Speeches

Covering up with generalities, declaring few meaningful goals and branding actions – this seems to be the strategy Slovenia has for its Presidency of the Council of the EU. The assurances about the need to protect the human rights of all citizens that we heard during the presentation of the Presidency's priorities at the plenary session are far from enough in the face of the rule of law crisis that the European Union is facing. The declarations of the intention to conduct a dialogue in a spirit of respect for national identity are in fact the announcement of another 6 months of inaction against violations of the law and fundamental values of the EU by Poland, Hungary and other Member States. It is unacceptable that we have not heard a word about women's rights, the fight against gender-based violence and the finalisation of the ratification of the Istanbul Convention. Among Slovenian priorities, however, agriculture plays an important role, although it seems that once again we care primarily about the situation of livestock farms, including industrial ones, leaving aside the environment and animal protection. On the latter theme, there could be some hope, with the Presidency programme highlighting the issue of animal welfare. But will the upcoming end of the review of legislation on welfare by the Commission be an opportunity to at least partially correct the mistakes made during the work on the CAP and improve the situation of farm animals, especially those in industrial farms?

Almost 40% of women in Poland experience online violence. Women are ridiculed, ridiculed, offended. 30% of such online behavior is sexual violence. Cyberbullying causes a decrease in self-esteem, depression and deterioration of health. Active women change jobs and lose their livelihoods. Women who are politically or socially active give up these activities. These are the results of research that we have just conducted in Poland. Cyberviolence is the new face of the old problem of violence against women offline, used to call women to order, to silence them, affects the victims themselves, but also the quality of our democracy, the participation of women in social and political life. The Directive criminalises cyber violence against women for the first time at EU level. It's not a perfect law, but it's the first step to finally starting to create a world where women are safe, at home, on the street, at work, online.

Mr President, thank you very much. This is the fifth and last time we have met in this term of office during the ‘16 days against violence against women’. But for the first time we can say to women across the European Union: We succeeded, we managed to effectively take care of our rights. We have successfully expanded the catalogue of rights and freedoms to include the Istanbul Convention, which is the constitution of the rights of women experiencing violence. But the ratification of the Convention took too long. For too long, European women have had to wait for a clear signal that the EU authorities are on their side. They're on the side of the victims, not the perpetrators. And it's not over. We need broader, tough, comprehensive legal safeguards. We need a law that protects every woman from every form of violence – every form of gender-based violence, including cyber violence and rape. Such a right can be a good, progressive directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. And this directive cannot be the result of party compromises. Violence against women is the most drastic form of gender-based discrimination. Equality and human rights are, after all, the most important values of our Community. Therefore, the content of the Directive must be a courageous manifesto of the European Union. We must give a clear signal that the European Union is a world leader in women's rights. Because there is no rule of law, there is no European Union without equality and human rights.

Madam President, I'm sorry. This is one of the most important days of this term. One of the most important, because gender-based violence is the most drastic form of discrimination against women. Because 33% of all European Union citizens have experienced, are experiencing or will experience violence in their lives simply because they are women. For me, the Istanbul Convention is a constitution for the rights of women experiencing violence and of all victims of domestic violence. The convention is not about ideology. It's about saving lives. I thank everyone in this room who has been calling on the Council and the European Commission over the past years. I thank the activists who have been very active in the struggle for ratification over the past years. For me personally, this is a special moment. Twenty years ago, in Poland, I worked on the first draft of the law on combating domestic violence. Ten years ago, I coordinated work on the ratification of the Convention by Poland. And today I have the honour of taking part in this historic decision by the European Parliament. Finally, I appeal to everyone in this room. Safety, health and women's lives are not politically coloured. Electoral and EPP, and S&D, and ECR and ID face violence. Let's all stand by the women's side tomorrow.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Justyna Wydrzyńska is a human rights defender. She helped another woman, Annie, who found herself in a difficult situation. Yesterday, Justyna was sentenced for providing Nora with help. I will not comment on this judgment. I will read to you the words that Ania addressed to Justyna: “Ms Justyna, thank you for being one of the few people who helped me during the most difficult time of my life, when my loved ones, as well as doctors and doctors, failed. It was an expression of humanity, because in a situation where the people on whom it is moral, and on some of them also the legal obligation to help me, stood by, washing their hands, the Lady gave me her hand. And today, three years after those events, I am most touched by your words that, despite what happened to you, you do not regret and would do the same again. These are some of the most important words I've ever heard from another person in my life. Thank you." We should all thank Justin. Activists such as Justyna in countries such as Poland are the only guarantee of the realization of human rights. Abortion is a human rights issue. And unfortunately, such people will be the only guarantee as long as the European Union refuses to address the issue of access to abortion.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I am from Poland, a country that signed this convention in 2012 and ratified it in 2015. For many months, the convention lay in the government's freezer, and it was not the term of PiS rule. Why is that? It's hard to understand. In 2014, I began to coordinate the government's process of ratification of the convention by Poland on behalf of the government's plenipotentiary for equal treatment, under Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz. Then there were attacks on the convention by the right. The convention is called the gender ideology. Why is that? It's hard to understand. It's the 21st century. Women are beaten, raped, attacked. They experience violence at home, in the workplace, on the street, on the Internet. When seeking justice, they are blamed and embarrassed by law enforcement and the judiciary, although the perpetrator is solely responsible for the violence. The Convention is the Constitution for the Rights of Women Experiencing Violence. It gives clear guidelines on what support for victims should look like, how perpetrators should be punished, and how to eliminate harmful stereotypes. The convention holds the women's side, the victims' side. Why, then, have several Member States of the European Union not ratified it? Why does Poland, which has ratified the Convention, want to denounce it now? It's hard to understand. But it is even more difficult to understand why the European Union has not yet ratified the Convention. She should be a leader in women's rights. Failure to act is acceptance of violence. Silence means being on the side of the perpetrator. We are in the 21st century and it is high time to end the era under the title we are on the side of the perpetrator. Time for the era, we're on the side of the victims, we're on the side of the women.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I would like to address the President of the Commission. Since you took up your post, the Polish police have registered reports of 185 318 women who have been victims of domestic violence. But women very often do not report violence because they do not trust state institutions. According to NGO estimates, more than two million Polish women were affected by domestic violence during your term of office. What did you do as President of the Commission to prevent this? I'll say right away: The Anti-Violence Directive is not enough. We need a comprehensive system to combat violence against women, based on the Istanbul Convention. Moreover, on 16 July 2019, you yourself said that the ratification of the Istanbul Convention was a priority for the Commission. How many more women have to be beaten, raped, murdered? How much psychological and economic violence do you have to experience on a daily basis in order to take more decisive action?

Madam President, I'm sorry. It is time for the protection of health, the environment and animal rights to become the exclusive competence of the European Union. In these areas, the European Union must legislate on its own. It is time to debate the revision of the Treaties and to give the Community all the necessary powers to ensure that the European Commission finally upholds human rights, environmental protection and animal rights. The current situation shows that this system is not enough. Of course, those responsible for poisoning the Oder must bear the consequences. We need to clarify whether and what mistakes were made by the Polish authorities. But in the European Parliament, we need to think systematically and look for solutions so that the environment in the European Union is absolutely protected and the Commission has the competence to do so. That is why I would like to ask the Commission what specific legislative initiatives it wants to take? How does he want to change his structure? What new law and what new legal tools do you want to create? What does it intend to do to effectively protect our values and our rights?

Madam President, I'm sorry. There can be no doubt in this House. Abortion is a human right. There is not and will not be equality and the rule of law without guaranteeing women the right to decide about themselves, about their body, about their health, about their future. Unfortunately, there are still countries in the European Union where there is no access to legal abortion, access to modern contraception and good sex education, and the European Commission has done nothing for three years to change the situation of tens of millions of women and girls. In Poland, in 2020, politicians practically eliminated access to abortion, and now they are launching the so-called pregnancy register. Instead of supporting women, they want to control them. The European Commission must put an end to the issue of the right to abortion. It must decisively combat anti-feminine populism. It doesn't matter if it's Poland, Malta or the United States. Let's keep the women's side.

Mr President, thank you very much. Igor Tuleya and Paweł Juszczyszyn, judges removed from the profession. Bart Staszewski, LGBTIQ activist sued by the administration. Justyna Wydrzyńska, a women's rights defender, may be sentenced by a Polish court in a few weeks. Elżbieta Podleśna fighting for democracy, accused, among others, of insulting religious feelings. These are stories about the rule of law and human rights. People fighting for these values in Poland deserve support and solidarity. They were counting on the European Union. Meanwhile, the European Commission first monitored, admonished and recommended, and now capitulated. She lost to Kaczynski, Orban and other populists. There are MEPs in this room who are talking about a motion of no confidence in the Commission. And maybe they are right, because the challenges of this term of office have long exceeded the Commission. She hasn't defended our values, she can't fight climate catastrophe. It does not fight for equality between women and LGBTIQ people.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The EPP leader said here that this wall is a mere investment and the Union can financially support such projects. No, it's not just an investment. The Union cannot support and finance such ideas. More than 1,800 scientists and more than 160 NGOs from around the world in February this year called on the Commission to stop the construction of this wall, because its construction and the wall itself interfere with protected areas and areas of natural value, because the wall has an impact on Natura 2000 sites, because it affects the conservation status of species and habitats, because populations of large animals, bison, elk, deer, wolves will suffer. The impact of this project on the nature of the Białowieża Forest has not even been assessed, which infringes Art. 3 of the Habitats Directive. After all, these are fundamental issues. The Commission argues that the situation is complex and requires analysis. We heard the same thing when the rule of law was violated in Poland and Hungary. We do not want the Commission's omissions to lead once again to irreversible infringements.

Mr President, thank you very much. Citizens of the European Union want to live safely in a world without war, terrorism and crime. We agree to limit our rights, our freedoms, our privacy, so that the state services can act and effectively protect our security. But let us remember that our fundamental values are human rights and the rule of law, and the government of every state in our community must act on the basis of the law and within the limits of the law. Every government must be subject to scrutiny by citizens, and the actions of the services must be proportionate, expedient and subject to review by the courts, the independent courts. We need to clarify the legality of the purchase and use of Pegasus in every EU country. We need to check that the current models of oversight and control of services meet the standards of the human rights system and are in line with the values of the Union. We need to verify whether there has been a violation of the law and, if so, who is liable. Any government – left-wing, right-wing, liberal – must be held accountable if it violates human rights. The values and principles of our community apply to everyone. We must pay particular attention to the governments of those countries where the separation of powers has been called into question, because there the violations could have been even more significant.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Bombed cities, raped women, girls, parents killed in front of children shot in the back of the head. Mass executions, bodies scattered in the streets. Animals left on farms and in laboratories dying of hunger and thirst. This is the moment when we need to speak with even greater determination about the rule of law and human rights, and we cannot let go because of the war, because we see what the disregard for these values and the lack of response to human rights violations have led to. When politics sleeps, dictatorships are born and strengthened. I appeal to the Council and the European Commission, do not give up! It must be clear to the government of each country: there is no place in our Community to destroy justice, free media and civil society. And no government that violates the rule of law and human rights should receive EU funds. Funds must go to local governments and non-governmental organizations.

Thank you Eli, who took a family from Ukraine to her apartment. I would like to thank Kasia, who is at the Eastern Railway Station every day with sandwiches for refugees. Thank you Annie, who took the necessary things to the border, and from the border transported the mother with the child. Thank you to Susanna, who brings food and medicines for animals to the border. Over the past 12 days, thousands of Poles have shown what solidarity is. Now is the time for decisions and actions of politicians. It is time to move away from lengthy procedures when it comes to Ukraine's status as a candidate country, because it is about people's lives. It is time to accelerate the green transition. Fit for 65, no – 55, because the climate catastrophe is accelerating, but also because rapid transformation is a guarantee of our security and independence. And it is time for an EU migration policy based on human dignity and the principle of non-discrimination, because All refugees are welcome.

Madam President, I'm sorry. For years, we have been witnessing a festival of violations of fundamental principles for every democracy, violations of the rights of LGBTIQ people, women, violations of judicial independence, media freedom, attacks on civil society. I don't think we've ever paid as much attention to another country as Poland in the European Parliament. For many years, Parliament has called on the Commission to act, and it is for the first time in history that Article 7 has been activated against Poland. But let's face it, we have been losing the fight for EU values, the rule of law and human rights for years. And probably no one can estimate the costs that we have already incurred and incur. We no longer want to hear the European Commission's story of monitoring, analysing and recommending. We want the Commission to finally start defending the rights of tens of millions of European citizens. Today's decision of the CJEU deprives the European Commission of the last arguments to wait, and citizens really have had enough of this waiting.

Mr President, thank you very much. The European Parliament should be a model when it comes to protecting its staff from harassment. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Still, three years after MeToo, the victims don't report for help. They do not believe in the effectiveness of procedures. They are afraid of secondary victimization, they are afraid of losing their job. For over 20 years, as a lawyer in NGOs, a legislator in public administration, as a deputy ombudsman, I have been on the side of victims of discrimination, violence and harassment. I know that I am not the only one here and many of my colleagues from almost all political factions are demanding the necessary changes to effectively protect employees. But if you don't all take harassment seriously, not as a secondary problem, as a private matter, the victims will be left to their own devices. If you don't take harassment seriously, you'll be on the side of the perpetrators.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Polish women live in fear. In fear of being forced to give birth to an incapable fetus. In fear that the oppressive state will enter them in the pregnancy register, and then prosecute criminally for miscarriage. Fearing that a representative of the authorities would go to their divorce case to defend the sacred institution of the family. These are legitimate concerns based on the next steps and ideas of a power that hates women, LGBTIQ people, refugees and women refugees and, in turn, violates their rights. We don't know who will be next or when. I often hear the question: how did this happen? The answer is simple: by inaction, by compromise, by postponing human rights issues. But these ideas are not new. Did the previous Polish governments do an examination of conscience? Has the European Commission carried out an examination of conscience? The Commission, which should uphold the Treaties, defend the rule of law and human rights. Commissioner, when exactly will the Commission finally start applying the Conditionality Regulation? When will it specifically use other available powers to prevent further violations by the Polish government?

Mr President, I quote: ‘It’s a pity your mother did not have an abortion. Seriously. Poland would be more beautiful without such a parasite.’; ‘You should be shaved bald, you disgusting creature.’; ‘A slut betrays her country, don’t you agree with me? Because I think it’s a pity that the Polish underground state does not exist today. You would be treated accordingly.’; ‘You won’t cheat your genes, you red pest, but at least you won’t have offspring and, if I ever meet you, I will spit on your face with pleasure.’; ‘I regret that they do not hang for betraying one’s country these days’. These are just examples, quotes, of cyberviolence that I receive on social media platforms every day – and I’ve chosen the more delicate ones so as not to offend you, my colleagues, the President and the Commissioner – and I am obviously not the only one. Fifty—two percent of women and girls have experienced cyberviolence solely since the COVID—19 pandemic started. The numbers are even higher among female politicians, activists, journalists and all other women who participate, or try to participate, in online public debate. Gender—based cyberviolence is a challenge posed by modernity, but it is at the same time just a new face of an old, well—known enemy: violence against women. In the 21st century in the European Union, gender—based violence is manifesting every day and everywhere. Women cannot feel safe at home, women cannot feel safe in public places and women cannot feel safe on the Internet. The root causes of gender—based violence in all its forms are the same. These root causes make the cyberviolence that women face very specific and different from the one faced by men: sexist hate speech focused on appearance or private and intimate life, image—based sexual abuse, cyberstalking by a former partner, threats of sexual violence, including rape. These are just examples of gender—based cyberviolence, which make women withdraw from digital, political and social life. It is not only about personal impact, it’s about the quality of our democracy. We simply allow women to be silenced, we allow them to be excluded from public debate. I have seen the cyber dimension of gender—based violence evolving. As a lawyer, activist and women’s rights defender, I’ve been engaged in combating gender—based violence for over 20 years now. Firstly in NGOs, then in public administration, later as the Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights in Poland and, currently, as a Member of the European Parliament, I’ve always been standing on the side of women and other victims of gender—based violence. This is why I’ve been honoured to work on the legislative initiative report on gender—based cyberviolence as its co—rapporteur, and I am proud to present it to all of you today. It includes recommendations for measures to be adopted in the areas of prevention, protection, support, reparation of victims, prosecution and criminalisation, as well as data collection and reporting. It stresses that all actions should be victim—centred and have an intersectional approach. Moreover, with regard to personal scope, it covers not only women and girls, but also LGBTQI people, who experience cyberviolence on the basis of their gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. This report should be a very strong message from the European Parliament to the Commission, emphasising yet again that we do not agree with the Commission’s failure to act against gender—based violence and that we demand specific action. The legislative measures recommended in this report should be included in a comprehensive directive against gender—based violence in all its forms, including cyberviolence. The more precise we make it, the better. It’s about the law, it’s about human rights, it’s about democracy. We need to guarantee that every woman is safe from violence. I would like to thank my co-rapporteur, Ms Vozemberg—Vrionidi, for the collaboration, the Greens advisers and, last but not least, my team, for their work on the report. To conclude, I would like to address all haters with the words of Maria Peszek from the song ‘Like a Gun’: ‘Words can hurt, words can kill’. Remember, you are responsible for what you are doing.

Mr President, thank you very much. You're the commissioner! Two years ago, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as a candidate for this post, pledged to speed up the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and it is probably high time to deliver. In this term alone, Parliament has already called on the Commission and the Council 50 times to act against gender-based violence, including the urgent ratification of the Convention. I've asked for it 21 times. The CJEU confirmed that this process can be completed by the Council by qualified majority. There are no legal obstacles, waiting for unanimity is just a political excuse. Commissioner, we have talked here many times about the Polish government, its violations of the rule of law, violations of human rights, women's rights. I myself have strongly criticised the government and condemned its anti-democratic actions on several occasions here, but in 2020, the government changed the law, introduced a police order for the perpetrator of domestic violence to leave home, and allowed the perpetrator to be immediately isolated from the victim. It's concrete. What has the Commission done in particular? Did she at least prepare a draft law? I will say something that may sound shocking, but maybe it will motivate you. One might think that the PiS government, at least at the legislative level, has done more in the last two years than the Commission has done for women victims of domestic violence. Commissioner, your inaction in this case is also a violation of the rule of law, your inaction in this case is an acquiescence to further violations of women's human rights. Your inaction in this matter is to allow Member States to disregard and attack the Istanbul Convention.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I have one minute and I want to use it to the fullest to thank those who help on the Polish-Belarusian border: Border Group, Nomada, Association for Legal Intervention, Homo Faber, Polish Migration Forum, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Salam LAB, Open House, Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre, Bread and Salt, Refugees.info, Conflict Kitchen, Free-Slovak Zone, Refugee Children's Daylight Stop, Rescue Foundation, Families without Borders, Mothers on the Border, Białowieża Humanitarian Action, Chuvan Collective, International Aid Centre Rescue Team, PAH, Doctors at the Border, Soup at the Border Group, translators and translators, psychotherapists and psychotherapists, advocates and advocates, Maja Ostaszewska, Katarzyna Błażejewska-Stuhr and Maciej Stuhr, Elżbieta Podleśna, Grażyna Chyra, Monika Tomaszewska, Mikołaj Kiembłowski, Mirosław Miniszewski, Katarzyna Poskropko, Joanna and Jarosław Koniarscy, Katarzyna Weremczuk, Joanna and Marek Jacel, Michał Sutyniec, Kamil Syller, Irena, Krzysztof, Anatol with their family, Maciej, Michał, Marianna and many others. They do this because the European Commission is ineffective. Thank you all!

Madam President, I'm sorry. We defend life, women's lives. Under this slogan, Polish women will take to the streets again. Against the deprivation of the right to dignity, against the right of every woman to decide about her own life. In this room, we must have the courage to say: Abortion is simply a medical service. Abortion is a human right. Abortion is OK. Without the right to abortion, there is no equality in the Union, there is no cohesion policy. One year has passed since the decision of the Constitutional Court. Was the Commission looking for solutions? Was it more convenient to abandon the subject and hide behind a lack of competence? Commissioner, if competences are a barrier for you, it is time for a debate on the change of competences and legislative proposals. It is time for the Commission to unconditionally side with women, to support courageous Polish women who have been consistently protesting on the streets for years despite hate, repression, at the expense of their private and professional lives.

Mr. Prime Minister, I'm sorry. If I wanted to joke, I'd say: congratulations to you. Your government broke the Guinness World Record. Never before has Parliament had to deal with another Member State as often as it does with Poland and Poland's problems with judicial independence, women's rights, LGBT rights and media freedom. But there's nothing to joke about. You should use your energy, but for Poland, to cooperate with the European Union, for example in the field of solutions guaranteeing Polish women in the countryside access to a gynecologist, and people with disabilities in Poland the right to independent living. Your government doesn't have to continue down this path. Poland can still be remembered as a country that works for democracy, human rights, common EU values. We do not want Poland to continue to be a symbol of breaking the law, a symbol of division and hatred.

Mr President, thank you very much. Today, the European Parliament can stand on the side of women. Today, Parliament can vote for equality, for freedom, for security, for opposing one of the greatest pathologies of the 21st century, gender-based violence. The vote on the proposal to make this violence a Europeancrime is a historic moment for all women in the Union. Anyone who does not support it will be on the de facto side of the perpetrators. Let us show with this vote that we are fed up with the empty words of the European Commission, which only promises and plans, instead of acting against gender-based violence. We will use the tool available to us as Parliament and call for a revision of Article 83 of the Treaty. It is our duty, it is our duty to all women who have experienced and are experiencing violence.

Madam President, I'm sorry. On behalf of many Polish women and men, as a former deputy ombudsman, I would like to apologise to you today. Again in the European Parliament we are talking about Poland's problems, instead of talking about the future, about development, about strengthening the community, instead of looking for ideas on how to protect the European economy, how to fight social inequalities, how to counteract the climate catastrophe, we are again discussing Poland. Violation of judicial independence, LGBT rights, violation of women’s fundamental rights – now all these violations have been attempted to close their mouths to independent media. In this Parliament, above political divisions, we should agree that without free media, without freedom of speech, without the right to information, there is no modern European democracy. Vice-President, colleagues, I'm sorry. I would like to say that this will not happen again, that this is the last time we are talking about Poland here, but I am afraid that for now I cannot promise you this. Oh, I'm sorry.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Two years ago, I hoped that your Commission's term would be a time of reform and development, not a time of maintaining the status quo. The time of civil society and people of science, not the time of lobbyists. The list of things to do is long: social inequalities, violence against women, LGBTiQ rights and climate catastrophe. Tackling the climate catastrophe requires ambitious targets and swift action. For two years, NGOs and academics have been alerting the Commission. Europe needs courage. Dealing with the energy sector and transport does not require courage. It takes courage to admit that agriculture is also to blame. Courage is needed to stand up to the meat lobby and start a real reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. If Mr. Timmermans and Mr. Wojciechowski don't have the courage, maybe they should resign. We really don't have time anymore.