Debate contributions by Liudas MAŽYLIS

President, Commissioner, colleagues. As far as broadcasts of sports competitions and other live events are concerned, we must admit that the greatest value of their content is revealed precisely at the time the event takes place. "Here and now" is not the same as "return and see at any time". Illegal live broadcasts therefore cause irreversible damage which can no longer be restored after the end of the event. In 2023, the European Commission issued recommendations in the hope that voluntary cooperation between right holders, platforms and intermediaries could prevent piracy, but the impact was limited, piracy is still ongoing, and it has to be noted that this is no longer an isolated case, but a systemic phenomenon that brings both economic and reputational damage, while voluntary measures are no longer able to follow the technological reality and organised schemes for the distribution of illegal content. Hundreds of millions of euros are lost and creative work is undervalued. The negative impact of this phenomenon on investment, jobs and public revenues is increasingly cited by major players in the European sport, media and cultural sector. There is therefore a need for an effective legal framework enabling the right instruments to be adapted in due course.

Mr President, today we are talking about an open attempt by the government to politicise and adapt the national broadcaster LRT in Lithuania. The rulers, accustomed to pushing decisions by a mechanical majority after the recent elections, seem to have decided that retaining power could also redraw the boundaries between politics and the media. This is what is sacred in a democracy. The role of the national broadcaster has never been and will never be to praise politicians, to polish their image and mask government mistakes. LRT is the voice of the public, not of the government. Therefore, when politicians start to rush to change the governance model, the principles of the formation of the Council or the funding logic in such a way that the LRT becomes more convenient to the government, it is no longer just a technical amendment. This is the real political intervention. If today we allow the national broadcaster to be twisted according to the whims of the ruling parties, tomorrow the whirlwind of such political games will begin to draw other institutions of free society as well. During the long Soviet period, the people of Lithuania were forced to obey one opinion, but over the past few decades they have enjoyed free speech, the presentation of a variety of professional opinions, sincerely enjoying freedom encoded in the Act of Independence of 16 February. So let's stop the ambitions of restricting free speech.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. In Georgia, unfortunately, we are increasingly seeing the erosion of democracy. Pressure on civil society and the media is increasing, the so-called ‘foreign agents’ regime is entering into force, limiting the activities of independent organisations, and brutal force is being used against peaceful protesters. When European integration was halted, civil society stood on guard, and today's ruling power responded with arrests, intimidation, tear gas and water cannons. Georgia's prime minister is trying to deny that brombenzyl cyanide has been added to the water, but admits there were chemical additives. Thus, the rulers engaged in a physical struggle against their nation, which defends Europe on the streets of Tbilisi not only with symbols as flags, but also with its bodies, at the cost of physical health. And all this is happening in a country where a Russian army is still stationed in part of its territory, so the events in Georgia are never a purely domestic matter. Europe cannot turn away from a people who love freedom. Democratic pressure is needed. Let us not leave the people fighting alone, because this would mean not only disappointing their expectations, but also weakening the credibility of the European idea itself across Europe.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. The Arctic is no longer the distant edge of the world. It is a place where the greatest powers show their appetites more and more openly, and climate change has become a convenient cover for aggressive actions. As the glaciers melt, not only new routes open up, but also space for brutal competition and demonstration of power. Russia behaves like an owner in the region: militarizes the Arctic, tightens control of the Northern Sea Route, drawing lines that others are not supposed to cross. Under the guise of the ‘Polar Silk Road’, China is seeking strategic investment, not through cooperation, but through influence and long-term control. This is geopolitical pressure. Europe must stop looking at the Arctic as an ecological field of research. This is our security front. Our arguments are therefore international law, an active response to militarisation and a clear message: The future of the Arctic must be based on rules, not force.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. I have the ungrateful task of listing in a minute all the ugly deeds of the Belarusian regime, when in the same minute they make dozens more, even more horrible! Dozens of political prisoners have been released and ten times more incarcerated. In fact, free media have been destroyed, the opposition has not had the slightest opportunity to act, and civil society has been suppressed. The Lukashenka regime is actively contributing to Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. Two thousand children from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine were smuggled into the territory of Belarus. Instrumentalised migration continues to take place against neighbouring countries, including Lithuania, and direct security risks are escalated, so there is no reason why we should ease sanctions against today's regime in Belarus. They just need to be tightened up. In the cave of Belarus!

Thank you, President, Commissioner, colleagues. There are countries that today do not ask for grace, but show determination and readiness to join our community. They are moving forward because they believe in a Europe where enlargement is based on merit and clear results. After all, it has long been necessary to send a message that enlargement is not a frozen process, but a living political commitment. It is time to change the narrative and move from ‘non-enlargement’ talks to negotiating clusters and prove that enlargement is actually taking place. Moldova has once again overcame ruthless Russian propaganda. In 2029, will we tell them again, "Stand up for another existential election"? And Moldova is not the only one fully matured for full membership. Continuation of the European project is impossible without geographical expansion de facto. Let us set a specific goal for development and pursue it.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. The impact of climate change on tick activity is undeniable. Undoubtedly, vaccinations save. It is enough to compare Austria and Switzerland: in one, vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is universal, in the other it is not, and the morbidity of people clearly proves the advantages of vaccination. Aggressive ticks, influenza, coronavirus – vaccination campaigns must also be aggressive. It is now lukewarm in many countries. In many cases, awareness must be demonstrated by the patient, which is the responsibility of the health authorities in the Member States. Sufficient quantities of vaccines must be available, patients in risk groups must be vaccinated free of charge and others must be clearly and explicitly informed. Solutions are needed throughout the European Union. This would be an appropriate contribution to the creation of a European Health Union.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, the recent violations of Europe's airspace and critical infrastructure are not accidents and they are not mere provocations; they are deliberate acts of hostility. Russia is not intending to declare officially the war; the war simply is going on. We should try to avoid the fatal mistakes of the past. Today, history stands at our doorstep once again. War is raging on our continent and the integrity of borders is no longer an abstract principle. Europe's response must be immediate, coordinated and unmistakable. Our skies, our territory and our seas are not negotiable. Every act of aggression must be met with firm political, economic and, if necessary, military consequences.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Anti-Semitism in Europe, unfortunately, is not just a shadow of the past, but a worrying reality of today. Even the walls of this palace, unfortunately, sometimes become a scene for anti-Semitic cues or even open statements. This is unequivocally reprehensible. There is also concern about anti-Semitic rhetoric in the activities of parties in various European countries. After all, anti-Semitism, xenophobia of any kind, only destroys the foundations of democracy, leads to radicalization and violence. We must not forget that Jews have been an integral part of European cultural development for centuries. As if there were not enough violent experience of the Holocaust, today we see again a disdainful attitude towards this nation. This is intolerable. Europe is strongest when it is based on respect for people, diversity of communities and respect for history.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. On September 28, Moldova will have to reconfirm its European course. And the Kremlin is imposing a fierce hybrid war. The Russians imagine that they can still operate destructively in the post-Soviet space and do not regret the conventional and modernized means. These include alleged protests financed through cryptocurrency channels, the purchase of votes by shadow millions, the game of the separatist card, the idea of an alleged ‘equilibrium between East and Europe’, supported by the establishment of supposedly ‘middle’ parties alongside openly pro-Moscow parties. At the same time, Moldovan civil society must withstand the ghosts of the past and sustain not only its own democracy and prosperity, the stability of the region, but also the resilience of Europe as a whole. And the best thing we can do is make the process of Moldova’s membership of the European Union concrete without delay.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Today we are witnessing a democratic decline in Serbia. Protests against the government are repressed by brutal force, violence against the opposition and independent journalists, and the rule of law is systematically weakened. And the images in Belgrade are a very clear reminder of the events in Belarus in 2020. However, Serbia has not yet become a dictatorship, but it must be acknowledged that the current direction of the state is not compatible with the values of the European Union. If today’s Belarus symbolises the Kremlin’s victory, Serbia still has the choice to return to the democratic path. And Europe must act in a targeted way to help make the right choice. Without changing the situation, targeted sanctions against government officials responsible for violence should not be ruled out either. Let's not let Serbia become another Russian satellite.

President, for a minute I did not believe in the goodwill of the Russian aggressors and that they would want peace. No, not really. We remain only armed with Ukraine, armed by ourselves, subjugating science and cutting-edge technology, finance, to a hybrid warfare. The sanctions package approach we have chosen should have worked much earlier. Deposits must be confiscated and membership negotiations must not be delayed. And now the aggressor's cruelty is increasing tenfold. The norm is no longer 600 drones, but 6000. There was not so much blood. The term ‘Realpolitik’ changes the meaning and refers to a coarse reality. The price of blood is crucial to breaking the war. We are not instigators of war, but the aggressor forces us to teach children from an early age how to build drones and drone curtains. If we were to be honest, at least we would be honest. Slava Ukraini!

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Already two decades ago, North Macedonia undertook decisive institutional reforms, obtained candidate status, but the process of integration has been delayed for an inadequate amount of time. The European Union, which declares that enlargement benefits everyone, has acted ambiguously at crucial moments. In today's geopolitical reality, delaying strategic decisions is a gift to Kremlin propaganda and weakening pro-Western attitudes in the region. North Macedonia has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to European values by participating in European Union missions and coordinating its foreign and security policy with the Community. It is among the most advanced candidates. Long reflections on the need for deep internal reforms of the European Union as a condition for enlargement must not hold back processes. So can you finally give us a date – why not, for example, 2027? If not, when?

President, Commissioner, colleagues. I want to quote what I said about pollinators on 17 December 2019: "prevention of biodiversity loss must be science-based and based on ambitious but achievable targets". I also strongly suggest Bee Guidance renewal and that chronic toxicity studies are carried out for new plant protection products. The effects on pollinators other than bees shall be investigated. Adopted in the meantime New Deal for Pollinators, updated Bee Guidanceand in 2023, the Nature Restoration Regulation gave pollinators, including bees, a legal protection status. This is a significant step that obliges Member States to monitor their populations according to a standardised methodology. the decline of pollinators must be halted by 2030 and their sustainable growth ensured thereafter. An important issue is the European red list for bees. It needs to be updated to reflect current trends in the status of species. That objective is threatened, inter alia, by invasive species. A single colony of a species such as the Asian wasp can destroy up to 90,000 pollinators per season. It is therefore time to take appropriate action based on a risk assessment. In the case of pesticides, ring tests for lone bees are a step forward, but long-term studies at colony level are still lacking. Sublethal and chronic effects, unfortunately, remain underestimated. After all, only comprehensive research will provide an opportunity to make science-based decisions. I welcome the fact that databases on bees are becoming more widely available, and yet they must not only be open, but also comprehensive, constantly updated and integrated into decision-making, both when drawing up the European red list of bees and when planning habitat restoration. I will reiterate that only on the basis of reliable scientific data can we achieve our goals and stop the decline of bees.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. When we consider the current state of stalled enlargement, we have to answer ourselves whether there is a political will for enlargement. When it did, the institutional problems were solved. We say that today the European institutions are being disrupted by one Member State or even one politician, and are doing so systematically, and we are not finding legal ways to overcome it. But, on the other hand, it would be a sign of ‘near consensus’. This has been the case many times: and the empty chair crisis caused by de Gaulle, the Danish reservations to the Maastricht Treaty, the stalled ratification of the Constitution for Europe, and the persistence of a couple of countries to keep up with QMV under the Nice Treaty. The consensus of the majority triumphed. In this way, the whole history of enlargement to date is almost exclusively a success story. Europe has become stronger and more integrated every time. Structural Funds, cohesion – these are the positives that have emerged precisely in the context of the challenges of enlargement. Of course, it would be ideal to agree explicitly in advance on the most favourable institutional set-up, but let us remember the obstacles to ratification, especially when, despite the official position of the state, it was denied by referendums. It really hurts me that direct payments to Lithuanian farmers are too low, but that is the price of membership negotiations. Let us discuss the institutional set-up, but let us not hinder the maturation of the political will for development.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. The case of Mija Amaglobeli signals the anti-democratic pattern of the current Georgian government when individuals, media and civil society are being dealt with through the judiciary. This has been viewed from neighbouring Belarus or Russia, and most likely also directly inspired by Russia. In this way, selective legal pressure becomes a regime modus operandi. The detention of the journalist in question and the imposition of an inadequate prison sentence is no longer an isolated case, but a feature of the authoritarian system. Therefore, before there is a complete institutional collapse in Georgia, we must increase the pressure on the concrete implementers of the authoritarian regime by agreeing on targeted sanctions. The people of Georgia, taking to the streets, risking their lives, prove that their pro-Western orientation has not changed. Therefore, we must do everything we can to help preserve it.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. Yes, Montenegro is making tangible progress on reforms of the European Union. And in the area of foreign policy, the country maintains a clear European direction, for example by providing unequivocal support to Ukraine during Russia’s war of aggression, including humanitarian and military assistance. On the other hand, the political system is fragmented, the independence of the judiciary is limited, the problem of corruption is unresolved. The Russian regime is systematically infiltrating domestic politics through real estate, which Russians have a lot to buy in Montenegro, through business or party financing. It is regrettable that high-ranking Montenegrin officials have emerged who, through their participation in the All-Serb Assembly in Belgrade, have questioned even the sovereign status of Montenegro itself. To have another European success story, we must increase technical assistance and funds for public institutions, including by preventing the penetration of Russian capital.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. The current US administration is preparing to cut funding from, for example, NASA's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a scientist, I know how difficult bureaucratic blushing can be to shape health data registers, for example. Without the support of such data, this unique accumulated global value goes to nothing. The half-billion package proposed by the President of the Commission is therefore generally on time and in place. This must include researchers from different third countries, including for example Ukraine. It is true that seven-year ‘super-granting’ can create a risk of inequality between existing centres of excellence and those that are still emerging. However, the attitude towards young scientists is encouraging and support for them is not forgotten. I would add the need to include dual-use studies in the funding. Thank you.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes of a special nature, the forced deportation of children from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. But then the criminal traveled to different countries with impunity. His biographers counted ten such trips. Can we still send a reminder to the leaders of those states – and they will probably be taking part in a parade in Moscow the next morning – that they are some kind of accomplices to those crimes? At that time, the fate of the child victims remains unknown to the world. Their personalities are mutilated, their connection with Ukraine is deliberately erased, which is a systematic destruction of the identity of the nation with the characteristics of genocide. International organizations must tirelessly and case by case demand that Russia inform about the condition of the deported children and ensure their unconditional return.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Yesterday, the European Commission published an important communication on a clear plan to end energy dependence on Russia altogether. Finally, there will be no new contracts, no shadow fleet. The role of gas storage is particularly relevant in this context. They ensure our energy security in winter, accounting for up to 30 percent of total gas demand during the cold season. The experience of the past year has clearly shown that the obligation to fill storage facilities by at least 90 percent by the first of November was critical in the fight against Russian energy pressures. However, the situation in gas markets remains fragile and global competition for liquefied gas purchases is increasing. The compass announced by the Commission confirms our ambition for energy independence and the provisions on gas storage will guarantee market stability and energy security throughout the Community.