Debate contributions by Željana ZOVKO

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.

Mr President, dear colleagues, war begins in the minds of the people, and it's in their minds that peace is also created. For decades, we relied heavily on American partners, and we still do for our defence and defence of our trade routes, at least in the Red Sea. But with unjustified imposition of tariffs, it has become clear we must take matters in our own hands and strengthen our competitiveness. We need to simplify it and we need to work and to attract investments. We now have a 90-day tariff pause. This is not the time to wait. It's a window of opportunity, a chance to negotiate the best possible outcome for both sides of the Atlantic; an outcome that allows business to thrive, to support millions of jobs; an outcome that strengthens, not harms, our economies; one that reinforces the largest trading partnership in the world. In an era of free trade and the rules-based global order, there is no room for protectionism. Protectionism comes at a cost, a cost that must not be borne by any single industry or country alone. A change in US administration should not mean a change in the fundamental strength of our transatlantic relationship. One thing must remain clear: the United States has always been and will remain our strongest partner and ally, not one-party regimes or autocracies. The European Union must continue with the calm logic that has made us the strongest single market in the world – the logic that allows small fish to survive in turbulent waters where large fish prey.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the summit of 19 May represents a unique opportunity to deepen our cooperation with the UK in areas such as defence, trade, foreign affairs and energy. We urgently need to enhance our partnership with the UK on security and strategic questions. However, in our dialogue with the UK, we must take into account the problems of every Member States, and notably the interest of coastal countries. We must make clear that the strengthening of our relations with the UK must lead to a win‑win outcome. Moreover, the UK Government must understand that for relations to be solid, it needs to be transparent. In this regard, we need clarification on the reasons why the UK Government is not willing to cooperate more with the European Union in the Western Balkans. Only by having in mind this transparent and mutually beneficial approach will we be able to take momentum of a reset in our relations.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, as geopolitical tensions escalate, our oceans and the seas must be seen as a strategic field that we must observe and control. Attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and continuing tensions in the South China Sea illustrate the need for a clear strategy of the European Union. In a turbulent, multilateral world order, the EU must sail with a clear agenda and position on our strategic goal and position in ocean diplomacy. The European Union oceans pact, which takes into account the need for ocean diplomacy, must give us clear lines on the future of ocean governance, with a continuing aim to ensure secure, clean, healthy and sustainable oceans as the fundamental basis. However, let me be clear: our fishermen must not become collateral damage in this pursuit. Aquaculture, as the fastest growing sector in food production, plays a crucial role in our food security and economic resilience. We must adjust our green policies to the needs and realities of those who are already struggling. They cannot be at the cost of small-scale fishermen who are the backbone of our coastal communities. We must protect them, not burden them with policies that threaten their survival.

Madam President, although Türkiye's public diplomacy remains the most prestigious art for showcasing the positive aspects of why Türkiye is an essential ally in the current geopolitical turmoil, let us be clear about our stance. We must unequivocally express our concerns about the partner that is arresting political opponents. Putting journalists in a jail and silencing civil society. The recent crackdown on democracy, including the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul, failed to provoke strong responses from the European Union, while the European Union does not hesitate to condemn other autocratic regimes. This raises a troubling concern. Is the EU applying double standards when it comes to condemning those who process free voices? Türkiye continues to play a significant role by hosting refugees and providing military support in regions where the EU lacks sufficient forces. However, are we going to be blackmailed by a NATO member that uses the weaponisation of migrants and its biggest role in Syria as leverages? Turkish society needs the EU to protect freedom of expression and uphold aspiration for democracy. The EU approach. Turkey must stop being hypocritical and must align with the way it addresses other autocratic regimes.

Dear Chair, I would like to thank David McAllister for his comprehensive report which also included my amendments to the key problem that remains to be solved in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, I welcome the High Commissioner's final decision to go to Bosnia and Herzegovina and address the issue of all issues, which is an amendment to the Electoral Law, where three peoples, after Dayton - thirty years after Dayton - would finally all get their equality, which was guaranteed in Dayton and signed in Paris 30 years ago. Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks must have full constitutional rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is guaranteed by a peace treaty. This is the key point of the bridge with the United States and the Trump administration, where you can point and finally make peace in the Western Balkans. Without this, there is no progress in any country in the Western Balkans, in Southeast Europe. Without it, there is no progress in Ukraine. Without this, if the peace agreement is not respected, we cannot expect to have peace and security on Europe's borders.

Madam President, tomorrow, many of us who will wake up with the God's will will enter from as many calls April Fools Day into a liberation day. Just another name. For some Europeans, it will be just another day of lent, preparing for the Easter holiday, going through the detox phase after the long Babette's Feast that we went through in the last years of living in the lah lah land of social heaven, that somebody else will provide for us. The news from the other side of the Atlantic are not the encouraging ones. We must stand at our own feet, take care of our own production, facilitate trade amongst us in a better way in order to become happier and stop complaining about somebody else bringing a misery into our life. The time of preventive diplomacy in our trade relations is over. We are entering a new phase where reciprocity will be the tool for retaliation, and the old friendship will suffer. In the meantime, we should stop philosophies about getting rid of unnecessary burden in order to boost our competitiveness and start taking brave measures. On passing the omnibus package as soon as possible through this House to send a clear message. Europe means business. We must also agree and vote through all these trade agreements that we are praising ourselves with. From Mercosur to Norway, Switzerland and many more to come. Situation on our borders are more and more worrisome, and we must be able to protect our trade routes with the same force in order to continue to trade with newly acquired partners. No one else will do it for us. Multilateral order is changing in front of our eyes, and we should finally position ourselves with our partners with whom we share democratic values and clear long-term strategic vision with a realistic approach of our strength. To conclude, we should get busy working and stop spending time being dependent on social networks and high-tech companies. Maybe that's the way to decrease our trade balance with the US. In the end, people have elected us to give them conditions to thrive with their families. Let's not waste their time. They will remember us with the jobs that we provide, not with the quotes and the pictures on Instagram.

Mr President, first of all, I would like to say 'hi' to the delegation of parliamentarians from Bosnia and Herzegovina who are watching us. It's quite a shame that we are having this debate so late at night and that there's no interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina, because in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is no war. There's no incident. But it's a conflict waiting to happen for the past 30 years. This year, when we mark the 30th anniversary of the signing of a landmark agreement to secure peace, we are witnessing a complete inability to secure its basic principle, which is the equality of all constituent peoples. Separatist, but also unitary policies and disregard for the basic rights of all peoples and citizens have led to the serious escalation that we are now witnessing. The only way to stabilise Bosnia and Herzegovina is to reform the electoral law without which Bosnia and Herzegovina will, unfortunately, continue to be a time bomb in our closest neighbourhood. Without ensuring the constitutional protection and equality of all constituent peoples, Bosnia and Herzegovina will remain a state in crisis, an open space for external influences, even from all people who have no idea what they are talking about, who have no intention of ensuring stability, but the opposite. This is a major omission of our preventive formation, and the space we have left is filled by Turkey and Russia.

Mr President, dear Commissioner Kubilius, as you are presenting the white paper on the future of European defence, you will set the tone for strengthening our defence capabilities and industrial competitiveness. Some important elements must be addressed in this strategic document. As the foundation for our approach to European defence, we must take into account the security challenges of all Member States. When building the future of our defence, it is crucial that we are more open and comprehensive, including by considering the threats that our borders are facing, big and small, and from the east and the south, as we have heard here. The borders and the states of the eastern and south-eastern flank must engage in defence cooperation with our partners in enlargement countries that are participating in our CSDP missions that fully align with our Common Foreign and Security policy. By involving enlargement countries industry in defence procurement, we will fortify the security of European borders. Finally, all the stakeholders should be engaged in building European defence. Only by having a state in our common defence vision, all Member States and citizens will embrace this paper as their textbook for future defence of our citizens. Once again, I warmly welcome the announcement that the US is engaging again to help Ukraine at this moment while we are building our European defence, and the good news from Riyadh is an encouraging step in our transatlantic relations.

Madam President, dear colleagues, the proposal endorsed by the European Council on 6 March is an encouraging sign towards the strengthening of European defence. A good sign in times of stormy weather. However, the EU's much-needed wake-up should not make us forget that the American umbrella is vital for us. We still need the rainy-day friend, now more than ever. The strengthening of our defence must go hand in hand with the strengthening of our relations with our allies, including with the US. Besides the fact that the current EU measures will only produce effects in at least four years, we have to bear in mind that the United States and Russia together account for 85 % of the world's new nuclear arsenal. The European Union also also strongly needs American intelligence, with some Member States even relying entirely on NATO. And the relative autonomy from American intelligence would take years. However, time is running out now – we all know in Ukraine what is going on. For all these reasons, the EU must intensify its diplomatic efforts to find common grounds with our US ally. The EU defence and strengthening of a pillar of NATO can become robust within some years, but we don't have time to lose in not engaging in dialogue.

Madam President, Commissioner, Europe stands at the crossroad, a crossroad of security, trade and growing global threats. But above all, our economy is at a crossroad to survive or to thrive. SMEs represent 99.8 % of all active businesses in Europe, employing nearly 90 million people. In today's volatile times, we cannot afford for our businesses and industries to be the ones to fall behind, suffocated by excessive regulation. From the automotive and energy industries to steel and aluminium, we cannot allow them to be held back by unbalanced green policies and red tape. The Omnibus package is a final call, a final call for Europe to introduce simpler rules, stronger investments and unlock potential to boost our competitiveness. Alongside with increased defence spending, the only way forward is to create a more favourable business environment. The EUR 6 billion that we can cut in annual administrative costs must be reinvested in our innovation, research and development. History will not forgive us if we don't do this step now.