Speeches

Dear Mr President, Almost half of 14-year-old children in Hungary are functionally illiterate. I'll say it another way: Nearly 50 percent of children finish eighth grade without understanding what they are reading. And this has dramatically deteriorated under Viktor Orbán's administration. Ladies and gentlemen! We can talk here about a European educational space, where we give all European children the same opportunity, but as long as there are governments in Europe for whom free education is only a threat – every dollar, every penny that is spent on education is missing from where they want to steal – we will not succeed in this. That is why I propose that if we have reached an agreement on minimum wage regulation in Europe, we have reached an agreement on a global minimum tax, we have moved towards the Energy Union and, I might add, we have laid the foundations of the Health Union, then we should start talking about the European minimum education, so that every child in Europe, including Hungarian children, has the opportunity to live a happy and successful life.

Madam President, I'm sorry. You know, we Hungarians can sometimes perform very special miracles. Nothing proves this better than the fact that today the Hungarian researcher Katalin Karikó was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Katalin Karikó, whose research has helped us to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and the years to come will show how many more millions of lives on Earth will be saved by her patents and those of her fellow researchers. What a great favor and what a help they have been to humanity. It is a special pride for me that Katalin Karikó is the first female Nobel Prize winner among the 16 Hungarian Nobel Prize winners. I think that not only as Hungarians, as women, but also as Europeans, we can be proud of Katalin Karikó and grateful for her work. I think he deserves a round of applause here in the heart of Europe.

Dear Mr President, When we talk about the far right, we usually have very important ideological debates about democracy, xenophobia, racism and authoritarianism. Let me shed some light on the far-right, illiberalism, on the other hand, as Hungary has been governed by the far-right, illiberal Orbán for 12 years. And look what he's done in 12 years. Tens of thousands of teachers, students and parents are protesting on the streets because of the collapse of education. Our social situation has never been so bad. Inflation has skyrocketed, and the forint has never reached such a weak, historical weakness. When the far right, illiberalism, comes to government, it can't protect the people, it can't deliver. That's why he does one thing, because he knows one thing: to incite hatred. This is their policy, and therefore our task is to defeat the far-right in order to provide people with a decent and free life. That's what I'm fighting for.

Mr. President, please. Dear fellow Members, We're making history! Years from now, this House will be looked back on as an end to an unjust world in which the countries of Europe competed with each other to make the labour force ever cheaper and ever more vulnerable. It was you, it will be you, and I think we can be proud of ourselves, proud of the European Parliament. But let me speak first of all to my Hungarian compatriots. We promised, we did it! There is a European minimum wage regulation, one that is binding on governments. I know, I know, that the Hungarian Prime Minister is going against everything that is Europe, I know that he will also face this, but I think that in the last few days, in the last weeks, we will see what is happening to those who are messing with history, who are confronting Europe, total collapse in all areas of life. Our job is to ensure that Hungarians also have fair European wages. We'll do it.

Dear Madam President, How to govern well, how to make good decisions? Every honest politician has to answer these questions. I propose to you, fellow Members, that when you vote, you have before you the faces of those Europeans, the faces of the millions who, living on wages and salaries and distributing their monthly incomes, struggle every month to pay every bill. The faces of those who do not buy an electric car or do not live in a passive house not because they do not want to, but because when the gas boiler breaks down, repairing it or even buying new shoes for children is also a problem. When we want to make decisions, we have to make them with their faces in front of our eyes. Just because we will be successful in the fight against climate change, we will be successful in creating Europe's energy independence if we think about them, if we fight with them, if we go along this path with them. The creation of a European Social Climate Fund is also a historic act in this respect. It is a historic act because it also shows that Europe has learned from its mistakes, from the economic crisis of 2008-2009, that the only way to build a strong, competitive world is to directly help people to be competitive and strong. That is why I am asking you to vote in favour of the creation of a European Social Climate Fund and to create it in such a way as to help people who have problems paying their daily bills in everyday life. Let's help them and not put the burden on them. This will be a historic test for us and we will be able to govern well. This is how we will be able to make good decisions.

Dear Madam President, We've had enough! My fellow Members here in the European Parliament and, perhaps more importantly for me, millions of Hungarian citizens have had enough. We are tired of the pointless and bypassing debates about exactly where, when and how much breaches of the rule of law damage the budget of the European Union. I want to be clear, please understand. The essence of breaking down the rule of law in Hungary, its ultimate goal is theft. Theft of public funds and accumulation of private assets. The restriction of the independent press, so that it is not possible to know, it is not possible to find out who, from where, why and how much has been stolen. The occupation of the Constitutional Court so that laws permitting theft can survive. The occupation of the Public Prosecutor's Office to ensure that cases affecting Fidesz's top circles or the Prime Minister's family do not reach the point of indictment. The goal, essence and meaning of breaking down the rule of law in Hungary is the theft of public funds. Stealing taxpayers' money from the European Union, you don't want to help corrupt governments with that, do you? I would like to contact the Commission. Stop the barren debates. Take action at last! Finally, get results! This is what this House expects from you, and more importantly, it is what millions of European citizens, including several million Hungarians, expect from you.

Dear Mr President, As shocked as war aggressors are to us, they surprise us with their war, the war is never without precedent, we only notice the signs late. War aggressors always start in their own country first. That's where oppression begins. The independent media will be eliminated, and what remains will be used for the party's propaganda purposes. They brand civilians as agents, they try to intimidate opposition politicians, independent institutions, courts, prosecutors, constitutional courts, they try to place them under party control, and state-organized theft and enrichment of oligarchs takes place. Yes, I'm talking about Putin, but from here I tell all the illiberal little Putins in Europe that we will never be blind again. That this House, the European Parliament, will never again allow the rule of law and democracy to be trampled underfoot. Because if there's one thing Putin's war has taught us, it's that the rule of law and democracy are the only things that protect the peace of the people of Europe.

The next item is the debate on the report by Dolors Montserrat, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on the proposal for a pharmaceutical strategy for Europe (2021/2013(INI) – A9-0317/2021)

The next item is the report by Tomasz Frankowski, on behalf of the Committee on Culture and Education, on EU sports policy: evaluation and debate on the report on a proposal for possible way forward (2021/2058(INI) – A9-0318/2021). Members are reminded that no catch-the-eye or blue card will be accepted for any debate in this part-session. In addition, as in previous meetings, interventions are expected remotely from Parliament’s Liaison Offices in the Member States.

The debate is closed. The vote on the amendments will take place on Tuesday and the final vote will take place on Wednesday. (The sitting adjourned at 19.49)

The next item is the report by Charles Goerens and Rainer Wieland, on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations [2021/2018(INI)] (A9-0294/2021).

Mr. President, please. You know, there is not a single person in this room who speaks out against Hungary, and whatever Viktor Orbán is lying to you about, there is no one here who is plotting against the Hungarian people. Because Hungary is still the same beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful country, with Budapest, a little nostalgic Balaton, Tokaj or Villány wines, and we Hungarians are the same people the whole world has known for our hospitality. And you can have huge laughs with us, or you can party at festivals, at Sziget, Kapolcs or Balaton Sound, or you can save the world after a big Hungarian lunch, it's a little hard to stomach. And this wonderful country has been taken hostage by a very corrupt politician. Cynically, with racist and homophobic politics. So you, Commission and Council, have only one thing to do. Stop and stop funding Viktor Orbán's family members and oligarchs, and then we know our business. We will prove that Hungary is not equal to Viktor Orbán, and we will bring Hungary back to where it belongs, to Europe, to its friends and allies. That's what I undertook.

The next item is a debate on the following issues: on the oral question to the Commission by David McAllister and Maria Arena, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act) (O-000047/2021 - B9-0028/21) (2021/2563(RSP)). on the oral question to the Vice-President of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy by David McAllister and Maria Arena, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act) (O-000048/2021 - B9-0029/21) (2021/2563(RSP)).

The next item is the short presentation of the report by Gabriele Bischoff on the amendment of Rules 99, 197, 213, 214, 222, 223, 230, 235 and Annex V of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure and the addition of a new Rule 106a (2021/2048(REG) (A9-0214/2021).

This concludes the item. The vote on the amendments will take place tomorrow and the final vote will take place on Wednesday. Written declarations (Rule 171)

The next item is the brief presentation of Antonio López-Istúriz White’s report on EU-NATO cooperation in the context of transatlantic relations (2020/2257 (INI)) (A9-0192/2021).

The next item is the short presentation of Kathleen Van Brempt’s report on trade-related aspects and consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak (2020/2117(INI)) (A9-0190/2021).