The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anġlu Farrugia, held a high-level meeting today with Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), at the Parliament of Malta.

Discussions focused on Malta's ongoing Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, with Speaker Farrugia outlining the country's key priorities for its term. These include promoting democratic resilience, strengthening the rule of law, and reinforcing human rights across the continent.

The meeting also addressed several pressing regional matters. Speaker of the House of Representatives Farrugia and President Roussopoulos discussed the prospects of Kosovo's accession to the Council of Europe, highlighting the importance of inclusion, dialogue, and institutional development in the region. They also shared perspectives on the situation in Ukraine, expressing firm support for the country's sovereignty and the need for sustained international engagement and solidarity.

Other regional issues of mutual concern were also raised during the meeting, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to the Council of Europe's role as a guardian of democratic values and multilateral cooperation across its member states.

Also present at the meeting was the head of the Maltese delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Naomi Cachia, the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ms Despina Chatzivassiliou, who contributed to the discussions and underlined the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in addressing current European challenges.

The meeting served as a window of opportunity to reflect the strong relationship between Malta and the Council of Europe, and the shared commitment to upholding the core values of the Organisation during Malta's Presidency and beyond.