Speeches

Dear Chair, Commissioners, colleague and colleague, I would like to thank Rapporteur Kalniete for drawing up a report which is timely in the new context of wide-ranging attempts to destabilise the European neighbourhood and undermine the dynamics of democratic processes in the European Union itself. Colleagues, work with keyboards and mobile devices takes more than a decade. I believe that we are all aware of this, and now we are witnessing an unprecedented level of violation of the right of citizens, Russian citizens to information, manifested in Russia through blocking access to large platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube and restricting access to Western and independent Russian media. Colleagues, for the truth, are going to jail there and that is the answer to all those who ask why Europe has taken the decision to ban pro-Russian media that spread lies and disinformation. You know what money laundering is, and information laundering is at work here. Therefore, I welcome our report, which also highlights the level of importance of media literacy, which remains a key way to strengthen our citizens' ability to recognise disinformation in times of incendiary and manipulative rhetoric on social media and in the public space. With my amendment, I also called on the European Commission to be tasked with drawing up a list of illegal surveillance software as well as training staff in the institutions. Colleagues, transparency has never played a more important role, as has the appropriate labelling of disinformation content. Through the cooperation of European institutions and media outlets, our strategic commitment must be to recognize the narrative of manipulation in the fight for truth.

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, Colleagues, I congratulate first and foremost all those who have worked on this dossier. It has been clearly stated repeatedly here that the health and protection of workers should be an absolute priority in any business. More than half of work-related deaths in the European Union are linked to cancer on an annual basis. The European Parliament has clearly defined its position in the fight against this malignant disease and therefore we cannot agree to anything less than the highest standards of safety at work. The proposed addenda to the directive provide better protection at work for millions of European workers who are occupationally exposed to benzene, nickel compounds and acrylonitrile. In addition, the amendment to the directive also aims to ensure greater transparency for workers, employers, as well as enforcement authorities, and to help create a level playing field for economic operators, which we also need to take into account. We welcome the decisive steps taken by this directive, in particular the extension of the scope to reprotoxins, but also the announcement of a Commission action plan providing for the inclusion of an additional 25 substances in the directive. The same goes for the protection of medical professionals. It is an example of good practice that has come to the approval of most stakeholders from the relevant sectors. However, our work as a legislative body is still not over. Existing legislation needs to be constantly adapted to the latest developments. That's why I'm asking, Commissioner, could the five-year deadline for revising the limit values possibly be reduced? We need to see it because we have many other scientific discoveries at our disposal. Only in this way will we provide additional benefits for the health of our workers. And what is terribly important is the exchange of information, the establishment of a European register of HMPs. Colleagues and colleagues, due to work, no one's health should be endangered.

Dear Chair, Dear Commissioner, I would like to thank and congratulate my colleagues, three quarters of the citizens of the European Union wish to strengthen the Common Security and Defence Policy. We live in a period of tectonic disruptions and growing geopolitical uncertainty in international politics, as evidenced by numerous crises. The European Union's foreign security and defence policy must have acceptable solutions to the growing problems, and the challenges are, unfortunately, increasing. As the whole world looks towards the Russian-Ukrainian border, we must also keep in mind the many other hotspots in the foreign policy world. I also take the opportunity to recall the many examples of hybrid actions with disinformation and propaganda. All these are the dangers that have hovered over the European space. We also need to focus our attention on the increasingly complicated situation in the Western Balkans, which, like litmus paper, mirrors growing geopolitical trends. The European Union must once again legitimise itself as a global actor through clear and decisive responses. Mr. Commissioner, yes, and must have a power policy signature.

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, Honourable Rapporteur, Colleagues, I am pleased that our report will put a strong focus on prevention and provide concrete guidance on how we can make further progress in the structured fight against cancer through different legislative amendment programmes. Where you live shouldn't be a question of whether you live. We currently have first- and second-class citizens in the European Union, as patients in Eastern Europe have a 30% lower chance of healing than patients in Western Europe. As Members of the European Parliament, we must ensure that the fight against cancer is not conditioned by social status or borders. We need to promote a European common procurement system that makes treatments more accessible to patients and our health systems, promote equal access to medicines and encourage innovation, as it has been done with COVID-19 vaccines, improve prevention, early detection and treatment by supporting research, to ensure that targeted treatment is available to all patients. Each Member State should therefore, in my view, have at least one specialised centre for children and young people with cancer. Our task is to help patients regardless of which of the 27 Member States they live in, and all citizens deserve the fact that cancer patients are included in their right to be forgotten. Europe can pool efforts, knowledge and money, and such resources require, of course, political will. We also make sure that we do not discriminate against the specificities of our industries and promote a healthy lifestyle. To conclude, 40% of us are likely to face cancer at some stage in our lives. This is one of our most important documents because there is no higher priority than life!

–The Honourable Chair, the Honourable Commissioner, colleagues, traded more than 1.6 billion animals in the Member States of the European Union in 2019, while the value of trade in live animals within the European Union in 2018 was €8.6 billion. Existing European legislation must respond to the challenges facing this growing sector, however, find balance and protect our farmers. In addition to the fact that numerous studies have confirmed that animal welfare affects the quality of meat, it should be emphasized that, in addition to the purpose of slaughtering animals, it is also transported for a number of other reasons, including trade, fattening, breeding, as well as competitions and exhibitions. A lot of research has been published on the relationship between the occurrence of diseases and animal transport. Thus, for example, in transported cattle, especially if the transport took a long time, there are significant problems and economic losses due to the outbreak of the so-called transport fever. We must also be aware of the economic importance of livestock farming in the regions of the European Union, whose geographical conditionality further complicates the logistical challenges that already exist. A particular problem is the transport of animals to third countries with lower standards and fewer control options than the European Union. For this reason, it is essential to shorten supply chains, build and renew the necessary infrastructure, strengthen legislation and ensure its consistent application, and harmonise binding standards for vehicles and vessels transporting live animals. Of course, I am in favour of a quality legislative framework whose implementation will guarantee animal welfare, avoid unfair competition and improve product quality. Our humanity is in fact, and it is evident from all our speeches, and even our fellow Buddhas cannot be reduced to 90 seconds of outrage when we see on television a story about horrors committed against animals. That's why I think we're all going in the same good direction.

The European Union estimates that criminal revenues in the main markets amounted to 1% of GDP in 2019 and 139 billion euros in the European Union, respectively. The fight against organised crime is part of the EU accession process of the Western Balkan countries. What I would like to highlight as a major problem is the combination of political instances of crime miles, disinformation on platforms, and that is why we need to help independent media and investigative journalists. We want real and committed operational cooperation with European agencies that can support their efforts in the fight against organised crime. On the European Union side, it is also important to continue to financially encourage these countries on their European path to tackle the problem of organised crime. Let's not forget, organized crime not only finds its profits in the roads of drugs, weapons, but also trades in human lives. This is a fact that we must always keep in mind. Organised crime, on the other hand, is also dangerous for the democratic progress of the Western Balkan countries. On the other hand, this is also a first-rate security issue. We have to take special care of him. As for my country, Croatia, as a contact country with countries that are not members of the European Union, the possibility of cross-border crime is a special focus of Croatian police and judicial institutions. Therefore, apart from financial, financial support, we need to support the implementation of reforms with our colleagues in the Western Balkans. Croatia has done this, however, we need to give clearer support to the citizens of the European Union, of which Croatian citizens are the constituent people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, they are also citizens of the European Union.

More people than ever before are in need of humanitarian assistance. Colleagues and colleagues, according to the report, I believe you have seen this, it is about two hundred thirty-eight million people and they need help because of conflicts, numerous factors such as natural disasters, limited resources. The fact that the European Union has been hit by the pandemic and that we are in a crisis of access to energy must not result in leaving behind areas of humanitarian action. European Commission Communication “Humanitarian action by the European Union: new challenges, same principles’, is key to defining new directions for the Union’s humanitarian action. I therefore support the measures outlined therein, such as increased European Union support for local aid providers or the extension of the funding mechanism with humanitarian partners. Humanitarian aid is an inseparable component of European policy and on it we build our recognition and distinction of our approach to countries in need without calculating or conditioning aid to economic dependence. What remains as a permanent challenge is how to ensure that humanitarian aid really reaches those most in need. This is particularly important in states governed by authoritarian non-democratic regimes and in states facing internal unrest and conflict. We also need to be prepared that humanitarian needs will grow further and that they will also pose a security challenge to which we will have to find a common response. Colleagues and colleagues, humanity is a civilizational reach. Her concept hasn't changed. We must therefore focus all our forces on the dignity of every human being, and humanity has shown in recent years that it is something that has no price and no alternative.

Dear Chairman, Honourable Commissioner, colleague and colleague, we have witnessed worrying rhetoric in Bosnia and Herzegovina in recent weeks. BiH is split between ideas of violent unitarism and separatism and European supported federalism. The rhetoric we hear brings us back to the 1990s and heightens concern about a potential conflict that could destabilize the entire region after a painstaking multi-year, decades-long effort to normalize the situation. The concept of constitutiveness is the starting point for the equality of the three peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We strongly advocate changes to the electoral law and strongly condemn the messages of the destabilization of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Milorad Dodik. The message of territorial integrity is also strong tonight, I hear it from you, who may not know Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as we who live in its neighbourhood. And that is why I want to say, no one has the right to deny a country that belongs to Europe, whose citizens live there, the right to live their European path. A stable Bosnia and Herzegovina must be a priority for the European Union and that is why we must all stand stronger with you, Commissioner.

Dear Vice-President, Dear Commissioner, Dear colleague Dolors, I would like to thank you for your report. Until the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the problem of self-sufficiency of the European Union in a strategic area such as pharmaceutical production can be said to have passed under the radar. The pandemic was a moment of sobriety that revealed how dependent we are on products and supply chains outside our Union. The crisis has shown that we are too dependent on China and third countries when it comes to pharmaceuticals. The Commission’s data shows that: 40% of the finished medicinal products placed on the Union market originate from third countries. I think it would be wise to use the logic of large numbers when procuring medicines and medical equipment for Member States, in order to improve affordability. I welcome this report and support the emphasis placed on the importance of new joint European Union procurement contracts between the Commission and the Member States, in particular for emergency medicines. It would be good to explore such practices in areas such as rare diseases and cancer. We need a strong European Health Union, the vitality of the sector and the strengthening of the strategic economy. We have understood the challenges and must use them as an added value and paradigm shift in health preservation. Thank you very much.

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, colleague and colleague, we have seen a significant increase in the number of newly infected coronavirus cases across Europe over the past few weeks. In Croatia, the country I come from, you can get a COVID certificate if you have recovered, have been vaccinated or have been tested. Black records are breaking in many Member States, and growth trends are not promising. We see that the sutures are cracking hospital systems and the fact is that people who are dying more and more, over 80% of them, are people who are not vaccinated. We must not bring our doctors who work sacrificially, as well as all medical workers, into the dilemma that they should choose whose life they will save, because every life is equally valuable. Likewise, according to the Constitution of the country from which I come, everyone has the right to health care. However, no one has the right to take away someone else's health care or put their lives at risk. Therefore, I ask you once again, all those who despise vaccination and who doubt the greatest achievements of medicine, think about people who are dying. More than 60 people die in my country every day.

The Declaration adopted by the Honourable President, the Honourable Commissioner, points out that the European Union unanimously supports the European perspective of the Western Balkans. It also includes a wide range of concrete actions on the Western Balkans, including an investment plan of €30 billion. The European future of the Western Balkans, colleagues, is crucial for long-term geopolitical stability in the region and I therefore support any assistance to the Western Balkan countries on their European path. It is very important, on the other hand, that the European commitment be made concrete, which can be demonstrated in legislative terms by reform efforts that are in line with European principles, because we are aware of democratic deficits and that is why it is important that they show their commitment to Europe in terms of both human rights and democratic practice. Croatia has always encouraged the spread of European values in the Western Balkans and will friendlyly continue to encourage the European aspirations of the countries in this area, as evidenced by the Zagreb Summit on the Western Balkans, which once again put these topics on the agenda, held, I recall, in May last year. Continuous dialogue at the highest level must continue. It must not only be convenient, but we must also be aware that the process should be speeded up a bit. Political and security cooperation must be our focus, because no matter what some of you here say, they are our neighbours, they are countries whose natural path is that of Europe. They expect help from us, and of course, we will provide them with this help both financially and politically, expecting from them, on the other hand, to concretize demands, above all in progressing in those democratic processes. Thank you very much.

With the latest developments on the eastern borders of the European Union, it becomes evident that migrants have become a powerful weapon in geopolitical strategies. Croatia's border has been under constant pressure from migrants for the past six years and the Croatian police are doing an excellent job in protecting Croatia and the territory of the European Union. Of course, we remain concerned that migrants do not cross the border at official border crossing points and I advocate for a clear distinction between people in need of international protection and migrants seeking better life opportunities in Europe. So far, more than 3,000 people smugglers have been arrested at the Croatian borders. It's a serious business for them. In 2020, nearly 30,000 illegal attempts to cross the border were prevented. We have invested over 200 million euros in strengthening border control, and about seven thousand Croatian police officers will guard the border of the European Union. Colleagues and colleagues, the Republic of Croatia also protects your border, the border of the European Union in a legal way.

Dear President, Vice-President, Commissioner, you probably know this well: 57% of Europeans aged 16-74 use social media as a source of news. However, what we don't know - how many of them really believe in this news and how many, if it's only half, are not media-written enough to know if it's fake or not fake, whether it's disinformation or information, so I can freely say that we'll never make information the first thing in front of disinformation. However, we must not give up in this process. And of course we have to see what is the best path and that legislative sense. On the one hand, social networks have given us a strong democratic momentum, and on the other hand, they have opened up space for harmful actions. Therefore, I want to say that we must approach this unlimited space for the spread of disinformation systematically, more systematically than it was today, provide full support to our media colleagues, journalists and give equally stronger support not only but also concrete indicators on how we will involve our young generations in media literacy.

Dear Chairman, Commissioner, although EU measures have been crucial in efforts to preserve jobs and to breathe that strength into tourism and hospitality in the first place and to keep them above the surface, we have noticed how bad or insufficient it has been for many years to ignore investments from EU funds and programmes in such a financially and economically propulsive sector. We have already heard, 27 million people directly or indirectly participate in the tourism sector. It is important to take measures to support the tourism ecosystem, in particular to avoid the uncertainties faced by tourism-related businesses, travellers in travel restrictions. In this context, I stress the importance of measures to make it easier for micro-enterprises to access European Union funding. Addressing the pandemic is very important for the recovery of the tourism sector. Let's say my country Croatia was among the first countries to adopt and launch the EU Digital COVID Certificate system. Also, with more than 12 million overnight stays after that, we can be satisfied that in September we reached as much as 94 percent of the September 2019 turnover. From the Croatian perspective, the national recovery and resilience plan plans to invest 300 million euros, or 4.5 percent of the total value. However, tourism needs a specific strategy and we need to think about this sector globally and avoid the situation of finding ad hoc solutions.

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, colleague and colleague, colleague Picula, thank you for your report. The Transatlantic Partnership is key to building an international order based on the common values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and upholding the rule of law, but also the new challenges of the green transition where we must work together. Today, the global situation has changed, we all see it, and the transatlantic bond has been weakened. We have seen this on the examples of the previous US administration, but also the recent actions of the Biden administration that will certainly have an impact on our relations in the future. The European Union, I agree, needs to strengthen its own capabilities in order to maintain strategic relevance in the international sphere. But we won't be able to do it alone. I would like to take the opportunity at the end to highlight the recent lifting of the visa regime between the United States and the Republic of Croatia as a positive example of the development of transatlantic relations, expecting to establish a full visa regime and reciprocity with the remaining Member States of the European Union. Our partnership is strongest when we face major challenges together, and the common past is a guarantee of close cooperation and a future.

Dear Chairman, Commissioners, colleagues, I would like to thank you for the report and I would like to say that it very realistically, but somewhat critically indicates the situation of those whose votes we may not hear loud enough. We have already heard that almost a quarter of the European adult population has a certain degree of disability or disability and the protection of people with disabilities is, of course, what the European Union and each of its member states should work on. More than a decade ago, the European Union acceded to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and of course we committed to promoting, protecting and monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities in all segments of implementation. These commitments were implemented in the European Strategy 2021-2030. I strongly support the EU's accession to the Convention and all international instruments promoting the protection of persons with disabilities, but the fact is that implementation is not the same in all Member States. Therefore, I have a great example from Croatia, the country from which I come, which as a third country in the world, before many more economically developed countries, ratified the Convention and its protocol. The Ombudsperson for Persons with Disabilities has existed since 2008. In 2017, we adopted a national strategy to include people with disabilities in the community, make everything more accessible to them and of course introduce them into the labour market. The past five years have seen the greatest progress in the quality of life of persons with disabilities, and there is also a clear vision for the coming period. Protect the rights of people with disabilities, I will say in the end, and work hard to improve their quality of life ... (Chair took the floor)

The COVID-19 pandemic, of course, has further updated the topic of platform work, a new form of employment linked to digital development. Of course, we are witnessing a digital transformation of work and society, and we are all aware of that. I agree, platform work needs to be regulated in more detail to ensure fair working conditions, rights and, of course, social protection for workers. Platform work is on the rise and 60% of Europeans say they will not give up on online services even after the corona crisis. However, there is some legal uncertainty as those working through platforms in different Member States or combining a regular employment relationship with platform work are often subject to completely different rules for the same work. Such legal uncertainty must of course be addressed with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity and the different approaches taken by the Member States. I share the same concerns about algorithm regulation. The importance of digital competences should be emphasised. In this context, I welcome public investment in vocational education and lifelong learning, which is extremely important to prepare workers for the digital age. According to Eurofound data, 10.7% of the population in Croatia, the country from which I come, i.e. 440 thousand inhabitants, have encountered platform work. Also, since Croatia is a tourist country, I am committed to the special protection of platform workers in the tourism and transport sector. The traditional organization of labor has radically changed. The future of workers depends on us, and that's why I agree that we need to think about it further.

The abolition of internal border controls is one of the essential practical elements of what citizens identify as a European idea and is crucial for the functioning of the internal market. I support the calls for the normal functioning of the Schengen system not to be equated with border control between Member States. I would like to highlight one important part of this report, namely the accession of Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen. The report supports this and points out that Croatia has fulfilled all the preconditions for entry. During 2020 Croatia has performed over 226 million checks in the Schengen Information System, which ranks it among the top five Member States. Croatia is making exceptional efforts to prevent irregular border crossings and migrant smuggling. In accordance with the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, Croatia has established an independent monitoring mechanism that will have the task of supervising the work of police officers and the behaviour towards illegal migrants and applicants for international protection. I am confident that 2022 will be the year of the start of our membership in the Schengen zone. I therefore believe that the recommendations of the European Commission and the European Parliament will also be accepted by the Council. Colleagues and colleagues, we need to see Schengen as a security, but also as a mutual trust.

Dear President, Commissioners, colleagues, European elections, elections in the Member States are the centre of democratic processes in the European Union. Foreign interference and the spread of disinformation pose a particular threat to our democracies and the integrity of the electoral process is undermined by the rapid growth of disinformation and disruptive online campaigns. Disinformation destabilises and threatens European democracy and we need to understand that this is not a short-term threat. The European External Action Service’s STATCOM working groups have proven to be a very valuable tool. However, checking and opposing that, but also coordination, which we may have lacked, we also need to provide support in human capacities as well as real financial support for their actions. I would like to stress in particular the importance of focusing also on the European Union's neighbourhood so that we can respond adequately and comprehensively to the challenges and threats we face. The six Western Balkan countries share the perspective of Europe's future and we must not forget about them. And I will end if we know that the legitimacy of the European Union rests on democratic foundations, then we must preserve them by suppressing undemocratic methods and that means doing more for those on whom democracy depends, who are informed citizens.