Speeches

Madam President, President von der Leyen, President Sánchez, in your video message to inaugurate the Spanish Presidency of the Council, you announced ambition and claimed a Europe of people that meets your needs and your demands. Other previous presidencies have expressed themselves in a similar way and we are sure to hear it again in the future. Europe's problem has never been the promises. Europe's agenda is to deliver on these promises, because mistrust is born out of non-compliance; mistrust that can jeopardise even a project as solid as the European Union. People's Europe is nothing if you do not listen to them, if you do not put them at the centre of decisions. Look at: Today I speak to him in his mother tongue, but I cannot speak in mine. Millions of Europeans who have Catalan as their mother tongue cannot exercise fundamental rights in their own language, because that Europe of the people you had to defend during your presidency does not include us if we speak Catalan. Our freedom of speech in this House is worth less than yours. President Sanchez, opportunities must be seized when they happen. If they let themselves be bypassed by fear or disability, the consequences are never pleasant.

Mr President, dear colleagues, I want to start by thanking the great work of the rapporteur, Sophie in ‘t Veld, and the Chairman of the committee, Jeroen Lenaers, for taking on an extremely difficult responsibility. The Pegasus scandal is not about IT, nor security, nor regulation of the radioactive space, it is a scandal that strikes at the heart of our democracy, and the measures we will pass will not guarantee its protection for two fundamental reasons. First, States are the main responsible of this scandal, and one needs to have a very good faith to assume that the violators of fundamental rights, themselves, will be the ones responsible for preventing future violations. And second, Pegasus technology is incompatible with the rule of law, a technology that is designed to escape all reliable and independent control opens Pandora’s box. And what is to come will not be pleasant. All of you should get ready to see how this technology will be used to influence your political decisions. If this has not happened already in cases such as the Spanish position on the Western Sahara.

Madam President, Commissioner, the future of Kosovo is international recognition and Europe. The efforts being made by Kosovo society and institutions deserve more of both: more international recognition and more Europe. Unfortunately, there are still EU countries that do not recognise Kosovo. Some of them, like Spain, for reasons that have nothing to do with Kosovo, but with Catalonia. They do not want to recognise the legality of a unilateral declaration of independence. That is why Spain is the only country in the Schengen area that will not apply the visa exemption approved by the EU. Soon we will have an EU Council Presidency that will have to defend a policy on Kosovo that the President does not apply to himself.

Madam President, Prime Minister, I have asked to intervene in this debate because I have been waiting for five months for the opportunity to thank you for your speech on the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament. You have given hope to many of us, who are tired of listening to speeches from our European leaders that are so predictable and standardised that they may well have been written by the now famous ChatGPT. Today, as five months ago, you underlined the importance of respect for minorities, whether sexual, ethnic, religious or political, for peace among the peoples of Europe. I have rarely heard this with the conviction that you have, and that you know how to convey. I ask you to continue to use your voice to remind us, as you have said, that neither rights nor peace are definitive gains and that we must fight sincerely to defend them every day.

Mr President, I would like to thank the Spanish PP for proposing this debate on the rule of law in Spain, because this is indeed a very worrying problem in which, by the way, they are an active part. Spanish justice has been in the hands of politicians for years. This includes the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Court of Auditors. But my gratitude is above all because I did not expect that it will be precisely the PP that endorses one of our lines of defence to prevent our extradition – an argument that we have defended in the process of withdrawing our immunity and before, to the European General Court. This is the politicisation of Spanish justice. My sincere thanks. Now it will be even easier for us to explain that the real problem we are suffering is political persecution, because if you, a governmental party, complain about the politicisation of justice, what do you think is happening to us who are a national minority or, in the words of the European Court of Justice, an objectively identifiable group of people?

Mr President, Commissioner, I share the disappointment of the chairman of the committee, Mr Lenaers, but I will be even clearer: there is a boycott from within. Neither the Commission nor the Member States have any real interest in knowing, investigating and acting. On Monday, there will be a mission to Spain, but even today, four days before, the members of the committee do not know who they will meet. Will they meet with the Spanish government, or not? The Spanish Parliament, or not? This is unacceptable and demonstrates the absolute inaction of the EU authorities. There is a very serious threat. The use of such spyware and the excuse of national security have inhibitory effects on democracy. It is creating a sort of Faraday cage that protects state authorities and the European Union from the effects of democracy. And this is unacceptable.

Madam President, I would like to thank the rapporteur, Hannah Neumann, for her excellent report. It was needed, vital and principled, in its analysis and recommendations. But the proposed Team Europe will have to know how to answer uncomfortable questions that might be addressed to them. For example: how can there be a guarantee for human rights defenders if states like Spain disobey the European Court of Human Rights and do not apply 61% of its court rulings? How can there be a guarantee if states like Spain commit arbitrary detentions? How can there be a guarantee if activists from organisations that defend human rights are illegally spied on in European states, including Spain? So ending double standards will be also a very effective way to support, protect and strengthen human rights defenders.

Madam President, Madame O’Reilly, the Ombudsman is the last hope for many people whose rights are violated by European states and institutions. Litigation in European courts is not easy and is very expensive. Many vulnerable people and minority groups do not find a way to open the door to European courts. Member States that violate the rights of their minorities find in the Commission and in the Parliament very powerful allies who cover their backs. This is why the role of the Ombudsman should be even more important. The case of Spain, for example, is flagrant. It is by far the country from which you receive most complaints – 405 in total. The second country, Germany, with 222, but with almost twice as many inhabitants. You have only accepted 25 out of the more than 400 complaints. There is a major lack of proper legal defence in the institution of the Ombudsman. Shuffle it.

Madam President, for Iranians who are victims of the oppressive regime of the Ayatollahs, the EU is not just the Commission, Parliament or the Council, it is also the heads of state and government of its Member States. The EU speaks to the world from this Parliament, but so does each European leader with their actions. The intensity of the statements of the European institutions are unquestionable – in this we are the champions. But these messages are not compatible with the fact that just four weeks ago European leaders attended the World Cup in Qatar, which is one of Iran’s main allies – business as usual – while the regime of the Ayatollahs repressed and killed. Statements are good, but actions are better.

Mr President, the fact that the EU is the space with the most freedom and respect for human rights in the world cannot justify complacency or make us give up self-criticism. Fundamental rights are violated in the EU. Political dissidents are persecuted, illegally spied on, sentenced to prison, artists sentenced to prison for the lyrics of their songs, states such as Spain which do not apply 61 % of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The double standard wipes away some credibility from the determination that the EU shows in its texts. We need to be more demanding with those at home if we are to be more pressing with those outside. And we need to be strong, because democracy, as the report shows, is more in danger than it was a few decades ago.

Madam President, Commissioner, press freedom is threatened by EU Member States that use software such as Pegasus or Candiru to spy on journalists just like they do on dissidents, lawyers and politicians. It is also threatened by the fabrication of evidence by public authorities to attack the reputation of political opponents, which are presented as solid evidence to which the press gives credibility. I am a witness of both things, as a politician and as a journalist. The Commission should be more commanding in front of the states where these violations are taking place, which scandalise the citizens of countries such as Poland, Greece and Spain because democracy is at stake.

Mr President, there is a political culture in Europe and in certain countries of the Union which consists of increasing leniency towards human rights violations – a strategic increase. Qatar-friendly Europe is an example of this political culture, as is the lucrative relationship between Spain and the regime of Saudi Arabia. One only needs to see the sympathy and praise of Commissioner Schinas every time he has met with Qatari representatives to understand what the official narrative is. When economic interests water down the demand for respect for human rights, the door to corruption opens a little more. Maybe we should try to be less friendly and more demanding.

Mr President, Prime Minister, thank you for your inspiring vision on energy, food, freedom, for what it represents for Europe. Slovenia has made an extraordinary journey since it became an independent state, and especially since it joined the European Union. Today it is a model in many ways, and I believe it can help the Union as a whole at a time of very high risks which have been aggravated by the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Slovenia can help make people understand that Europe’s strength lies in the diversity of its people, and that the more diverse we are, the more efficient we are; that we can ensure the well—being of citizens in a more effective and sustainable way; and that we can better ensure fundamental rights. Respect for this diversity is the key of the future of the Union, and in this sense Slovenia, as you mentioned, has a very important role to play.

Mr President, there is growing concern among citizens about the impact of energy prices on their lives, and it does not seem that the European Council agreements can reassure them. General strikes have taken place today in Belgium and Greece, and more will take place tomorrow in France. European citizens have embarked on a long journey towards impoverishment. This is confirmed by the data. For example, in Catalonia in 2019, the cost of energy represented 4% of GDP. In 2022, this cost will amount to 16%, or 12 points more. But the EU institutions are not in a position to ensure that some states, such as Spain, make the most of the – important – support they receive from Europe. And this should also be on the agenda of the next European Council, because we cannot afford to mobilise billions of euros and do nothing when there is such structural inefficiency.

Mr President, money laundering is daily and structural, but we will not defeat it with slogans or with moral superiority over their increasingly sophisticated speeches. We have to start dismantling their arguments one by one to show, through data, that they are not right in the debates where they feel comfortable – immigration, religion, security, taxation, etc. We have to renew our argument because they did. But while we denounce hate speech, there are states that contribute to the daily and structural laundering of hate speech. Spain is full of streets and squares named after Franco or Francoists. In Madrid, they decided to dedicate a street to the Azul Division, the Spanish army of volunteers who went to fight alongside Hitler. The founder of the fascist party is still buried in a state mausoleum. The illegal Francisco Franco Foundation and its political heirs have governance agreements with the popular parties. The problem is not just the far right. The problem is that what promotes it, including tolerance or even metaphors about the European paradise and the jungle of the rest of the world.

Mr President, the Iranian women’s protest is a cry for freedom, for their freedom and for the freedom of the forgotten women of Afghanistan or Africa. We respect the protest for what it is. They rebel against the dictatorship of men who imprison them, bully them, torture them, limit their lives simply because they are women and want to live in equality. There is a common thread that connects this protest with the protest of previous generations of women who took to the streets because they were not allowed to vote, they were not allowed to be involved in politics, they were not allowed to work within the same jobs as men, they were not allowed to earn the same salary as men. They ask for complete freedom. They ask to be able to live and to do with their future and their bodies what they want, decide their life for themselves, in full freedom. That is why they shout ‘azadi, azadi, azadi’ – freedom, freedom, freedom. And we must listen to this cry. We must help.

Madam President, Madam President of the Commission, you have said that this is a battle between autocracy and democracy and you are right, this is the real fight. You recalled President Sassoli’s words that democracy needs to be renewed and described the real threats that come from outside. Unfortunately, you have forgotten about very serious threats from within. You did not have a moment to remind us that democracies do not spy on their citizens, politicians, journalists, activists and lawyers, as is the case in Greece and Spain. You did not have time to remind us that democracies respect the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and do not act like Spain, which does not respect 61% of judgments. Democracy will defeat authoritarianism. But it needs to be strengthened from within. And it is not obvious today. Especially when your Commissioners are being photographed with the far right and refuse to receive spying MEPs who have garnered more than a million votes.

Mr President, after the case of mass surveillance and espionage in Spain against Catalan politicians, our lawyers, our families and even university professors, this practice and scandal was also happening in Greece. Our colleague Nikos Androulakis was one of the many targets, and I want to express my solidarity. These two governments denied any involvement or simply justified it citing allegedly legal purposes. The evidence gathered by Citizen Lab shows who may have an interest in spying on activists, uncomfortable politicians and journalists. The case of Greece and Spain demonstrated that the democratic values of the European Union are threatened from within. If we do not react and ban this technology, we will find that, under the excuse of national security, legal certainty will end, and as a result, our democracy will be weakened.

Madam President, Commissioner, the EU’s border with Morocco has been the scene of serious human rights violations for many years, not just now. But what we just saw 10 days ago is hard to forget and should be harder to justify. Sadly, the death of human beings has left the European Union indifferent. The Spanish state justified and thanked the intervention of the Moroccan police, and the European Commission continues to show – despite the Commissioner’s words today – an eloquent disregard. Why does the death of these human beings go so unnoticed? Can anyone explain why there are de facto first- and second—class human beings? There are no excuses that can justify this crime. But I also see no interest in finding solutions. It seems that if wars, droughts, famines and epidemics are in Africa, their effects are smaller and more bearable for Europeans. What a grave mistake.

Madam President, the human rights situation in China has not stopped deteriorating, but the West has not stopped doing business there. The persecution of the Chinese regime against the Uyghur people has been now for years, but we have been looking the other way for too long, despite the accumulated evidence of the serious crimes committed. After the publication of the Xinjiang police files, it is impossible to deny the evidence. There is ethnic, religious and linguistic persecution against an entire people. The Chinese regime is for human rights what greenhouse gases are to climate change. So it is time to act, to take measures to protect the Uyghur people and to let the Chinese regime know that if it does not correct its policy, the European Union is ready to change its economic and trade relationship and feel the consequences.

Mr President, the phone of Jamal Khashoggi's wife was infected with Pegasus four days before her murder. The laboratory that certified Khashoggi’s espionage, Citizen Lab, has just revealed espionage targeting more than 60 people in Catalonia, mostly politicians, lawyers and journalists, and calls it the largest documented espionage case known to date: CatalanGate. Pegasus is used unchecked by authoritarian regimes and also by democracies spying on journalists, lawyers, policymakers and ordinary citizens. The threat, therefore, is very serious. The European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union are at risk and Europe cannot understand itself without them. Without them, there can be no democracy in Europe. Pegasus and democracies are not entirely compatible.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, as we debated the future of Europe, Ukraine had to defend its future after the Russian invasion in a devastating war. You have all understood that Ukraine is struggling to defend its self-determination. The right to exist and freely decide one’s future is a guiding principle of international law. Many EU countries have ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which places the right of peoples to self-determination at the forefront. On the occasion of the CoFE, many European citizens called for these rights to be protected and strengthened in the Europe of tomorrow. But the Europe of the past blocked it and prevented the right to self-determination of European nations, such as Catalonia, the Basque Country, Corsica or Flanders, from being included in the conclusions of the conference. This is a way of disappointing millions of Europeans who, in addition, speak languages, such as mine, which are still banned in this Parliament.

Mr President, we agree on the need to reform Guatemala’s judicial system, on the criticism of its government, on the need to defend journalists and human rights defenders. However, it is surprising that the case of Bernardo Caal was not included, a q’eqchi social leader who spent four years in prison for an invented case, a case of remotely controlled lawfare from the European Union. Caal committed the crime of opposing a hydroelectric power plant belonging to one of the companies of the Spanish oligarch Florentino Pérez. Thanks to international pressure, including Amnesty International, they released him. To everyone's shame, the European Commission has done nothing. The question is: Why is the name Bernardo Caal not mentioned in the text? Is the hand of oligarch Florentino Pérez so long that it reaches this Chamber? This is a sign of a colonial outlook on the American continent that we must not accept.

...because I have been accused of sharing interests with the Russian secret services, so I have to answer these lies by telling what exactly happened. I say that the person who was accused of being a Russian spy and who was supposed to be the liaison between Putin and the Catalan independence movement with whom I shared a coffee in Geneva for five or ten minutes, was actually the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce’s head of trade relations between Catalonia and Russia. Can you imagine, if he was a Russian spy, that the Spanish authorities would grant him the right to reside in the European Union? Can you imagine it? And so you should know that while Catalonia has demonstrated en masse to become an independent state within the European Union, Russian warships have filled up more than 50 times... (The President withdrew the floor to the speaker)

Madam President, there have been accusations, direct allusions that I cannot let go of. This is a lie built by the Spanish intelligence services to attack the independence movement. There is a long and structural tradition of fabricating fake news that this Parliament could investigate if it is truly determined to fight fake news. I could give you a lot of examples that affect me personally: defamation and slander that are never prosecuted by the Spanish courts. In any case, the most commented case, which is the basis of today’s allusions, is the report of the Spanish police supposed to prove the links that are the subject of today’s debate. He was rejected by the Spanish prosecutor because of his total lack of credibility. Do you know what is collected as compromising messages? Parts of a book that the director of my office translated from Russian into Catalan and Spanish. A book of two Russian spies settled in the United States, which was at the origin of the famous TV series ‘The Americans’. Confusing academic and editorial work with documents proving the relationship between...