which joined the Council of Europe in 1961, is fully represented in all its institutional bodies, while also highlighting that the country has signed and ratified a substantial number of conventions to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of its citizens.
He further stated that both the Council of Europe and NATO share a commitment to safeguarding and promoting democratic values, and to preserving peace, stability, and security in Europe.
“Apart from the significant benefits and achievements that we must acknowledge,” he said, “it is important to reflect on weaknesses and the underestimation of risks, so we can be better prepared to face future challenges.”
Source: CNA/ZS/MK
