Democracies should respond to the global pandemic through renewed adherence to democratic principles of the Warsaw Declaration- emphasized the CoD Governing Council Member States in the Bucharest statement adopted at the CoD Anniversary Conference. The Conference was held online on June 26th and was hosted by the CoD Presidency Romania.

‘’The Community of Democracies was founded two decades ago with the idea that democracy faces changing threats and new opportunities. The global pandemic is one such challenge. I very much welcome the Member States’ statement, which sends a clear message to those who have said democracy is ill-equipped to address the pandemic, and highlights that the exact opposite is true: the values of the Warsaw Declaration represent the ultimate immune system of our democracies. Drafted in 2000, the Warsaw Declaration is fresh and current for 2020.’’- said Secretary General Thomas E. Garrett