Debate contributions by Magdalena ADAMOWICZ

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. Disinformation is a weapon of mass destruction, and that's how we need to start treating it. Lying, sowing hatred and conspiracy theories, inciting one social group against another and inflaming extremism is a great evil. Hundreds of millions of European Union citizens are under constant attack, with fatalities. We must understand that disinformation is an extremely effective and deadly weapon in the hybrid war waged against us, free and democratic nations, by the authoritarian regimes of Moscow, Beijing and Tehran. Now that we know this, we must finally decisively develop an EU mechanism to identify disinformation, especially from hostile, despotic tyrants and especially during election periods. We need systemic education, both in terms of technical skills and critical thinking. Having these skills will work like a vaccine against disinformation and then it will be much easier to fight it. We cannot allow our democracy to be given up without a fight. We must not give up defending our democracy.

Mr President, thank you very much. Travelling by train will not be the first choice for Europeans if we do not strengthen rail passengers' rights. First of all, clear rules are needed. Passengers must be aware of their rights regarding refunds and compensation for delays. We must advocate for a strong policy that protects these rights, ensuring that no traveller is left behind in case of difficulties. Communication is also crucial. Railway operators should provide relevant timetable updates and disruptions, using technology to inform passengers and minimise inconvenience. Availability is another key area. Each station and train should be equipped to enable persons with disabilities to travel. This will make rail travel accessible to everyone. In conclusion, promoting rail passenger rights is not just about improving services. It is about ensuring the integrity and dignity of every traveler. Let's work together to make rail travel a positive experience for everyone across Europe. This is an important challenge for the new European Commission.

Madam President, thank you very much. Our enemies are laughing in our eyes. They're killing on our territory, attacking on our borders. They are flooding us with disinformation that is destroying the democratic order. They incite hatred, they incite riots. They can lead an EU country out of our Commonwealth. Change the results of elections and referendums. We know very well who, we know very well how, we know why and for how much destroys our democracy. And what? And nothing. The Russian, Chinese and Iranian services are roaring with impunity throughout the European Union, and the word ‘hybrid’ has made the word ‘war’ into something completely harmless, because bombs do not fall on us. Meanwhile, the hybrid war has already caused a lot of deaths at the borders, on the streets of our cities, in schools, in homes, because many hate crimes and suicides are also the result of deliberate hate speech. Finally, let us acknowledge that this war against us already has its victims among our citizens. So when are we going to start defending ourselves?

We Polish women want to have the same rights as other European women. We want to decide for ourselves about our bodies and our health. Polish women do not want to practice abortion tourism and do not want to go underground. MEPs, MPs from PiS and the Confederacy, who unfortunately are no longer here in the room, lied. Public opinion polls in Poland show that 57% of the population wants legal abortion by the 12th week, 35% of the population wants to return to the abortion compromise, and only 9% wants to ban or leave the current state.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Friends and colleagues! Today, there is no greater threat to us than disinformation. As long as the world's autocrats are still afraid to send rockets and bombs on us, it is disinformation that is the most destructive weapon that they are using more and more courageously against us. Disinformation robs us of our right to free choice, because even honestly counted votes will never be a fully democratic choice if we vote on the basis of lies and disinformation campaigns. When we take a break in defending democracy, the enemies of democracy work very hard. When we spend nothing to defend democracy, the enemies of democracy spend billions of dollars on disinformation. Therefore, if we are to defend democracy in our Euro-Atlantic world, we must join forces as soon as possible. No one alone, here in Europe or overseas, in the United States, will stop the tsunami of lies financed by hostile regimes. Commissioner, we need legislation, we need funds to have the tools to fight disinformation.