The Prime Minister has pointed out at the Conference, held collaboratively by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the CoE and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that we live on a continent where freedom, democracy, and the rule of law still prevail, but we do not need to look far to see how bad it would be without them.
‘But we must not fall into a trap of unfounded confidence that Europe’s most cherished achievements will remain secure without our sincere effort to defend them,’ said the Prime Minister.
Lithuanian Presidency will make a sincere effort to uphold the ideals of the Charter and to work together with other members of the organisation to achieve its key objectives and presidency priorities.
‘The European Social Charter is comprised of principles and aims that define us – as Europeans and as democracies –, and through its ideals, the Charter offers us a roadmap to social justice, inclusion, prosperity and progress. However, these are unattainable without peace, security, and freedom. And whenever peaceful order collapses, attention is inevitably diverted to threats that are existential, and the weak suffer the most.
‘Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified, and brutal war is a reminder that freedom – and everything that thrives thanks to it – cannot be taken for granted. And today, by helping to defend Ukraine’s freedom, we defend our own. We defend values of the European Social Charter,’ underlined the Head of Government.
For the first time in the Baltic States, the Conference brings together European social policy leaders, parliamentarians, representatives of international organisations, social partners, civil society and academia – more than 250 participants – to discuss the ways to accelerate the progress on Member States’ commitments under the European Social Charter and to sign a political declaration highlighting them.
