The 2nd International Forum “Development of Parliamentarism” began its work in Moscow. The first plenary session is held in the World Trade Center on Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya. After that thematic sections and round tables where the role of lawmakers in ensuring international security, legislative solutions for the development of the digital economy, as well as the environmental legislative agenda, the fight against fake news and other important topics to be discussed will take place.
Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich
The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast)
made a welcoming speech. He noted that “the Forum is becoming an authoritative platform for the exchange of best legislative practices and parliamentary experience.”
According to the Chairman of the State Duma, through constructive communication, parliamentarians increase the efficiency of interaction on issues requiring joint decisions, including on sustainable development, international security, environmental protection, fighting poverty and inequality, countering terrorism, drug trafficking, and illegal migration.
Viacheslav Volodin also urged his colleagues to work on the adoption of model laws and ”do everything to protect international law and protect those rules that largely determine the progressive development of our countries.“
Another topic, on which, according to Viacheslav Volodin, parliamentarians of all countries shall work together, is the protection of digital sovereignty. At the same time, he stressed that it is also necessary to work together on the development of the digital economy as the economy of the future.
The need for interfaith dialogue
Chairwoman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko also wished the Forum participants a good and fruitful work. She urged all parliaments to participate in the World Conference on Inter-faith and Inter-civilizational Dialogue, which will be held in Russia on May 21, 2022.
Valentina Matvienko reminded that in May 2018, the UN supported the organization of the World Conference on inter-faith and inter-civilizational dialogue with the participation of state leaders, parliamentarians, and representatives of leading world religions in its resolution.
The Chairwoman of the Federation Council also congratulated everyone on the International Day of Parliamentarism, which is celebrated on June 30. This memorable date appeared in the official calendar of the United Nations on May 22, 2018, upon the suggestion of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. This suggestion was initiated by the Russian delegation.
Creation of obstacles is unacceptable
Speaking at the Forum “Development of Parliamentarism”, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia considers it unacceptable to create obstacles to the work of parliamentary delegations on international platforms, and hopes that the situation with the deprivation of Russian parliamentarians of their rights in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe “won’t repeat anywhere.“
“As representatives of the legislative power, you plan to pay increased attention to the legal aspects of international cooperation. This is especially needed in a situation where individual UN member states, bypassing the Security Council, impose unilateral illegitimate sanctions, including, as already mentioned, discriminatory restrictions on parliamentarians,” said Sergey Lavrov.
He stressed that Russia considers unacceptable ”the use of politically motivated restrictions, especially the creation of obstacles to the full-fledged participation of the parliamentary delegation in the work of multilateral associations.“
Lawmakers are pillars of democratic legitimacy
Welcoming the participants of the Forum, Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Andrej Danko noted the importance of the issues to be discussed. “All these issues have a common character — the need for cooperation between states and continents,” he stressed. Andrej Danko also pointed out the irreplaceability of national parliaments in the functioning of different countries. “Legislators are pillars of democratic legitimacy. We represent citizens,” he said.
“We are pleased that Russia can again take the full-fledged part in the work of PACE. Europe needs Russia, and I am glad that the votes of Slovak parliamentarians contributed to this,” he also said.
Dialogue and cooperation
In his welcoming speech Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Şentop stressed that all countries of the world “need channels for dialogue and cooperation. We believe that parliamentary diplomacy has begun to play a very important role,” which is confirmed, according to him, by such a representative Forum. He also expressed the hope that the Forum would strengthen bilateral ties between Russia and Turkey.
Mustafa Şentop urged parliamentarians to join efforts to counter the threats of international terrorism and extremism, as well as to enhance the role of international law institutions.
“International organizations like the United Nations should protect all people, not just individual countries,” he said.
The role of young people in the development of parliamentarism
Speaker of the House of Representatives of Egypt Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed noted that the Forum is being held at the time when economic, political and cultural conflicts are taking place in the world. “Parliaments, as representatives of nations, play a very important role in countering these conflicts and are at the forefront of combating these challenges,” he said and stressed that it is necessary to find solutions together to overcome these problems. The development of parliamentarism can play an effective role in this. The International Forum, as he said, is an important mechanism that can contribute to further in-depth discussion of the issues facing the whole world. He also urged to discuss the role of young people as the “main nerve of society” in the development of parliamentarism.
Joint efforts to address global challenges
Chairman of the Majlisi Milli of the Majlisi Oli of Tajikistan Mahmadsaid Ubaydulloyev stressed that “globalization processes objectively require the formation of a new form of inter-parliamentary cooperation.”
He also thanked the organizers of the Forum for the invitation.
“Modern parliamentarism, as the most democratic institution of people’s representation, exercising legislative power, as we see it, is intended to legally promote worldwide universal progressive development of society, to unite efforts to address global problems, eliminate threats and challenges that concern the world community,” said Mahmadsaid Ubaydulloyev.
He stressed that it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of all countries to address global challenges.
“Tajikistan, as an equal member of the world community, has always been committed to a policy aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation, implementation of comprehensive confidence — building measures in the political, economic, environmental and humanitarian spheres through constructive dialogue,” concluded Mahmadsaid Ubaydulloyev.
Countering terrorism
The President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos stressed that “the issues of the agenda of the Forum “Development of Parliamentarism” and the Conference “Russia-Africa” make us think how parliaments could become a catalyst to address these issues.”
The President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola called international terrorism one of the key threats facing the world and the decision to counter it should be found together.
“The increase in the number of terrorist attacks took place because cultural and religious issues often divide people, the number of young people joining terrorist organizations is growing. It is necessary to seek solutions to these issues to ensure peaceful cultural and religious coexistence of nationals,” he stressed.
“Parliaments should be more involved in preventing conflicts and protecting human rights,” said Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos.
Confronting poverty and extremism
The Speaker of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates Amal Al Qubaisi expressed her deep gratitude to the Russian Parliament and separately to the Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin for the invitation to the Forum. She noted that the Forum is an important event for the development of cooperation between the two countries. Amal Al Qubaisi emphasized the relevance of the topics raised at the Forum, especially the fight against poverty, terrorism and extremism. She called for active use of the potential of the young people to solve all the raised issues.
In addition, the Speaker of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates proposed to adopt at the round table on the fight against fake news, a final document that includes the legislative practice of various countries. “The challenges of the future are our common responsibility,” she said.
Inter-parliamentary interaction
Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic Ararat Mirzoyan thanked for the invitation.
“I am confident that at such an authoritative International Forum we will have a constructive exchange of views on key issues of parliamentary cooperation,” said Ararat Mirzoyan.
He noted that the growing role of parliaments in international relations is particularly evident, as now the mechanisms of inter-parliamentary interaction to address issues of global and regional security, ecology, etc. are in great demand. Ararat Mirzoyan in this regard emphasized the role of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Ararat Mirzoyan also was glad to note the return of the Russian Federation to PACE. “I am confident that the efficient and well-coordinated work of all delegations will bear fruit,” he said.
In addition, speaking of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that his country supports only a peaceful, diplomatic solution of this issue.
Harmonization of legislation
Margaret Mensah-Williams, Chairwoman of the National Council of Namibia, called for work to harmonize and bring together the laws of various countries.
“We need to harmonize our laws. We may have different approaches, but we have more in common than differences. We have reason to learn the best practices from each other,” she said.
She also called for the introduction of uniform trade rules for all countries and for avoiding the policy of trade barriers.
Margaret Mensah-Williams thanked President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Russian authorities, stressing that Russia ”has always provided assistance to Namibia in the struggle for the independence.”
“Namibia and Russia continue to maintain great bilateral relations,” said the Chairperwoman of the National Council, highlighting the technical assistance from Russia, as well as the fact that there are a huge number of doctors in their country who studied in Moscow.
Struggle for universal equality
Chairman of the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Asad Qaiser noted that “it is important to know that this Forum is increasingly helping to strengthen inter-parliamentary ties around the world.”
“We, the parliamentarians, should be on the front line struggling for universal equality, fighting against poverty and other challenges,” he added.
Asad Qaiser stressed that the parliamentarians should be mediators in resolving various international conflicts, a compromise can be reached only with their help.
Multipolar world and democracy
The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she was glad to be in Russia — “a country that presents many initiatives in the IPU, actively participates in many commissions.” She recalled that the Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated for the second time, as well as the 130th anniversary of the establishment of the IPU. In this regard, she noted that the parliamentarians of all countries have “a great responsibility — to represent our people.”
“Parliament is the heart of democracy,” the IPU President believes. She also said that it is necessary to fight together against the sanctions that are being imposed on parliamentarians.
“Imposition of sanctions against parliamentarians counters the practice of democracy,” says Gabriela Cuevas Barron.
Multipolar world is especially important now, in an era of global challenges and conflicts, and the IPU President believes that the development of parliamentarism is necessary in this regard.
About the Forum
The Second International Forum “Development of Parliamentarism” is held on July 1–3 on the initiative of the State Duma. This year, representatives from 132 countries are expected to participate in the Forum. About 800 foreign guests and delegations from 14 international parliamentary organizations will take part in the events. 41 speakers representing the national parliament will take part in the Forum.
The Forum will also host the Parliamentary Conference “Russia-Africa”.
