Debate contributions by Željana ZOVKO

Madam President, dear Commissioner, if you didn't know, more than 38 million Christians suffer a high level of persecution and discrimination. Their homes and churches are destroyed, and believers face enormous pressure. In sub-Saharan Africa, violence is rising sharply. Eight out of the ten deadliest countries for Christians are in this region. This instability allows Christians to be targeted, while Islamic militants exploit the chaos to attack with impunity. In the Middle East, Christians are being driven underground. Emigration is transforming an ancient and once numerous community into a much smaller and endangered minority. Above all, the situation in Nigeria is alarming. Since 2009, more than 50 000 Christians have been brutally massacred. I recently visited Nigeria, where I raised the concern directly with the authorities, questioning why stronger protection is not being provided to Christian communities, and why attacks on their churches continue unchecked. These stories have been ignored for far too long by international media, but the silence must end. And in Abuja, I reminded the international community and your services – who are doing this mimicry of interreligious dialogue and sending some stupid projects to dialogue between religious leaders – and they are not leaving Abuja, the central government, and the protection in the capital city to check what is going on on the ground. So don't give us these speeches. This is going on for a few years. We had resolutions here. We asked the Commission to finally start doing their job, and you are not doing your job. The recent kidnapping of 300 schoolchildren from a Catholic school in Nigeria is a brutal reminder that these groups operate as though they are above the law. So history will judge us upon the actions that we are taking here.

Madam President, colleagues, the European Union stands at one of the most challenging geopolitical and economic crossroads in its recent history. China now controls around 60 % of global production and 90 % of the refining capacity for key materials. Its growing use of export controls is a stark reminder that trade can be weaponised and that our dependence on malign actors leaves us vulnerable. This is why the EU must invest in its own strategic capabilities. I welcome the launch of RESourceEU and increased funding for developing a secure, sustainable European supply chain. But this alone is not enough. We must de-risk from China, strengthen cooperation with like-minded partners and build resilient, strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific, Asia and Latin America. And, together with our transatlantic partners, we must confront unfair trade practices that are harming our businesses, our industries and our workers. And to those who advocate distancing ourselves from the United States, today's situation is a clear lesson: relying on China puts at risk our supply chains, our jobs and our economic security. Europe must lead by example by upholding WTO rules ...

Madam President, 30 years after the launch of the Barcelona Process, the Mediterranean stands at a crossroads. The profound changes reshaping the region demand a strong coordination response and a firm commitment to security, stability and prosperity. In this regard, the new pact for the Mediterranean represents a key milestone in our relations in a context of rising security challenges and geopolitical uncertainties. This pact will enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas such as trade, energy connectivity, security and migration through a new vision grounded in a principle of co-ownership and co-creation, we aim to redefine our engagement with the region and work on consolidating partnership among equals. In the area of education, the pact will importantly support the development of skills and ensure better adequacy between education and the skills needed in a labour market. This aspect is all the more important given that the lack of job opportunities for young people and the resulting brain drain is hindering economic development. I also welcome the commitment in the pact to enhance cooperation in security and defence, notably by exploring potential contribution by Southern Mediterranean partners to CSDP missions and operations. In the current context of rising security challenges, enhanced cooperation is key – notably in the area of maritime security and security of submarine cables and sanctions circumvention. Moreover, as rapporteur of ocean diplomacy in the European Parliament, I support the commitment to deepen cooperation in the field of ocean diplomacy, notably through an enhanced legal framework related to regional fisheries management. The inclusion of Mediterranean partners in the area of ocean diplomacy is positive, as it will pave the way for a level playing field and will prevent unfair competition for our fishermen. As a co-chair of the Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue, I also welcome the commitment mentioned in the pact to protect cultural heritage, including religious heritage. With the current geopolitical situation requiring stronger ties with like-minded partners, this pact gives us a unique opportunity to boost economic cooperation, improve stability and security, and above all, establish the basis for lasting peace along the shores of the Mediterranean. Congratulations, Commissioner.

Dear Chairman, Dear Commissioner, first of all my condolences to all those victims of the flood that we are now mentioning, which occurred a year ago in Spain, a beautiful country. And this great tragedy has warned us how important it is to prepare for the crises that await us. When, as rapporteur for the opinion on the new civil protection mechanism and back in 2018, I fought for its budget, which barely reached EUR 205 million, the health crisis, COVID, natural disasters made this, initially an undesirable European instrument, the only way to urgently help every European citizen wherever they are. Today, however, we are talking about the EUR 11 billion foreseen in the Union strategy on preparedness to invest in early warning, prevention and rapid response systems. This summer rescEU season has been activated 16 times. As Vice-President of the Intergroup on Resilience and Civil Protection, I am committed to channelling funds to first responders, our firefighters and rescue services. We supported the establishment of a European community of firefighters, welcomed the establishment of the the Firefighter Hub in Cyprus, an important step towards better coordination and joint training. But preparedness doesn't just mean reacting when a crisis occurs, it starts with planning.

Dear President, Madam Commissioner, Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as the end of the wars in the western Balkans, has made us aware that the only true tool for bringing peace and security to the borders of the European Union is the enlargement process. The western Balkan countries have been dragged through the labyrinth of bureaucratic procedures of the European Union and the philosophy of whether we can accept more countries in our EU family or whether we must first change the rules of decision making. So this report goes along this line as well, dear Mr Gozi, although I really appreciate your role in bringing Croatia to the table as well at a time when no one wanted to discuss these issue. But it's not the time to discuss treaty changes. Countries that have rejected the hegemonic approach of the big brothers in the unions of the past, those who escaped Russian hegemony in the Soviet Union, or Serbian dominance in former Yugoslavia, will never accept being placed in an unequal position in the decision-making process of further enlargement. That's the philosophy of further enlargement – we all have to be equal. The countries that are entering this Union are entering under the condition that they will be equal. So it's not about mercy, it's about the honesty to admit whether or not we want the further enlargement process.

Madam President, Commissioner, the announcement of an agreement on the Gaza peace plan proposed by President Trump came as a relief. Yet lasting peace requires clear commitment from all sides to address the real obstacles. As long as Hamas remains the sole security authority in Gaza, reconstruction and a genuine peace will remain out of reach. Its actions continue to undermine the security of both Israelis and Palestinians. The EU must show great determination to contribute to the success of President Trump's peace plan, with a view to facilitating the two-state solution and a peaceful coexistence. Coordination with international partners will be key to ensuring that the current opportunity is not wasted. We must seize this chance to help bring peace to a region torn apart by decades of conflict and violence.

Madam President, for God's sake, I mean, I think we should first manage these speaking times here in order to manage everything in a geopolitical order. The recent incursion into European airspace showed that the threat is multifaceted, and that a wide range of means is used to destabilise us. The European Union must respond firmly to these hybrid threats. EU Member States must invest into anti-drone systems to protect their critical infrastructure against the drone attack. This is what Croatia has committed to, along with the participation in the drone coalition, to ensure a stable supply of drones to Ukraine to support production of drones in Europe. Moreover, to counter the Russian threat to our security, I welcome the European Commission proposal to develop European defence projects such as the Eastern Flank Watch. However, in designing this project, we must take into account the full scope of NATO's flank, from north to south, from east to west, Mr Commissioner, as we already discussed, and we also must increase cooperation with our American allies – that remains key to the European continent's stability and security.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, Latin American partners are our natural allies. Despite these close ties, the European presence has significantly declined in recent decades, giving way to Chinese and Russian influence and enabling them to create economic dependencies that influence the foreign policy direction of Latin American countries. It is high time to re-engage with the region on areas ranging from trade to security and supply of critical raw materials. In this regard, the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement is key as it will participate in EU strategy to conclude new mutually beneficial agreements with like-minded partners and will contribute to counterbalancing the influence of the EU's competitors in the region. Likewise, the European Union must increase its coordination with Latin America to fight against criminal organisations that constitute a threat to our European security, and yes, narcotrafficking – that's a huge issue for our European citizens and we should start dealing with this. Moreover, as a guardian of freedom of religion, the European Union must protect religious communities worldwide and cannot, therefore, remain silent in the face of the persecution of human rights defenders and members of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. It is high time to start acting and to stop this communist persecution that we have seen during 15 years of communist persecution in Eastern Europe. This is happening in in Latin America now, and you should act upon that.

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, in what kind of horrific world could we imagine the deprivation of medical care for women after natural disasters due to a lack of women doctors? In what sort of dreadful world could we envision that a woman's voice could not be heard singing in a public? As inconceivable as it may seem, this terrifying situation exists. The Taliban authorities relentlessly invade every remaining inch of freedom for girls and women. The recent internet blackout in Afghanistan as part of an offensive against immoral practices is merely a symptom of the growing repression of the authorities to isolate the population of Afghan women even further. The European Union must act urgently to intensify pressure on the Taliban through increased sanctions against those responsible for these human rights violations. The European Union must do everything it can to ensure that Afghan women can study, work or sing again wherever they wish and move freely without a male guardian. It's a matter of defending fundamental human rights that the European Union must uphold with vigour.

Madam President, the rise of violent protests against Israel, hate speech and the stigmatisation of Jewish communities across Europe is deeply concerning. So, dear Commissioner Brunner, I think it is last-minute that you appoint a special envoy for freedom of religion, and that we finally start to tackle the problems of people who freely express their beliefs. The horrifying attack on a synagogue in Manchester is a stark reminder of the fear that Jewish individuals face daily. Many are compelled to hide their identities, fearing that expressing their faith might make them targets of senseless violence. In European universities, Jewish students are increasingly experiencing discrimination. Across our continent, some feel the need to remove religious symbols from their homes, living in anxiety that history might repeat itself. As Co-Chair of the Inter-religious Dialogue Group, I emphasised that, without dialogue, there cannot be genuine peace. Dialogue must always triumph over hatred. If we engage in meaningful conversation and strive to understand one another, we can foster a world where every individual feels safe and valued. As Pope Leo said in our meeting last week, we should be a people of dialogue, people who promote peace and inter-religious coexistence in this Europe that we have to share among ourselves. So please, as a consequence of this debate, please, Mr Brunner, finally appoint this special envoy.

Madam President, Commissioner, exactly two years ago, hundreds of innocent Israelis were brutally and tragically killed, raped and taken as hostages. This horrific massacre was not a random act. It was a meticulously planned terrorist strategy aimed at erasing any possibility of coexistence between communities in the region. Hundreds of hostages were taken, in acts reminiscent of medieval barbarism, shamefully broadcast online, with the intent to spread hatred and destroy any hope for peace in the Middle East. Those who call for the disappearance of Israel and those who reject the two-state solution are the only ones who benefit from such heinous crimes. Fortunately, President Trump has presented a peace plan which constitutes a crucial step towards building lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. This is our last real opportunity to end this conflict and to secure the safe release of the hostages. The European Union must take an active role in supporting the success of this plan, and in laying the foundation for a viable two-state solution. I wish you good luck, Commissioner.

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, I congratulate Rapporteur Zdrojewski on this extremely welcome report. My country Croatia is globally recognized for its sporting successes. Our national identity is inextricably linked to the pride our athletes bring us - from football fields to athletic stadiums, from swimming pools to venues around the world. Today, 160 million euros is allocated for sports in Croatia. Our athletes create an invaluable sense of national pride with their results. Croatia is a true example of a sports nation, which not only invests in the development of sport, but systematically encourages young talents. An example of this is the platform founded by our celebrated athlete Blanka Vlašić. This initiative promotes the importance of physical activity among children and young people by encouraging them to discover and develop their talents in a world where sport increasingly gives way to digital habits. Sport in Croatia connects people and knows no borders, and so does not know the borders of the enlargement countries, so Luka Modrić, who could not find his place in the beginning, made these first steps in Zrinski Mostar, which led him to the championship. Zlatko Dalić, Livnjak from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who proudly successfully leads the Croatian national team, has turned our chessboard into a global symbol of sports success and togetherness. In Split, the murals continue to rise in honor of the legendary Blaž Baka Slišković, while Igor Štimac leads Zrinjski from Mostar to the summits of the conference league. Sport is much more than physical activity. It is an investment in the future, in health, in social cohesion. That is why programmes such as Erasmus+ and regional funds need to recognise athletes from the very beginning, accompany them throughout their careers and involve them in society after their completion. Their experience and discipline represent a value that we must safeguard. Young people today need sport more than ever because of mental health, social inclusion and a sense of belonging to a community. That is why I welcome this report, dear Bogdane, which highlights the need to further develop the European sports model in line with Union values: equality, diversity, inclusiveness, sustainability, health and well-being of our citizens. Sport is not only a vital part of the European economy, contributing more than 2% of gross domestic product and nearly 6 million jobs. It is essential to preserve physical and mental health and to strengthen our common European identity. European sport should stay in Europe, not go somewhere outside.

The good things are that our jobs now have predictability and stability: 15 % is better than 39 % or 50 % or 100 %, or whatever. If you didn't do the maths, that's a good thing. If you are measuring high blood pressure, going over that would be a really bad thing for our businesses.

Mr President, dear colleagues, before our eyes, a new world order is emerging. Authoritarian leaders are watching closely, waiting for the Western alliance to show weakness. This is why I welcome this trade agreement as a clear sign of renewed transatlantic cooperation – something that is urgently needed at this critical moment. The European Union cannot afford to find itself on the wrong side of history. To those colleagues who reject this agreement and call for harsher measures, I must say such positions are deeply irresponsible in these challenging times. Yes, this agreement is not perfect, but it provides stability and predictability – qualities our workers and businesses desperately need right now – and not demagogic talk. This deal must be seen as the only first step towards building a stable, balanced and fair transatlantic economy. We must strengthen our coordination to develop a unified strategy for ensuring economic security and preventing unfair competition. Only in a strong, competitive and prosperous European Union, supported by powerful partners, can we continue to safeguard security, stability and our shared values.

Mr President, I will just reply to the previous speaker. I'm very proud that, in 2017, the European People's Party was the leader in adopting the rescue mechanism when everybody else in this room was against it. I was fighting, together with my colleague Elisabetta Gardini, to get this budget that would be EUR 100 million at the EU level. Now Croatian firefighters are fighting so that all firefighters in the European Union are together. As an intergroup we are fighting for them. They recently organised themselves into the European Federation of Firefighters. We have to help these people to prepare them for the future fires. So no more demagogic speeches – we have to give firefighters the means, the money and the means for civil protection, for solidarity and the emergency aid reserve, for the early warning system and for the equipment. So I'm saying this in English for everybody else to understand me: don't play with people's lives. We have to improve conditions for firefighters in the European Union. The European People's Party was very proud to have the rescue mechanism that helped, even in the Covid times, and that is helping to protect all European citizens to be saved wherever they are.

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, I regret that High Representative Kaja Kallas is not here, she is in the College. I would like to welcome the Minister of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina who is here with us and speaks about enlargement and in fact about the need to preserve Bosnia and Herzegovina at this time. Ukraine is a problem we are facing and will face in the future because suddenly there is no interest on the left to be here. When the aggression went to Ukraine, the left side of the spectrum was full here, and now there are none. Where are they? I congratulate Michael Gahler who has been fighting for so many years and now we finally have the Ukraine Report, but the fact is - enlargement is the only way to defend Europe. The only way to defend Europe, and all my colleagues here saying that we need to change some tactics with the United States, that's not true. Without America, Croatia could not be saved. Croatia defended itself, without America...

Mr President, dear Commissioner, we are here to talk about EU-US trade. The negotiations with the US are taking shape and the positive framework agreement by the deadline set by our transatlantic partners is expected from you, dear Commissioner. Although we are diversifying our trade with our like-minded partners, we must not forget that the deal with the US would bring certainty for our businesses, which are losing employment and trade opportunities every day while caught in this vacuum. We were reproached by the US that while they were providing us security, we engaged in business. Today's geopolitical uncertainty led us to commit difficult decisions and invest in our own security and strengthening the EU pillar of NATO. Of course, we must extend our hand to all democracies around the world, seeking closer ties with our single market and aiming to diversify and standing as an alternative to autocratic regimes that do not offer the same level playing field in trade as we do. We support you, dear Commissioner, in your negotiations, and your efforts in preventing trade diplomacy to avoid any further tensions between us, because 60 million jobs on both sides of the Atlantic cannot afford to suffer any longer. I will also await full conclusion and the approval process of this agreement of our Parliament. Let us make this deal be an outcome and the foundation, not only of beautiful trade, but also a long, beautiful friendship. We deeply need this in this geopolitical uncertainty.

Madam President, 21 years ago, at Mostar airport, I was waiting for President Trajkovski. His plane never arrived; he crashed, along with all his cabinet – people I knew. He was a great man, a man of peace, a man of reconciliation. He made the awkward agreements. And he was the man who brought peace in Macedonia at the time. I remember him from the conferences we used to attend together, and everything he suggested was bringing peace in the Western Balkans. Mostar, my home town since then, has a special memory and close ties with Macedonian people. Enlargement is a merit-based process that must firmly enforce respect for the fundamental values of the European Union, while at the same time acknowledging the progress made, on the part of the EU. North Macedonia has undertaken substantial reforms to advance towards European integration. Over the last two years, North Macedonia has maintained its full alignment with the EU common foreign and security policy, and participated in EU military crisis management operations, including EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina. North Macedonia needs to make progress in respect of the rights of minorities, including the protection of minority languages. They will do that, I'm sure. Unfortunately, some Member States do not uphold the respect due to North Macedonia. I wish North Macedonia well on its path to the EU. I wish this country finds friends like us.

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, I would like to thank Rapporteur Kolář who clearly recognized the principle of constituency of the people as the basis of the institutional set-up in Bosnia and Herzegovina 30 years after the signing of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement. At the beginning of this plenary session, we expressed our deep respect for the victims of the Srebrenica massacre in the week commemorating its 30th anniversary. Operation Storm, whose 30th anniversary we will celebrate in August, prevented further massacres and brought negotiators to Dayton back in 1995. Thirty years later, Croats, who have played a key role for American partners on the ground, do not have a representative in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is arranged to be a civilian guarantor of that very hard-won peace. This report recognizes the need to reach a political agreement, implement the rulings of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rulings that bring the peace agreement back into its framework. I call for an agreement on the reform agenda of all competent authorities so that the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina are allocated the money that we voted for here in the European Parliament. Do not let Bosnia and Herzegovina remain the orphan of your carelessness.

Over the past two decades, the European Union has faced a number of crises: from the 2008 financial crisis, through the 2015 migrant crisis, to the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Despite all this, the European Union has emerged from these challenges by losing only one member, but has preserved the unity of its core values. As the last country to join the European Union, Croatia knows very well how much it was worth going through the necessary reforms and meeting the criteria for full membership, and finally, at key moments to have the protection and security that membership in the European Union brings. On the one hand, we have Eastern Partnership countries that, because of their democratic aspirations, pay a high price to the lives of their citizens because of the authoritative regimes in the neighbourhood. On the other hand, the countries of the Western Balkans that have already undergone war destruction, and today are victims of the bureaucratic inertia of the European Union and unresolved historical disagreements that slow down their integration and undermine their institutional reconstruction. Dear colleagues, our biggest challenge today is the lack of vision. A vision that will bring the Union back to its origins - the idea of peace and security, not only within the European Union but also at its borders. If we leave candidate countries in the hands of those who want to break down Europe from the outside and from the inside, peace and security will have no one to defend. Our ego must step down in the face of shared responsibility in the relations between old and new Europe. The question often arises as to whether an extension without deepening is possible. That dilemma is absurd. No man is an island, as the English poet John Donne said. No country can do this alone. Since the very beginnings of the European continent, Unions have been created to protect citizens. The most successful project in this history is the European Union, which has become the most desirable place to live through the enlargement process. Just as our peace is defended at the Ukrainian border, so our security is safeguarded at the borders of the Western Balkans. This is not a place where we decide who is more and less privileged to be European. This is where we decide what we can do for the European Union to remain as a project of peace, solidarity and reconciliation.

Madam President, happy birthday High Representative – it's not a nice way to spend your birthday, listening to all of us here giving the speeches. On 5 %, it's quite realistic that we have to increase spending in order to seriously engage with our transatlantic partners and talk about strengthening the European pillar of NATO. The European Union must understand that without the American security guarantee at this moment, we cannot deal in this shaky global geopolitical political arena, but we have to send a strong message, and I'm very happy that our leaders are agreeing on that, that we are thinking seriously about our defence and our defence of our citizens. It is not only our borders that are unsafe: as a Croat, I know very well where the danger is coming from: the east, south and west; so regardless of where you live, you cannot be safe if you seriously don't engage and communicate to your public that these are dangerous and challenging times and we all have to pay for it.

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, European values encompass the respect of the rule of law, good neighbourhood relations as well as, in the case of Montenegro, the protection of the cultural, material and immaterial heritage of the Croatian minority. In order to advance towards EU accession, Montenegro must also ensure equal representation of national minorities in media, judiciary, law enforcement and public institutions. It must also intensify efforts for the non-discriminatory use of minority languages in education, in dedicated media space, in the state and in local outlets. The rhetoric of Montenegrin politicians must align with that of Brussels circles and work towards reconciliation and solutions to past disputes. As I stressed in my amendments to the report on Montenegro, the country must intensify its efforts in punishing war crimes and must work on clarifying the fate of missing persons. These are essential conditions to become an EU Member State adhering to the core European values.

Dear Chairman, Commissioner Kadis, the European Ocean Pact has recognized our long-standing demands to hear the voice of those who have lived for centuries in harmony with the sea and from the sea, just like Croatian fishermen. With almost 70,000 kilometers of coastline and 40% of the population living within 50 kilometers of the sea, maritime issues are strategic issues for the European Union. The blue economy employs five million people and contributes more than 250 billion to our economies every year. I welcome that, for the first time, the European Ocean Pact explicitly highlights support for small-scale coastal fisheries as a priority. In the Mediterranean, Croatian fishermen are second in the weight of landings, which tells us how important this pact is for the Republic of Croatia. Generational renewal, available funding and the attractiveness of this profession must be the backbone of the future ocean regulation. The ocean diplomacy I am working on as a rapporteur will be a tool to strengthen the protection of our interests. While our small-scale fishermen were choking on the regulations of fish from third countries, it ended up on European tables. Through strong ocean diplomacy, we will ensure a level playing field for fishermen with third countries and protect the ocean as a source of life and food sovereignty. Healthy oceans and strong local and traditional fisheries are the foundation of our survival, safety and way of life.

Madam President, dear colleagues, while the world's attention is turned to conflicts shaking the foundation of our global order, another atrocity has unfolded almost unnoticed before our eyes. In the early hours of Saturday, more than 200 people were brutally massacred in Yelwata, Nigeria, sheltered in a local Catholic mission, in a region already ravaged by religious violence. This is the single worst atrocity in recent times, part of an orchestrated militant campaign to forcibly uproot Christian communities from their ancestral land. Entire families were slaughtered. Militants attacked the displaced people, who had already fled violence, attempting to burn them alive. Over 6 500 people have been forced to flee again, many now without shelter or hope. Freedom of religion is paid with blood across the world, and in Nigeria, Christians are the most persecuted group. Since 2009, over 52 000 Christians have been killed, 18 000 churches and 2 000 Christian schools destroyed. I think it is about time we do something for Christians who are being persecuted all around the world with the same effort that we have done for other persecuted religions.

As a politician, I could just say that every politician and everyone in this House has responsibility for the words they say. So, I never insulted anyone. It's not mine to speak on behalf of other politicians. Democratic words should be preserved to build peace, and not war with words. This was the beginning of my speech as well. So, I stick to the logic that there is no place for insults in politics.