The Community of Democracies Launches the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy

“Founding our work is the simple idea that a parliament is the central institution of democracy, we commit to strengthen the role of national parliaments in our own countries and, in each of them, the functions of representation, legislation and oversight of the Executive.” – Vilnius Declaration Establishing the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy

Lithuania hosted a two-day meeting on March 11 and 12, 2010, establishing the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy (PFD), consisting of parliamentarians from nations representing the Community of Democracies (CD). Current or former parliamentarians from Lithuania, Mexico, the United States, the Czech Republic, Georgia and other CD countries were convened to launch this initiative to strengthen democratic institutions (particularly parliaments) based on their shared commitment to “work together to strengthen democracy where it is weak and invigorate even where it is longstanding, to promote the peace, development and human rights in their respective countries and around the world.” 

Primarily, the PFD will serve as a platform for parliamentarians to share best practices regarding democratization and engage their respective national governments to support and strengthen the institution of parliaments around the world. New and emerging democratic societies are priorities for the PFD as are countries where democracy is threatened. In regards to the latter point, the PFD passed two resolutions on the current situations in both Georgia and Cuba.

Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, who served as Lithuania’s Prime Minister after independence, gave the keynote speech to the attendees.  The keynote discussed the “Lithuanian Chairmanship of the CD: vision of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy activities.” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek each gave video addresses to the conference.

The PFD resolution on Cuba expressed concern over continued government oppression of pro-democracy movements building in the country.  The resolution called for increased freedoms, such as internet connectivity and accessibility to texting.  It further called for political prisoners to be released and honored Cuban democracy activists Orlandor Zapata Tamayo and Guillermo Farinas.  The resolution explains, “The Cuban pro-democracy movement requires greater recognition and dissemination and solidarity on the part of the Community of Democracies.”

The Parliamentary Forum passed another resolution deeply criticizing the behavior of Russia in the disputes over Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  The resolution specifically mentioned Russia’s failure to comply with the European Union-brokered ceasefire agreement and expressed deep concern for “ongoing militarization of Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”  The Parliamentary Forum called on Russia to allow monitoring of the area by the European Union. The full draft resolution may be read here. Another resolution was passed condemning the imprisonment of Chinese democracy activists, Liu Xiaobo.

A third resolution was written congratulating the efforts of the CD, which participants were encouraged to pass in their respective national legislatures.  The resolution outlines many accomplishments since its inception.  The Community of Democracies was created in June 2000 at a ministerial conference in Warsaw, Poland with the aim to support and strengthen democracy throughout the world through international cooperation between democratic governments.  Signatory governments have held subsequent conferences in Seoul (2002), Santiago (2005), Bamako (2007) and Lisbon (2009).  Lithuania currently serves a two year term as President of the CD and will hold its own ministerial conference in 2011. 

The PFD was convened in Vilnius, Lithuania on the anniversary of Lithuanian independence on 11 March 1990 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  It will be chaired by Emanuelis Zingeris, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lithuanian Parliament or Seimas, with 7 Vice-Presidents acting as its secretariat in planning its future activities.

Participants agreed to meet twice annually, once each year on March 11 in Lithuania and at least one other time each year.  These meetings will allow participants to collaborate on projects to strengthen fledgling democracies and reinvigorate current democracies.

In a speech to the PFD, CCD board member and former member of Canada's parliament David Kilgour stated, "We owe humanity the continued spread of multiparty democracy, pluralism and human rights." His full remarks may be found here.