The Dutch parliamentarian stressed that, in the last ten years, the Council of Europe PA had greatly contributed to the promotion and realisation of human rights and the rule of law, as well as the development of democracy. Despite facing economic problems itself, the PACE will continue to ensure human rights protection and insist on the implementation of its resolutions and recommendations in the interest of the 800 million citizens of the CE member states, said Timmermans.

The Head of the Assembly delegation Dragoljub Micunovic pointed out that the developed countries of the Council of Europe have a tendency to expand the authority of investigative bodies as part of their anti-terrorism struggle, which might impinge on some basic human rights. Micunovic considers the tendency of pronounced social stratification and formation of a hugely rich stratum opposed to a growing stratum of existentially threatened people a big challenge to the expansion of human liberties and rights in modern world. Therefore, he concluded that the deficit of social justice hinders the expansion of human rights and liberties.

Zeljko Ivanji stressed that the Council of Europe PA does not provide enough feedback on the implementation of its resolutions, recommendations and realisation of the goals they were aimed at.

Natasa Vuckovic warned that the infringement of citizens' socio-economic rights, particularly in under-developed states, has given rise to an increase in non-formal labour i.e. grey economy which has both a long-term impact on their exercising their freedoms and rights and other negative consequences.

Frans Timmermans opined that all European countries share this problem, emphasising the issue of rampant unemployment. He also stressed that the fight against crime and corruption should not be implemented to the detriment of basic human rights.