Wolfgang Gerhard: Implementation of the Constitution depends on a strong civil society

Implementation of all rights and freedoms defined in the constitution of any state depends on the quality of the civil society, said Wolfgang Gerhard, the President of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, a leader of the Free Democratic Party (1995-2001) of Germany, during the 8th Kyiv Security Forum organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

“It is not enough to have something fixed in the Constitution. A lot depends on what is the quality of society, which is the public perception of these freedoms,” - he said.

The expert noted that Europe was able, despite all the difficulties it faced, achieve the wording of human rights and upholding of these essential freedoms.

"The political philosophy of civil society and human rights is the main prerequisite. People should be protected from physical and psychological violence, deprivation of liberty by decision of authoritarian regimes," - he stressed.

However, W.Gerhard noted that in some European countries, such as Russia, these principles are not respected; people undergo tortures and violations of their rights.

"The full participation of civil society leads to the establisment of this society and triumph over obstacles that are not constitutional, but purely social," - he said.

For your information:
The annual international event ‘Kyiv Security Forum’, established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007 is a platform for discussion of the most pressing issues concerning the security in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum is aimed at promoting security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Region, raising awareness of the development of security among key players and strengthening the role of independent and non-governmental actors in solving security problems in Europe.