site.btaPresident Radev in Strasbourg Calls for Measures to Stop Europe from Getting Further Divided

President Rumen Radev called in Strasbourg for taking measures to prevent Europe getting further divided and for countering hate speech that hinders the building of goodneighbourly relations, the President's Press Secretariat said on Monday.

During his meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, Radev said that Bulgaria highly values its partnership with the Council of Europe in crucial areas such as the rule of law and the protection of human rights, which are among the foundations of a civilized society and democracy. The President is in Strasbourg at Berset's invitation, where he also spoke with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Michael O' Flaherty and visited the European Court of Human Rights.

The Bulgarian head of State expressed his support for having the Council of Europe leadership activate the main functions of the organization considering the numerous threats to democracy including the rise of populism and radicalization of various social groups across Europe. Radev also highlighted corruption, the undermining of the rule of law and human rights, which should be tackled with unwavering commitment by the responsible institutions. As a top priority, the President pointed to education and the inclusion of young people in the values and principles of democracy.

Bulgaria is part of the efforts of the General Secretariat to profile topics of significant interest to Europe such as overcoming inequalities and boosting development, Radev said during his talks with Berset.

At his meeting with O' Flaherty, Radev highlighted the need to prevent new divisions in Europe. This problem is particularly acute in South-Eastern Europe, where mistrust, hate speech and disregard for human rights hinder the building of goodneighbourly relations and cooperation. The agenda also included the integration of the Roma community in Bulgaria, as well as the international community's actions in defence of the rights of people, especially children, affected by the war in Ukraine.