Speeches

Madam President, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a cessation of hostilities, but are still a long way from peace. The destruction of the cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh, known as the Republic of Artsakh, is a clear example of this. The long-running conflict has had a catastrophic impact on the cultural heritage of the region. Azerbaijan needs to actively protect the Armenian cultural heritage in and around the Republic of Artsakh and stop its destruction. It's our duty to ensure the transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage. No development can be sustainable without a strong cultural component. Indeed, only an approach to development based on mutual respect and open dialogue among cultures can lead to lasting peace. I urge the European Parliament and the European Commission to use its powers and influence to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Madam President, Mr Borrell, big words, good intentions, but then reality persists. Julian Assange has been jailed in a European prison for a few years. One year ago, singer Pablo Hasel was put in a European prison for lyrics and tweets. One week ago, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights said that she was alarmed by the effects of Spanish law on freedom of expression and assembly. In the report, there are only two points devoted to national, ethnic and linguistic minorities, and European partners are asked to respect their rights. Does the EU do that? No. I’m one of the more than 10 million inhabitants of a part of Europe where my language, Catalan, is official. A language that is spoken in four EU Member States. But I cannot use it in this Parliament today – ironically, in the debate on the report calling on other countries to respect national and linguistic minorities.