Address by the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Ian Borg, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Malta

Meeting 1524 of the Permanent Council

12 June 2025, Vienna

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

I would join the other colleagues expressing our condolences to the Austrian Mission and to Austrian People. Our hearts got o the victims and all those affected by the recent school shooting in Graz.

In this time of unimaginable grief, we stand in solidarity with the families, students, educators and community members whose lives have been forever challenged. No one should ever face such violence, especially in a place meant for learning and safety. We send our deepest condolences, strength, and hope for healing.

I wish to express our sincere appreciation to His Excellency Ian Borg, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Malta, for his comprehensive and forward-looking address.

We commend Malta for the ambitious and principled programme it is advancing during its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It is a testament to Malta’s deep commitment to the founding values of this Organization—democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Your Excellency, we salute your country’s growing role as a constructive and consistent actor on the multilateral stage—from your tenure on the UN Security Council to your effective Chairpersonship of the OSCE, and now, as a dynamic Presidency of the CoE. In each of these roles, Malta has shown principled leadership, especially in support of international justice and accountability, notably for Ukraine.

We fully align with your strong emphasis on the protection of the most vulnerable—and on the need to advance equality, inclusion, and youth participation in democratic life. These are values we deeply share.

We are particularly encouraged by Malta’s commitment to strengthening inter-institutional cooperation between the OSCE and the Council of Europe. At a time when our shared values call for renewed commitment and coherence, such efforts are essential.

In this context, we also recall with appreciation the late  Maltese Ambassador Lorenzo Vella, whose dedication to the values of the Council of Europe and his support for Kosova remain remembered and respected.

In this same spirit of inclusion and shared responsibility, we must give due attention to the matter of Kosova’s place within our common European family.

Kosova has earned its place in the community of European democracies. It does not ask for special treatment — only a fair and equal one. Like any society committed to our shared values, it asks for what is just: a seat at the table, for the protection of the European Convention on Human Rights, and the right for its citizens to be heard and represented.

Kosova has demonstrated its commitment to human rights, democratic reform, judicial independence, and the rule of law. It has met the expectations placed before it.

Now it is time for the Council of Europe to meet its own.

We deeply appreciate Malta’s consistent and principled position on this issue and urge all Member States to show the same clarity, the same fairness, and the same courage.

Kosova’s accession is not a procedural matter — it is a test of this Council’s credibility. The Committee of Ministers must move forward. All Europeans deserve the protection that comes with membership of the Council of Europe.

Excellency,

We thank you once again and express our full support to Malta’s Presidency of the Council of Europe. We look forward to continued cooperation between our institutions in advancing our shared values across the continent.

Thank you!