Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, the fence in Evros is a shield to protect the borders not only of Greece, but of the whole of Europe. And it is regrettable that at the initiative of, among others, Mr Papadimoulis, today's report with the guidelines includes paragraph 48, which proposes that the fences at the external borders should not be financed by Community funds. After all, this was the immigration policy of the government of Alexis Tsipras, an open-border policy that led to the migration crisis. And then 75% of migrants in Europe entered through Greece. Today, thanks to the policy of the Mitsotakis government, this percentage is below 10% and the migration flows and due to the fence in Evros have decreased by 90%. And when Greece accepted this coordinated hybrid threat from Turkey in 2020, which was met with great success, the fence made a significant contribution to it. Dear colleagues, the answer to the question of whether the fence in Evros is effective and necessary has been given by the numbers, the facts and the inhabitants of Evros. The Mitsotakis government is determined to upgrade and expand the fence in Evros to protect the borders, not only of Greece, but also of the whole of Europe, if necessary with Greek taxpayers' money. The question today is: Will the European Union assume its self-evident obligation to protect its borders in Evros by financing the fence from the European budget? Yes or no?

Mr President, High Representative, there can be no doubt as to the level of feeling that the proposed judicial reforms have unleashed in Israel. Emotions are very high, and this is obviously a very polarising issue for the country. But colleagues, we as outside observers should tread very carefully before jumping to any conclusions. Labelling a country’s democracy as ‘deteriorating’ is, after all, a very serious charge. But as experience shows to many in this house will always jump at the opportunity to criticise Israel. Of course, we have concerns and of course, we are entitled to voice these concerns, but let us not prejudge any particular outcome. Israel has been a functioning – and yes, Mr Borrell – vibrant democracy for 75 years and after five recent elections, it has a democratically elected government and a Knesset. Dear colleagues, as a friend of Israel, I need to believe for the good of Europe as well, that at the end of the day, Israel will remain a fully functioning democracy.

Madam President, Commissioner, the real question today is why? Why does S&D insist on discussing Greek wiretapping again in this Chamber after resignations and inquiry in the Hellenic Parliament, a PEGA mission, the strictest legislation in all of Europe banning spyware and ongoing judicial proceedings. Why are we discussing the rule of law in Greece when the Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index shows one of the highest rankings increase for Greece, as opposed to a clearly inaccurate index which ranks Greece below Burkina Faso? Why is Greece being systematically slandered in this house by an à-la-carte centre-left majority spreading lies about alleged pushbacks and dead children? And why does the draft PEGA report rely blindly on the unsubstantiated claims of Greek opposition newspapers, which in and of itself, by the way, proves that there is freedom of the press in Greece? Could it be because the polls in Greece show a clear lead of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the upcoming elections? And could it be that these slanderous attacks serve only to support the centre-left opposition in Greece? Yes, the answer is that simple and so is the truth. And the truth is that we’re not here today to discuss the rule of law in Greece, we are here because S&D and the Left wish to influence the outcome of the Greek elections. And that, dear colleagues, is for the people of Greece to decide. And I'll say it in Greek. Η Ελλάδα είναι δημοκρατία και οι Έλληνες και Ελληνίδες πολίτες θα αποφασίσουν ποιος θα την κυβερνήσει.

Madam President, the evolution of the Recovery and Resilience Facility perfectly represents what some refer to today as the ‘age of permacrisis’. It was established to tackle problems caused by the pandemic. Now we’re retrofitting it in order to tackle the energy crisis. As we now face the next challenge in Europe, the challenge of competitiveness, some have suggested an EU Sovereignty Fund. But maybe we should be looking again at the RRF for a solution. We have a skills gap. We suffer from strategic dependencies, and we’re a heavily regulated jurisdiction compared to other parts of the world. And the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States has added further pressure. But relaxation of State Aid rules alone will be insufficient and unfair to Members with less available fiscal space. So if we can’t agree on new funding immediately, we will need to repurpose the RRF as suggested by the Greek Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras. And a viable option could be the conversion of some RFF loans into grants. This Greek proposal can contribute substantially to finding a viable and practical solution to Europe’s competitiveness crunch.

Mr President, the case of the 38 migrants who were found abandoned supposedly on Greek soil, as well as the alleged death of a little girl from a scorpion bite on an islet in Evros, were clearly proved to be feik nuisances and slanders against Greece. It was confirmed by a Syrian refugee. The NGO involved in the case publicly acknowledged its mistake and Der Spiegel magazine withdrew the relevant articles. However, the MEPs of the Left, Mr Kouloglou and Mr Arvanitis, had the audacity to submit a written question and their party in Greece, SYRIZA, still insists on denying the truth. Mr Kouloglou does not continue to vilify Greece in a recent letter, unleashing insults and slander against the Greek Ministry of Migration. Ladies and gentlemen, those who spread lies and slanders against Greece for the case of the supposedly dead Maria on the islet in Evros, must today ask for a great apology from both the European Parliament and, above all, the Greek people.

Mr President, the 2022 Annual Report on the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy is a useful roadmap for achieving European strategic autonomy. Our report satisfies us with regard to its references to the Eastern Mediterranean, where unfortunately Greece has recently been forced to converse with an erratic neighbour, who is constantly on the path of revisionism, threats, challenges and disdain for European principles and values. Turkey continues to instrumentalize human suffering, use aggressive rhetoric against Greece and defy international law. In the last month there have even been threats of a missile attack on Greece. As boldly stated in this report, Turkey's accession perspective cannot proceed under the current circumstances. We must not, ladies and gentlemen, allow other phenomena such as Russia to exist with our decisions. The European Union must show no tolerance for Turkey's irredentist appetites and expansionist agenda.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, since the adoption of the multiannual financial framework, two events with major consequences, the pandemic and the totally unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine, have radically changed our lives. At a time of ‘permacrise’, the Multiannual Financial Framework is not fit for purpose and does not ensure the green and digital transition as it stands. Faced with a multipolar world, we need to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy and finance our new political ambitions, such as the semiconductor legislative package or the Recovery and Resilience Facility. To date, we have had to use money from key areas of the EU budget, such as the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve or the Common Agricultural Policy. Paralyzing these areas will have a problematic effect on our citizens and on the Union as a whole. The budget needs new resources to deal with new crises. This means an ambitious revision of the MFF and new own resources. We are too far behind to continue as if nothing had happened. We need a stronger, more resilient and flexible EU budget, able to cope with past, present and future crises.

Madam President, Commissioner, press issues are also matters of the rule of law and as such we are dealing with them in my country, Greece. So stop slandering Greece, which from the very beginning welcomed the European Media Freedom Act, a landmark initiative for the European Union. This is why we are actively engaged in a fruitful dialogue, which will crystallise a single, fair framework that strengthens the freedom of the press and strengthens democracy. Today it is Greece that has taken initiatives and actions to ensure the protection, safety, freedom and strengthening of the journalistic function, and this through a task force that coordinates the action of the state and professionals in the field, defends their interests and is in good cooperation with the European authorities and the competent Commissioner. Transparency, ladies and gentlemen, is the key word for state actions and state support for the media. This is why a bill is being passed in the Greek Parliament these days that will set out rules of full transparency on such funding, but also on staffing the media with professionals. Greece is a democratic country for everyone, citizens and journalists and proves it in practice, without exceptions, without shadows, without asterisks, by setting institutional guarantees. The press is characterized by credibility and pluralism, while enjoying the freedom required, so that ultimately the citizen is informed validly and objectively, because this is ultimately what is required.

Mr President, Commissioner, the bombings in Syria, but also in the Kurdish region of Iraq, clearly demonstrate that Turkey's aggression is a European problem. Of course, it is we, Greeks and Greek women, who have to deal daily with the unstable and unpredictable behavior of a neighbor, who unfortunately is far from European values, but also systematically ignores the dictates of International Law. In recent months alone, the statements of the Turkish leadership are enough to understand that Turkey has consciously chosen to act as a turbulent state. Mr. Erdogan has made a number of threats against my country, Greece, repeatedly using the lyric "we will come at night", from the homonymous song associated with the black days of the invasion of Cyprus. This is just a nugget of the inflammatory rhetoric it expresses at every opportunity, shaking a finger in Greece, even on issues such as migration, where it is Turkey that does not respect what has been agreed at European level. The day before yesterday, when testing the Typhoon ballistic missile, he said: In Greece they say the missile will hit Athens. Of course it will hurt if you don't stay calm. What else are we going to hear!? It seems that as the elections approach, the Turkish president's leonardism will increase. But it is Europe's tolerance that should have been exhausted by now. I wonder, ladies and gentlemen, what exactly are we waiting for to respond effectively now to Turkish provocation?

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, this year has seen multiple clashes between Israelis and Palestinians. It’s actually been one of the deadliest years in recent memory, and too many innocent civilians, including young children, have paid the ultimate price. Terrorist attacks against Israel have led to the highest death count since 2008, and this is a sign, perhaps, that the Palestinian Authority is increasingly losing its control and its credibility. We cannot afford to turn away from this discussion. Peace between Israel and Palestine is not a bilateral issue. It is a regional issue. If we lose sight of that, then we fail to appreciate the many barriers which stand in the way of peace, and to recognise the available paths to peace. This conflict does not exist in a vacuum. We see actors like Iran continuing to do all it can to sow division and destruction – a regime which defines itself by its hatred of Israel and supports terrorist groups like Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, with the goal of Israel’s ultimate destruction. But there is another path, and we see this reflected in other parts of the region – a diplomatic and prosperous path to peace, namely the Abraham Accords, a process that has seen Arabs and Israelis traveling to each other’s countries and discussing how they can develop their economies together to prosper – and these are areas where our policy in the region could be more proactive. So, we must get tougher on Iran and we must offer more support to champion the outcome of the Abraham Accords. In doing so, we can help remove barriers and follow the path to genuine and lasting peace.

Madam President, against the background of the diplomatic incident last week, where the Foreign Minister of the Libyan caretaker government tried with her presence at the airport to force her Greek counterpart to meet with him, I welcome this report, which clearly states that the 2019 Turkish-Libyan Memorandum on the delimitation of maritime areas in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and has no legal consequences for third states. In fact, the report rightly urges the Libyan authorities to cancel the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum and not to apply any clause of the hydrocarbon agreement. Greece, ladies and gentlemen, is a pole of stability and security in the Mediterranean and respects international law. Libya's caretaker government not only does not hold elections, but seizes its stay, exploiting the country's resources at will and signs with the Turks. So, as the Foreign Minister of Greece, Nikos Dendias, eloquently said: Oh, it can't be.

Madam President, will those who blamed Greece for the 92 migrants rescued by the Greek authorities in Evros apologise now that the media outlet that published the report withdrew it due to doubts? Will those who slandered the persecuted in the so-called Novartis scandal, who were fully acquitted now that even Mr. Tsipras' lawyer says they were all innocent from the beginning, apologise? They are the ones who, for the pan-European problem of the use of illegal and malicious software, are adopting and reproducing unfounded accusations against Greece. So those who are trying to lure Greece into the mire of mud and toxicity, know that we are not wasting time waiting for their apology. The Mitsotakis government said from the beginning "everything in the light" and cooperated fully with the European institutions, with the PEGA committee, and pioneers Europe-wide with a bill that prohibits and criminalizes the possession, use and marketing of illegal surveillance software. Greece, ladies and gentlemen, not only does not fall short, but is at the forefront of the protection of human rights and the rule of law.

Mr President, Greece in matters of the rule of law does not make discounts. The honour and reputation of the Greek citizens, but also of the democratically elected Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is not negotiable and we will preserve it as the daughter of an eye. The Greek government does not use malware, has strengthened the legal framework for lifting secrecy, has institutionally and fully investigated the legal connection of Mr. Androulakis' mobile phone and is pioneering again Europe-wide, banning the use of malware in Greece altogether. We will not allow, therefore, those who speculate on Greece for petty party reasons and for personal promotion, those who are enemies of Greece, wherever they are, those who serve dark agendas, those who poison the public life of Greece with toxicity, to slander Greece without proof and evidence. And obviously we will not tolerate the completely non-existent propaganda of a Greek media outlet, whose publisher is linked to the financing within Greece of a television network with Russian funds. Let us understand, ladies and gentlemen, your hands off Greece.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, between 2021 and 2024, the European Union will allocate over EUR 1 billion in funding to the Palestinian Authority. Fine, yet a proposal to condition just EUR 20 million of that funding is refused over and over by this House. I am referring, honourable colleagues, to the initiative which seeks to remove anti-Semitic references and incitement to violence propagated in the textbooks of Palestinian children. The EU is very clear that it has a zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitism, and I would like to think that this is an approach that we all share. The Georg Eckert Institute study is clear that Palestinian textbooks do in fact contain anti-Semitic references. So I ask you, colleagues: why is it that a majority of this House refuses to condition EUR 20 million of the EUR 1 billion funding for the Palestinian Authority on removing the anti-Semitic references from the textbooks of Palestinian children? It is utterly perplexing that we failed to take this action. Funding conditionality is a routine feature of EU programmes. We condition commitments on a host of indicators from gender-mainstreaming to sustainability. So why is funding conditioning to fight anti-Semitism resisted so heavily? This is a question I put to colleagues ahead of the vote on the budget, and it is a question that I will continue to put in the times to come.

Mr President, I welcome this debate today in the interest of serving the truth, but as a Greek member of this House, I cannot allow this debate to fuel the campaign launched by Turkey, slandering Greece over migration in order to overshadow the fact that Turkey consciously and systematically weaponises migrants at the EU’s external borders. And I quote Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu, ‘Under the supervision of the EU and with the help of Frontex, Greece is killing people in the middle of the sea.’ That is a lie. And I quote President Erdoğan, ‘Greece is turning the Aegean Sea into a graveyard through illegal pushbacks.’ And, ‘Europe and the United Nations must stop these atrocities, which are crimes against humanity.’ That is another lie, and it is an even bigger provocation. The truth, dear colleagues, is that Turkey is cramming desperate men, women and children into unseaworthy vessels, violently pushing them towards Greece, while the Greek authorities, with the help of Frontex, are saving lives every day. Just last Friday, as Commissioner Johansson mentioned, 92 migrants were rescued at the Evros River and testified to being abandoned there by the Turkish authorities completely naked. Yes, completely naked. This, dear colleagues, is the naked truth about turkey weaponising migration. And you must finally face the naked truth, with unity and solidarity, if not for Greece’s sake, because you owe it to our European culture, values and humanitarianism.

Thank you very much for the question. I think that our zero—tolerance policy for child labour trumps anything that has to do with trade, even though trade is about trade and investment and well—being, we have to have red lines. Child labour is a red line, and I think that’s why we’ve reflected it very well in our mutually acceptable across political families compromise with respect to trade and sustainable development chapters. I think that being respectful of the conventions is a way to do this. We may have our disagreements as to the enforceability and the extent and the clarity of how this is going to be enforced, but in principle I think that nobody in this House disagrees on this.

Mr President, I would say to Vice—President Schinas that trade deals are about delivering jobs and investment, but they’re also about setting rules and about promoting our values. The global race for a new era of rules and values is well underway. Recent years have seen our drive for free trade agreements stall, and political division over trade and sustainable development chapters have been one of the major reasons. Now, having recently achieved a mutually—agreeable solution on trade and sustainable development chapters, we can now focus on making up for lost time. We’re fortunate because the timing is very good to make up for lost time. We’ve survived a pandemic, we are tackling the energy crisis – or at least we’re trying to – and our trade strategy is aimed at future—proofing ourselves in a multipolar world. President von der Leyen set out an ambitious agenda in her State of the Union address, name checking free trade agreements with Chile, with Mexico, with New Zealand, with Australia and with India – and I would also mention Indonesia and Mercosur. So as the race to shape the New World Order gathers pace, free trade agreements will play a key role. Our partners see the European Union as a beacon of stability, of predictability and opportunity. So with faith in our values, with like—minded teammates and fair rules, we stand a good chance to remain a front runner on the global stage. (The speaker agreed to respond to a blue-card speech)

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, Mr Schinas, Minister. Putin's invasion did not come as a thunderbolt. Putin had been preparing for a long time, and propaganda was a big part of his preparation. We must admit that we have not dealt adequately with either Putin's propaganda or lies, which continue to this day and are extremely dangerous, among other things, because it opens the appetite and the way for others who think and act like Putin, such as Erdogan, who also uses propaganda and lies before and after any illegal and provocative action (casus belli, blue homeland, demilitarization of islands, threats "one night we will come suddenly", hundreds of flights over the Aegean islands, questioning international treaties, indifference to international law), and now we have another illegal memorandum with Libya for the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the region of the legal EEZ Greece-Egypt. And this is always accompanied by Erdogan’s propaganda against Greece; The story of Erdogan, who says that Greece is the pampered child of the European Union, arming the islands, illegally pushing backs, drowning refugees in the Aegean, leaving dead children on the islet of Evros. And this propaganda is reproduced not only by enemies of Greece, but also by members of the Greek opposition scene who dare to reproduce it for petty party benefit. Ladies and gentlemen, when it comes to Erdogan's propaganda against Greece, let us not forget the hard lesson we learned from Putin. Because when we put up with propaganda, the worst comes next.

Mr President, the death of Mahsa Amini is shocking, but sadly it’s not surprising. It’s not surprising to the people of Iran whose basic human rights are routinely trampled on. And it’s not surprising to the United States, which is accused by Ayatollah Khamenei of instigating the protests. And it’s not surprising to Israel, which Iran wants to wipe off the face of the earth. It’s not surprising to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which regularly engages in terrorist acts and is now carrying out raids on the protesters. It’s not surprising, but it actually is terrifying that all of this comes from a country which is building nuclear weapons. It’s even more sad that the European Union’s response is currently basically statements and debates instead of actions. So please, High Representative, please, Mr Borrell, surprise us pleasantly and do something. I call upon you to immediately take steps to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as what it is, namely a terrorist organisation.

Madam President, recently, yet another instance of disinformation and slander of Greece’s handling of migrants at its borders was proven to be categorically false when NGO Human Rights 360, which represents 38 asylum seekers stranded on the islet in the River Evros, admitted that it had been misled about the facts. Thus, the assertions of the Greek Government and authorities were true all along – namely that the 38 migrants were stranded on Turkish territory, no person rescued was in need of hospitalisation, and there were no injured, missing or dead children. As in this case, Greece protects our European borders with full respect for international law and our humanitarian duties. By contrast, it is Turkey, which weaponises migrants, exploiting their plight and their suffering. An apology is owed to Greece by those who slander it, which sadly includes opposition MEPs seeking petty political gains. But we will fight against those who discredit and slander Greece on the international stage because, as they say in my country, ‘a clear sky fears no lightning’, and in Greece the skies are blue and clear.

Madam President, Commissioner, as a member of this House from Greece, I am more aware than most of the importance that the entire southern neighbourhood has for the European Union. Today, however, I’d like to focus on one of its members, namely Israel – one of our closest and most like-minded partners, not just in the region but in the world. After ten years, the European Union is finally preparing to reconvene the Association Council with Israel. This is a moment where I think we need to send some very clear messages. In our report we note the importance and achievements of the Abraham Accords. We need to hear this message echoed loud and clear by our counterparts in the Council. It’s important that Israel hear this, and it’s important that other regional powers hear this. Iran is deeply opposed to the rapprochement between Israel and the European Union and its neighbours. This week, it threatened an attack on Tel Aviv, echoing previous threats, citing the Accords. It’s therefore of the utmost importance that we make our position clear. We welcome the Abraham Accords. We support the Abraham Accords, and we will not tolerate efforts by Iran to undermine regional peace and stability.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, with Putin's war in Ukraine and his constant threats to shut down gas supplies to Europe due to the sanctions we have rightly imposed, we are facing a new major crisis. A difficult winter is just around the corner, for both households and businesses, and can have disastrous consequences. We must therefore react swiftly, with unity and effectiveness. Adopting – among other things – the proposals of the Greek Minister of Energy, Mr Skrekas, for a permanent European mechanism to decouple gas prices from those of electricity, but also to recover the excess revenues of electricity generation companies, I believe would be in the right direction. It is therefore necessary, as the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, says, to adopt a pan-European solution to this pan-European problem. We can't wait any longer, there's no more time. Of course, Mr Putin is responsible for this crisis, but it is our responsibility to address it now and together. So let's take care of her.

Mr President, let’s go straight to the truth and I would ask kindly, Commissioner, that you rectify your statement. The Greek Government has stated very clearly that it does not use illegal spyware. The case of MEP Androulakis, is legal and I emphasise legal surveillance is being examined by the judiciary, by an investigative committee in Parliament and by the independent authorities in Greece. We’ve also fortified our legislative framework and we urge the European Union to do the same. We will be a frontrunner in this because we have nothing to hide. I know mythology is part of Greece’s identity, and perhaps it is this love of myths that nefarious forces and enemies of Greece and the prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, seek to take advantage of when they twist and entangle myth with truth to destabilise Greece and to gain advantage in the upcoming elections in 2023. But let me tell you and let me be absolutely clear, we will not tolerate myths that are aimed at tarnishing the credibility of either Greece, its government or its prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The Greek people will separate myth from truth, and I expect this House to do the same.

Madam President, the recent ministerial conference of the WTO acts as a stark reminder of what exactly is at stake when we talk about the defence of multilateralism. So was MC12 actually a success? What was genuinely achieved? After 20 years, there was an agreement on fishing subsidies, a compromise on the TRIPS waiver, and the long-standing position of exempting e-commerce from tariffs was maintained. But can these achievements be characterized as a success? Well, apparently they can, if not because of the achievements themselves, because of our excessively modest expectations. Set against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, growing protectionism, trade weaponisation, frankly, we’re all relieved that MC12 managed to achieve anything at all. So yes, the answer is that MC12 was a success. But the long-term future of the WTO is still far from certain. And though a light continues to shine on the future of multilateralism and the WTO lives to fight another day, we must all intensify our efforts in defending multilateralism.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, The new destruction of the Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul is yet another proof of the utter disrespect shown by the Turkish authorities to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the greatest symbols of Christianity. Unfortunately, however, it is not only the destruction of the marble floor, walls or the historic imperial gate of the temple, and all this after its official conversion into a mosque; It is also the desecration of Panagia Soumela, the sacred pilgrimage of the Pontic Greeks, with a disco party and the shooting of a Hollywood film. It is also the conversion of the Monastery of Chora, an emblematic Byzantine monument, with a long history, into an Islamic mosque. It is a constant tactic of Turkey that turns against Orthodox holy pilgrimages, that insults our culture, denigrates and alters the principles and values of Christianity and Orthodoxy and undermines our European identity. Ladies and gentlemen, today, in the face of these provocative actions, I ask this step for your support to protect our cultural heritage, not only as Europeans, but also as Christians.