I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. We would like to express our appreciation for the achievements of President Theodoros Rousopoulos. We especially welcome Mr. Rousopoulos’s steady commitment to upholding the Parliamentary Assembly’s and the Council of Europe’s principles and standards, which guided his work throughout his mandate.  His two-year term was marked by important challenges, calling for difficult decisions to be made. The accountability