Russia's illegal and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has changed the international order and

made the European Union a geopolitical entity and, to that extent the possibility of creating new standards

for the enlargement of European Union. However, the keyword in this process is commitment.

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.

But it must be a shared commitment also in implementing reforms and to transform the reforms into

reality.

And the necessary reforms include: - strengthening the rule of law,

- the fight against corruption, and

- the independence of justice and media freedom

Defending these reforms is paramount for protecting democracy. As the report states: a closer European

integration is important not only for the countries concerned but for the European continent and the

European citizens.

Thank you.

❖

“Utilização indevida do Sistema de Informação Schengen pelos Estados-Membros do Conselho da

Europa para impor sanções por motivos políticos” (Doc. 15600). Foi adotada a a Resolução 2458 (2022),

a 11 de outubro. A Deputada Catarina Rocha Ferreira (PSD), participou no debate com a seguinte

intervenção:

Dear Mr. President,

Dear Colleagues,

First of all, let me remind this Assembly that the free movement of

persons, established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, is a cornerstone of the

European Union citizenship.

And to this regard, the conclusion of the two Schengen agreements represented a key milestone.

In addition, this is a domain in which the Council of Europe has been active since the early years of its

existence.

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