“Our future cannot be built in isolation or through the use of force. It must be rooted in accountability, cooperation and respect for the rules we have set for ourselves,” said H.S.H. Prince Albert II, with Monaco currently holding the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for the first time in its history.
In his address to the Parliamentary Assembly, the Prince reaffirmed Monaco’s deep commitment to the rule of law, justice, the safeguarding of fundamental freedoms and respect for human dignity.
Protecting Europe’s common legal heritage
Since joining the Council of Europe in 2004, Monaco has forged a vital bond with the organisation grounded in shared values and the conviction that small states have a special role to play in building Europe and upholding global equilibrium. This commitment is reflected in the priorities set out by the presidency.
In his speech, Prince Albert II paid tribute to the Council of Europe’s role as a community of law, built on a shared legal heritage and underpinned by robust mechanisms, foremost among them the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights.
“This system is only as strong as each state’s commitment to honouring its obligations and fully implementing the judgments handed down to it. It is a collective obligation from which no one is exempt – to step back from it is to weaken the entire edifice,” he said.
On Ukraine, he reiterated that Monaco had supported all initiatives demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces and reaffirming the country’s territorial integrity. “Violations of international law cannot pass without consequence. Lasting peace cannot be built on the violation of shared principles or the impunity of those who trample on them,” he said.
Current challenges demand a collective response
Prince Albert II stressed the need to defend multilateralism and to demonstrate its worth in the face of current challenges – be they wars, climate crises, technological threats or attacks on our democracies.
He reaffirmed Monaco’s deep commitment to protecting the environment, emphasising that the response could only be a collective one, “based on scientific knowledge, international cooperation and our responsibility towards future generations”.
“The case-law of the European Court of Human Rights also reminds us that environmental damage has very tangible consequences for the rights enshrined in the Convention,” he added.
The Prince called on the Parliamentary Assembly to press ahead with its deliberations on recognising the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
“Protecting nature means safeguarding the very conditions under which the rights we defend today can be exercised tomorrow,” he said.
“In a fragmented world, it falls to us to preserve spaces where nations can come together, understand one another and act in the service of peace, stability and progress. For multilateralism is a treasure that we must protect and nurture. For it is our shared destiny”, he concluded.
Meeting with Secretary General Berset
During his visit, Prince Albert II met the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, to discuss strengthening cooperation with the Principality of Monaco and taking forward the priorities of the Presidency, in particular those relating to the environment, sport and the protection of young people against violence and radicalisation.
The talks also covered support for Ukraine, combating the manipulation of information and foreign interference and strengthening democracy and public confidence in institutions, particularly through the New Democratic Pact for Europe.
The Prince’s visit also included meetings with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Petra Bayr, and the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar.
