As delivered by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe

President of the Republic of Bulgaria,

Foreign Minister,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to be here today, marking this important anniversary.

Thirty years ago, Bulgaria signalled a turning point in its history when it acceded to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Convention occupies a central place in the constellation of European justice.

Every one of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states has ratified it.

Among other things, it guarantees the rights to life, liberty and security –

To private and family life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and expression, assembly and association.

It prohibits torture, slavery and forced labour –

And it guarantees the rights to a fair trial, effective remedy and no punishment without law.

These rights belong to every individual in our member states.

And each has the ultimate right of appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, which interprets and upholds the Convention.

This is an extraordinary achievement.

No other continent has built anything like it.

And it is right that Bulgaria is at the heart of this European success story.

What we have shaped is a human rights culture, protecting us all, on the basis of common legal standards.

This has been transformative.

It is, after all, thanks to the Convention that not one of our member states inflicts the death penalty on its citizens –

A major marker of European morality.

Of course, every country has its own practices and challenges.

And every member state has made changes to its laws and conduct in order to implement the Convention and the judgments of the Court.

This process helps governments to guarantee their citizens’ rights.

And, over the years, Bulgaria has implemented well over 600 judgments and decisions by means of friendly settlement.

As a result, this country’s rules and practice on
pre-trial detention have improved.

So too has the framework around the restitution of property.

And there have been important changes around the police use of firearms too.

These, and many other changes, have been to the benefit of Bulgaria and its people.

There remain some outstanding issues to address –

And in doing so, Bulgaria’s authorities will of course have the support of the Council of Europe.

It is also important on occasions like this to look forward.

Yes, Bulgaria has benefitted from ratifying the European Convention on Human Rights –

And the Convention system – and citizens across our continent – have gained from Bulgaria’s contribution to the Council of Europe’s work –

Our standard-setting, our monitoring, and our
co-operation activities too.

But this is not a static process.

The Court has been clear that the Convention is a “living instrument”.

That is to say that while our values remain constant, the challenges to our human rights do not and the Convention must be interpreted in the light of present-day conditions.

The modern world is complex and fast moving.

It has developed in ways that were simply unimaginable when the Convention was written in the wake of the Second World War.

The Court has responded by applying the Convention to the new realities it has confronted over the years.

And the Council of Europe has drawn on the principles of the Convention to develop specific tools that deal with particular challenges and the evolution of our understanding of the problems we face.

This process continues.

For example, right now, our member states are considering new instruments on human rights and the environment –

Drawing from Court judgments and recognising the ways in which environmental harm puts fundamental rights at risk.

And we are developing a range of tools, including a new, binding and transversal instrument on Artificial Intelligence and human rights –

So that AI develops in a way that upholds human rights and does not undermine them.

In this – in all of our work to protect and promote human rights – we look to Bulgaria and every one of our member states –

So that our work harnesses the talent that exists across Europe –

And the rights laid out in the Convention put down ever deeper roots.

A further way in which I hope this will happen is ratification by the European Union.

The EU has long been committed to making that happen.

And the technical work continues between their experts and the Council of Europe’s.

Progress is being made.

Good will exists on both sides.

And I hope that we will soon be in a position to move forward.

After all, the two Organisations share values and work together on many issues of common concern.

Ratification would further ensure coherence in our relationship and human rights protection on our continent.

Ladies and gentlemen, the determination to take positive steps like these is vitally important.

Otherwise, we risk backsliding with all the consequences that brings.

Over recent years we have seen the rise of extreme populism and nationalism in Europe.

Those who stand behind it often attack the very idea of human rights and institutions and multilateralism that ensure it.

Where they succeed, citizens suffer.

To see this, we need only look East.

The Russian Federation’s brutal, illegal and ongoing aggression against Ukraine has caused devastation and the terrible loss of life.

This is a rupture not only with the principles of human rights, but with democracy and the rule of law too –

A flagrant violation of the Council of Europe’s Statute.

Now excluded from our Organisation, Russia is no longer a party to the European Convention on Human Rights –

And the Russian people have lost the protections that were rightfully theirs.

This is the horrible reality made inevitable by their government’s actions.

It must not be a sign of more to come.

Europeans deserve better than this.

But delivering it requires all of us to play our part.

To show the strength, commitment and will to defend the rights that benefit us all.

So, you are right to mark this important milestone in Bulgaria’s European journey.

What you have achieved through the Convention, over thirty years, has been far-reaching and positive.

And so has your contribution to implementing that Convention across our continent.

Together, our member states can go on to achieve much more.

I look forward to seeing Bulgaria’s contribution to the better future that Europe deserves.

Thank you.