Speeches

Mr President, coming back to a previous speech, I read your article of Newsweek many years ago at a secluded military base on Croatia's Adriatic coast, where an unpiloted car plane rolled down the runway, then climbed slowly over tall pine trees and headed into hostile airspace. It was July 1995 and the new conflict was brewing. Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević had conquered Croatia's Krajina border zone with Bosnia in 1991, and now Croatia was preparing a lightning assault to get it back. Americans in military uniform operating from a cream coloured trailer near the runway, directed, drawn to photograph, the Serb troops' position and weapons' emplacement. According to top Croat intelligence officials, copies were also sent to the headquarters of the Croatian general in command of Operation Storm. We now understand why we need drones and we need a drone wall on eastern flank, on the western flank, where we should also involve willing Western Balkan partners in the drone world project. We have to protect our borders. We also have to take our American partners who were helping us with their technology at the time. And we have to keep fighting in Ukraine and in all these endangered border alliances, where Europeans are facing, together with our transatlantic partners, the menace of actual dictators.

Madam President, at a time when the European Union is openly considering a more geopolitical approach to enlargement, credibility and consistency are essential. If the Union chooses to apply differentiated standards based on geopolitical realities, as increasingly discussed in the context of Ukraine, then those same principles must be applied fairly and consistently to other candidate countries facing comparable security, political and historical challenges. Bosnia and Herzegovina is clearly one of those countries. It carries the legacy of war, operates within a fragile constitutional and security framework, and remains exposed to persistent internal and external destabilising pressures. While it is largely passing under the radar that Bosnia and Herzegovina is heading into new elections without electoral law that reflects the spirit of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the European Union is competing to offer its services elsewhere. Even Wolfgang Petrich, who bears responsibility for damage done to the Dayton Peace Agreement, recently stated, and I quote: 'I would say now that the Croats need a third entity'. The European Union cannot play a credible role in global peace-making while a core peace agreement in its own neighbourhood remains politically fragile and unresolved.

Mr President, High Representative, today we cannot remain silent in the face of one of the gravest human rights crises unfolding in the world right now. In Iran, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets, driven by economic despair, political repression and the struggle for dignity and freedom. Protests have spread across the whole country. The Iranian authorities have responded with brutal repression, shoot-to-kill orders, mass arrests, a devastating death toll and a total internet blackout intended to hide violations from the world. Women, young people and journalists are being targeted simply for demanding freedom and dignity. Europe cannot remain passive, and I call on the European Commission and High Representative to act decisively and introduce the full designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, hold perpetrators accountable and demand the immediate release of all detained protesters. In addition, ensure unhindered access for families and provide secure communication tools to those at risk. The courage of the Iranian people is extraordinary. Europe must respond with a clear, united and credible stance.

Mr President, thank you! Commissioner, it is very nice that you, as an Irishman who seems very well what Good Friday Agreement meant, have read this speech. So, I will read in my proper language, Croatian, the official language in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in Croatia. The Dayton Peace Accords were greeted as a news of salvation for a country devastated by a brutal war in which more than 100,000 people lost their lives and nearly half of the population left their homes. Dayton established a framework in which all three constituent peoples were given the promise of equality and legitimate representation in government bodies. But thirty years later, Dayton was all just not fairly implemented. The return was never implemented, nor was reconciliation and trust replaced by the Office of the High Representative. Every year, Europe and the countries at the UN Security Council consider renewing the mandate of peacekeeping missions to preserve peace. We have announced that for the fifth time Bosniaks in the Federation want to usurp and elect Croat members of the Presidency and the intention of Bosniaks to take over the Croatian Club in the House of Peoples through electoral engineering. Unitarism and separatism compete in the public speeches of political representatives. In 2014, this parliament offered federalism as the middle way and a solution to the two opposing forces of separation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We've heard this in Congress recently. This week, the EU Council of Ministers asked Bosnia and Herzegovina to finally implement constitutional and international rulings, electoral reform. 30 years ago, Bosnia and Herzegovina was a favorite of the international community and the European Union, as Ukraine is today. Actors of that time are no longer with us. The message of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the unfinished business is a serious warning for all those who think that the peace agreement is over. It is necessary to implement the changes to the electoral law as soon as possible, to complete the started and to give the future to Bosnia and Herzegovina, its peoples and citizens.

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.