Vaccination for Covid-19 cannot be made mandatory

AKEL MP G.Loukaides intervention in PACE debate:

6 December 2021, ‘Dialogos’ portal

Although vaccination is the only way to confront the Covid 19 pandemic, it cannot be made compulsory, as a relevant Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution notes too, AKEL MP Giorgos Loukaides pointed out during today’s session of the Political Affairs and Democracy Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Paris.

According to a press release, AKEL MP Giorgos Loukaides took part in a discussion on protecting the pillars of democracy during health crises.

Stressing the pivotal role that national parliaments must play in exercising parliamentary scrutiny, particularly in times of crisis, Giorgos Loukaides said that there must be continuous consultation with the executive power, so that any decisions taken are proportionate and respond to the need for enhanced transparency and accountability. Although vaccination is the only way forward to confront the Covid-19 pandemic, Giorgos Loukaides underlined, it cannot be made compulsory, as noted in a relevant PACE resolution.

AKEL MP G.Loukaides also referred to the issue of establishing a mechanism for establishing institutionalized cooperation between young people and the PACE.

The participation of young people in public affairs, he stressed, is crucial for the proper functioning and credibility of democratic institutions and constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for the legitimacy of public policies.

However, G.Loukaides noted that in recent years there has been a general detachment/disengagement of young people, who are distancing themselves from decision-making processes on policies that affect them. In order to curb this trend, Giorgos Loukaides emphasized that it is important to encourage young people to participate in public affairs and for their views to be taken into account in the formulation and implementation of public policies.

At the same time, and in the light of the rise in hate rhetoric, intolerance and racism, the Cypriot MP said, we need to confront the real challenges and complex problems young people face, offer alternatives and facilitate their access to public life.

Our goal, he stated, must be for young people to become autonomous, creative and active citizens and to inject public policies with their own unique contribution and mark.

The establishment of an institutionalised relationship between young people and the PACE serves precisely these objectives and the consolidation of participatory democracy, G. Loukaides concluded.