Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister Balaš, colleagues, culture is the basis of our identity. It defines us as people, as nations, as Europeans. We have a great cultural diversity, whether we are talking about Romania, my country, or France, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic. Every country in the European Union has made its contribution to our European culture and identity. That is why it is important for all European citizens to have access to culture and, at the same time, for those who create this culture that distinguishes us, to be supported, promoted and, above all, to be rewarded for the special work they do. When we talk about a cultural strategy of the European Union, we must take into account the creation and support of a less fragmented cultural ecosystem, focused on balance, than on the protection of copyright and the importance of access to culture for all citizens. Also, the best ambassador of the European Union to all corners of the world is culture and we need to make sure that cultural industries and creators have enough funds to make their work and European values known all over the world. International cultural relations are the best way to promote European values, diversity and a great opportunity to understand the global diversity, experiences and way of life of other peoples. It must be stressed that all this wealth, whether we are talking about European culture or the culture of other countries, has no value if we do not ensure that all this reaches as many citizens as possible. And that is precisely why, Commissioner, Minister, dear colleagues, you are all invited next year to Timisoara, the future European Capital of Culture.

Madam President, thank you, dear colleagues, for voting today as tomorrow on the agenda to have a debate on the veto vote that Austria has given against my country. It is an unfair and humiliating vote for a people who until five days ago were not Eurosceptic and were very supportive of the European Union. And I am pleased and I greet Commissioner Vălean, present here in the room. A people who believe in the European spirit, believe in European values, and what the Austrian government has done, I repeat, has humiliated these values. We will continue our struggle, we will not resign. And again I would like to thank you, the MEPs from all 26 countries without Romania, for supporting this project, Romania in Schengen.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Our goal of all those involved in the legislative process is to ensure the legal framework for a safe and easier life for European citizens. I am convinced that this was also the purpose of the revision of the Medical Devices Regulation. However, patients and providers of niche products face greater demands than before, difficulties for which they have to provide specific funding, which means high costs for patients or healthcare systems in the Member States. I understand the goal of better protecting patients, but we need to monitor the real impact of implementing the rules and make quick changes so that patients have equal access to the medical devices they need without paying more. We need to closely monitor the market to identify any problems that arise and very quickly find the corrections that patients need.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the European Year of Youth has so far been a success by involving young people from all Member States in activities that have shown them what the European Union means, and especially European policies. This is very important, especially when we are facing extremely aggressive campaigns and, we must admit, quite effective decredibility of the European Union as a political and democratic project. The actions we take at European level or European funding must reach more young people, have clear objectives and have effective and efficient follow-up in European policies. European actions and policies need to be geared towards improving the living and education conditions of all young people, regardless of their material situation or political interest. The fact that many of those who participated in the organised debates put education first shows that they are open and willing to develop, to progress, and it is a clear signal that the European Union should be much more involved in the field of education.

Madam President, Commissioner Breton, Martina Dlabajová, colleagues, whether we like it or not, the whole world is rapidly moving into a digital age. But this accelerated digitalisation must put the interest of the citizen at its core. Our success or failure as a society, as a union, will depend on some very important aspects. We will need to stimulate the digital field, the companies involved in digitalisation and to enable specialists to develop their ideas here in the European Union. There will be an absolute need for programmes and projects that teach citizens to use digital tools, create and live in a digital environment. Last but not least, we must keep in mind that this digitalisation must make people's work and lives easier. We are not doing digitalisation for the sake of digitalisation, we are doing it for the benefit of people. All this, however, can only be done if we have a European approach at Union level to ensure that the rights of all European citizens are respected, that we all have the same opportunities, no matter what region we live in, that no one is left behind.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, development projects with European funds represent in many areas of the European Union a large part of public administration investment, perhaps even one of the largest parts. We here in the European Parliament have set out certain directions for the use of these funds; digitalisation, sustainable development, focus on environmental aspects, but also on the prioritisation of renewable energy. We have included in the regulations clear conditions of transparency and mandatory real consultation of civil society, citizens in order to respect their interests and priorities in the region. Unfortunately, we have clear signals that the priorities outlined are not fully understood, that some authorities are trying to keep away civil society, and its suggestions when establishing development strategies, when taking decisions are almost non-existent. Because we have set some priorities, because we have decided here in this Parliament that civil society will be involved. We are the ones who must be careful that these conditions are respected even where public authorities are not accustomed to collaborate, when it comes to spending public money.

Mr Vice-President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that the idea of a European identity to be assumed and embraced by all citizens of the European Union has never been more important than now. I have seen what I have shown over the past three years, that being a citizen of the European Union means being in solidarity with others, appreciating human rights, the safety of fellow citizens and democracy. Unfortunately, we live in times when anti-European propaganda using disinformation and fake news is increasingly widespread, trying to sneak into the minds and hearts of Europeans, as they do in the hearts of Romanians, question marks regarding this huge political project, the European Union. It is time for this propaganda to be called into question. It is time to demand accountability for lies, for spreading fake news, for trying to spread hatred between us. I appreciate and strongly support the right to free speech, but I also strongly support that disinformation must be punished.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, Commissioner Breton, dear Laurence, ladies and gentlemen, in recent years we are seeing a growing spread of video games and so-called online sports. It is very important to realize that these games are not just a waste of time, as some call them, for the new generation. We have young people who know a lot about Europe's cities, about nuclear accidents, about maps and codes. We have young people who have solid digital knowledge and all this because of their passion for video games. When it comes to online sports, we need to address specific legislation, because they cannot be compared and must not be treated like classical sports. Behind these games and sports is an entire industry, and Commissioner Breton mentioned this, from screenwriters, actors, musicians, to digital specialists. It is important that we, in the European Union, have a framework that ensures the rights of players, but also the development of a European digital gaming industry, to be part of this branch of industry, which ultimately represents millions of euros globally.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Culture and education are no longer an area where only formal methods work. The Internet, online applications, social networks have a great influence on the education of young generations, but also on the opinion-forming of all who use them. We are seeing more and more misinformation online about the war in Ukraine or heinous manipulations about the European Union. We see an increasing aggressiveness of Russian supporters in this occupation war. We have to admit that this aggressiveness and this intense campaign is causing more and more people to question themselves, no longer to distinguish exactly between right and wrong with all this war. Ukraine and the European Union are increasingly portrayed as negative characters. We need to act decisively and quickly. No one condemns freedom of speech. But we must take more and more seriously into account that lies and disinformation must be fought much more effectively and punished by law.

Madam President, today I voted with all confidence to support this resolution, for Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area. I voted because we, the Romanian citizens, are European citizens. Because we have the right to move freely and unhindered throughout the European Union. I voted for the right not to wait for long queues at airports or at road borders to go through additional checks. I voted because goods coming from our countries have the right to circulate and not to stay for hours or even days at the door of the Schengen area. We are not asking for a gift, we are not asking for a favor, we are asking for a right that is ours, because we have been a European country for 15 years, and for 11 years Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled all the Schengen conditions and I hope that at least now, after so long, at the JHA Council on 8 December, Romania and Bulgaria will be accepted into the Schengen area.

Madam Vice-President, Commissioner Johansson, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased that we are having this important debate today in the plenary of the European Parliament. What is happening in Ukraine is terror. What has been happening in Ukraine for over eight months, to see millions of people leaving their homes, to see tens of thousands dead, to see hundreds of children killed, to see these days an energy system of a peaceful country that is destroyed, it is terror and it is terrorism. And I am glad to see that the European Union is saying things by name and we in this institution are doing it. For too many years Russia has speculated on our weaknesses. We must stand with Ukraine and we must condemn Russia firmly. Russia is now a terrorist state.

Mr President, Commissioner Johansson, Deputy Prime Minister Bartoš, the European Union has, on its own behalf, the idea behind this economic and political construction: union. There may be times when it feels better and simpler to be alone, each on their own. But this very pandemic that we've been through has shown us that the solution is unity. The NextGenerationEU programme is another proof that together we are more likely to face the challenges we face. The war in Ukraine comes to accentuate this demonstration. Without support from all states that value democracy and respect for the law, Ukraine would not have been able to stand up to Russia and is holding them back day by day. All the Member States of the European Union, with the signing of the Treaties, have signed for unity, for compliance with the laws, for a Union in which it is true, we have challenges, but which brings us more benefits. Controls at the internal borders of the Union and keeping outside the Schengen area a country such as Romania, which has met all the technical criteria, only cancel this unit that we so badly need. As the European Court of Justice has ruled, internal border controls must stop. Now, now.

Madam Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner Schinas, Minister Bek, the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area is important because it really brings us to the same status as European citizens that all other citizens in the Member States have. It is a natural and necessary step, which has become more than 15 years after our accession to the European Union. Regardless of the country's leadership, more or less appropriate regimes, European citizens should have the same rights, and the right to travel freely within the European Union should be neither restricted nor hampered. We must also seek and ensure that, at European level, people's right to travel will not be hampered by outdated customs procedures that are not in line with European citizenship. And I'm not just telling you this from hearsay, I'm telling you that I'm a European citizen from Arad County and I see the queues of shootings at my house every day. The anti-European propaganda, and we have seen it in this room, is increasingly harsh, and the fact that Romanians and Bulgarians are kept for hours at the border of the Schengen area in order to be able to move in the European Union does not help the European spirit that we all want to see in as many European citizens as possible.

Mr Beck, I will ask you in German because I know your language – I do not know if you know my language – and I want you and your colleague Reil to come to us, the Romanian people, a little ... – because you insulted us with your words. It is unbelievable what you and your colleague Reil have said to us, the Romanian people, today. It's an outrage! I cannot accept such a thing from a German. I grew up in German culture, and there were no such tones in my upbringing. (Applause)

Mr President, anti-European propaganda has already started a few years ago and some speeches a few minutes ago show us this even in this institution. Anti-European campaigns are carried out not only by the parties supported by Putin, but also by those parties that do not know how to come up with solutions and need a scapegoat. Freedom of opinion has been distorted into the freedom to lie, to manipulate people. All these speeches can be overlooked in times of peace, but they are extremely difficult to accept during the war, when we see every week other and other evidence of the massacres committed in Ukraine, in the occupied territories, when we have among us so many people, children, women, elderly, Ukrainians, who have had to leave behind their husbands, brothers, fathers, children, without knowing when they can return and when they will see them again, to leave behind their normal life. Concrete and coordinated action is needed to stop this false propaganda. Rapid and clear measures are needed to expose direct or indirect links between those who support anti-European campaigns.

Madam Vice-President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, many people with disabilities live and work in the European Union. Only in Romania, in my country, there are some 800,000 souls and many of these people have special talents, special capacities and can contribute in different ways to the progress of society: Whether they practice different sports, are teachers, some of them also do politics, or organize large events or run successful companies. Many are models of resilience, of involvement, both professional and social. It is therefore natural to ensure that the European single market is also open to them, that accessibility and inclusion rules are respected and that they can enjoy the same privileges as any entrepreneur in the European Union. An accessibility centre, however, will only really help if it is known and accessible to all persons with disabilities in all 27 Member States. So I would like to stress that it is absolutely necessary to disseminate information effectively and it is necessary to encourage people to use the services of this centre, regardless of which European region they live and operate in.

Executive Vice-President, colleagues, rapporteur Saliba, common chargers have long since become a necessity, not just a desire of consumers. We have all come to have at home a lot of cables, each with a different type of plug for each device. Or we need a charger at the office and we can't find one that fits. The pros and cons have been going on for more than 10 years now, and even if not everyone agrees with these single chargers, the market is already moving in this direction, with around 40% of appliances sold in the European single market having the same type of charger. Priority has been given to consumer interests in this legislation, without eliminating the possibility of innovation in this area. However, we will need to keep an eye on the market in order for European standards to keep pace with innovation in the field. I am convinced that a permanent dialogue can be maintained between the European Commission, the responsible agencies and producers, so that innovation and consumer interests can be respected. This is one of those technical files that has a major beneficial impact for every consumer, and everyone understands what we have done today and what we will vote for this week. This is why we need to support this amendment to the Radio Equipment Directive and keep it up to date.

Madam President, we are talking about energy crisis thinking and we are looking for solutions to reduce dependence on Russian gas. These are all real concerns at European level. These are issues that we are constantly discussing here. Well, these are all extremely important topics also at the local level, where some of our fellow mayors, local councillors, local politicians are in direct contact with citizens and I hear their concerns on a daily basis. It is incredible, however, how mayors who find innovative solutions, such as my colleague, Clotilde Armand, the mayor of Sector 1 Bucharest, to create green energy, entrepreneurs who come up with new methods to produce renewable energy locally, face small political disputes. Dear colleagues who are so vocal here at the level of the European Parliament, convince your colleagues at home that the good of the people comes first, that projects that solve the solution of energy and pollution at the same time must be supported, regardless of which group or political party they come from. Otherwise, all we do here is pure demagoguery.

Madam President, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Nienaß, for his good cooperation. Stimați Collegi, acum este momentul să utilizăm toate mijloacele posibile pentru a sprijini ucrainenii care au fugit din calea războiului, femeile și copiii ucraineni care trăiesc temporary printre noi. Cetățenii europeni s-au mobilizat într-un mod absolutely impresionant. Așa au făcut și românii mei în județele Maramureș, Suceava, în Tulcea. Acestea ne arată că spiritul european este încă la un nivel foarte ridicat, în ciuda propagandei antieuropene susținute în mod clar și continuu de către Putin și Rusia. Însă nu este sufficient efortul individual al oamenilor. Trebuie să găsim resurse, dar și să ne asigurăm că acestea ajung la cei care au nevoie de ele. Trebuie să ajutăm ONG-urile și authorritățile locale care se implică în gestionarea și integrarea refugiaților. În normele de aplicare, în discuțiile cu fiecare stat membru, este important să prioritizați proiectele de integrare și o minimă autonomie financiară a refugiaților, pentru ca aceștia să își poată singuri asigura nevoile minime pentru un trai cât de cât decent și să nu depindă exclusiv de gazda lor sau de autoritățile publice.

Madam Vice-President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, freedom of religions and religious beliefs has been recognised as an essential human right. It is important for the European Union to support and fight for this right, all the more so as in recent years we are seeing increasingly serious violations. The right to have a religion comes with an obligation to recognize and respect the right of others not to have the same beliefs. It is unacceptable that in the 21st century a young woman should be killed for religious reasons or that women should be abused again and again if they belong to religious minorities. It is unacceptable for a writer to live under threat of death for criticizing a particular religion, or for a teacher to be killed simply for showing students images of religious characters. Whether these events happen in the East, in the United States or at home, in the European Union, it is important that we use all the means at our disposal to defend the right to have our own beliefs, which ultimately pertain to the privacy of each of us.

Madam President, the European Union needs a strong industry, it is vital for our economy, and I was pleased, Commissioner Jourová, to hear yesterday, in the speech of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, that we can expect much stronger support for this area, which has contributed to Europe's prestige in the world. Of course, we need to make major changes so that the way we produce does not increase pollution and even, where possible, absorbs greenhouse gases from the air. Our industry must be open to innovation and research must be supported very seriously and constantly. At the same time, we need to support Europe's traditional industries, give them the help they need to adapt to new demands. And these requirements are not few. In our effort to reach net-zero emissions, we must have industry and all European citizens on our side. At the same time, we must ensure that we do not impose restrictions on European industry that will make it underperforming and uncompetitive on the global market. The European Union needs a high-performing, green and competitive industry.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, cohesion policies are designed to bring less developed regions up to European welfare standards. These funds are made available to Member States that still have to recover in the field of infrastructure, social and educational services and, as the statistics and the situation on the ground prove, are extremely beneficial for regions and states that want to recover. It is important, however, that, in addition to development funding, these countries and regions should also know-how, technical support to develop real, applied and region-specific development strategies. The flexibility of cohesion funds is also a necessary element, taking into account the realities of recent years, for regional and local authorities to be able to adapt, to design projects according to the challenges they face. Und jetzt zuletzt will ich mich auch bei Ihnen bedanken, Frau Krehl, für die 31 Jahre, in denen Sie in diesem Haus jeden Tag dieses Engagement gezeigt haben, und für die letzten drei Jahre, in denen wir im REGI-Ausschuss sehr gut zusammengearbeitet haben.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the drought in recent months has affected hundreds of thousands of Europeans. Climate change is evident, even though some colleagues in the European Parliament are keen to deny it to the electorate. The reality is that we need to step up action to reduce pollution and act at Union level to ensure that we are taking steps in the right direction. For these measures to be effective, we need collaboration with both the electorate and economic agents. The measures we are taking must focus on boosting eco-industries, on massive afforestation, not on banning efficient exploitation. Rapid programs are needed to reforest, as soon as possible, the areas of forest that burned this year, but also the areas where massive deforestation took place. Here we need to act together and there is a need for increased cooperation between the European Commission and the Member States, which are more reluctant or less specialised in this area. Climate change can only be slowed down or stopped if we take positive action, if we focus our attention on solutions and not on bans.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, after two years of the pandemic, after an energy crisis that we are all experiencing, after the shock of the war at the doors of the European Union and the wave of refugees from Ukraine, European citizens are facing a new challenge: inflation, skyrocketing prices. All Member States are facing this price increase. Every day we see the shopping cart getting smaller and the price paid at the house getting higher. This is already a European problem to which we need to have a European response. We have the Resilience and Recovery Plan. We have the fresh experience of the pandemic, of joint action at European level, and we have proof that this approach works. It is time to think more deeply about this issue and intervene to ensure that the lives of Europeans do not take a negative turn. The European Union has proven that it can act intelligently and efficiently when needed. That is why I believe that greater cooperation between the European institutions and the Member States is urgently needed now, more than ever, so that Europeans can have the well-deserved return.

Mr President, we are seeing and experiencing more and more extreme weather events. Every day we feel the rising temperatures, droughts or floods that affect areas that did not experience these phenomena until a few years ago. It is clear that there is an urgent need to react at European and even global level. This is why we decided to change the political direction of the European Union more than three years ago, in 2019, along with the Green Deal. However, it takes balance, support for innovation and time for the economy to adapt. I understand the momentum and the desire to act quickly, but we must not neglect the costs that these changes will have on the lives of our citizens. The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Report strikes a balance between what we want and what we can do in the short, medium and long term. That is why I supported this report and I congratulate my colleague in Vilnius, Søren Gade, for a balanced report that supports both the environment and aviation.