Speeches

Madam President, the Conference on the Future of Europe is an important opportunity to work together to find creative solutions to make Europe deliver for our citizens. With the social, economic and geopolitical consequences of the pandemic, of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and of the growing assertiveness of the Chinese Communist Party, we must ensure that Europe is capable of facing the many challenges ahead. That’s why I find it essential that we return to the heart of the principle of subsidiarity, one of the founding principles of the European Union. We need to use the conclusions of the Conference not only to focus on where the EU institutions should do more. Instead, we must discuss which levels, including local, regional and state level, can best contribute to addressing specific challenges and bring solutions. This also means that the EU must not interfere into the exclusive competencies of the EU Member States. We must respect the division of competences between the different levels of governance, and make decisions as close to our citizens as possible, and thus ensure the unity, resilience and future of our Union.

Mr President, dear colleagues, more than half a million people have now been forcibly deported from Ukraine to Russia, including over 120 000 children. Moreover, from Russia-occupied territories, some 2 300 children have been kidnapped in order to be adopted by Russian families. These forced deportations and moving of people to transitory camps, where they are vulnerable and live in appalling conditions, smack of the worst Stalinist excesses. We are witnesses of a tragedy that we thought we will never see again and to which we said, ‘never again’. It is our moral duty to stand up to those seeking to suppress human freedom and dignity. We must ensure that these crimes are thoroughly documented, investigated and that those responsible are one day brought to justice under Nuremberg-style trials.

Mr President, dear colleagues, education is fundamental for future global development, and also for the strengthening of human dignity itself. That is why it is crucial that in our development aid, the EU and its Member States redouble efforts to support education around the world. At the same time, we must ensure that the standards are in line with our values and carefully monitor any attempts to abuse education, undermine peace, call to violence or spread hate, including anti—Semitism. For this reason, I believe it is necessary to ensure that our funding, including to the Palestinian authorities, as well as UNRWA, is conditional on ensuring compliance with our values. We must have a mechanism in place to guarantee transparency and to respond to any abuse of our funding. By failing to do so, we risk undermining the aims and objectives of our development aid and the very values on which our Union has been founded.

Mr President, from Nigeria to China, the state of religious freedom continues to deteriorate. From genocide to legal restrictions, hundreds of millions of believers – be they Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, or other groups – are facing terrible suffering every day. While I welcome the EP’s report on the persecution of religious freedom, I cannot help but express my dismay at the way this report has been hijacked to stigmatise religion itself. Today, religious persecution is one of the key drivers of many of the challenges the world faces. And that’s why not ideological anti—religious stands, but firm support for the persecuted around the world, together with the appointment of a new special envoy for freedom of religion, supported with the right instruments, must be the priority.

Mr President, as the Kremlin continues to engage in aggression and war crimes in Ukraine, it is also turning increasingly repressive at home. Nearly 16 000 people have now been detained for peacefully protesting against Putin’s aggression – like the brave Yelena Osipova, survivor of the siege of Leningrad, whose only crime was carrying a placard saying ‘peaceful and honest Russia for all’. We cannot remain silent. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote: ‘In keeping silent about evil… we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold times in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting them, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath the new generations.’ Let us support those brave Russians, so that one day peaceful and democratic Russia triumphs over the forces of oppression.

Mr President, more than three decades since the end of the Cold War, the free world once again faces a struggle: a struggle between freedom and democracy on the one hand and oppression and authoritarianism on the other. As I stated multiple times in this Chamber, it is time to stop closing our eyes and falsely believe that dialogue and economic interdependence will help us to transform non—democratic regimes. Today, from Ukraine to Xinjiang, we see the true cost of this. As the EU—China Dialogue showed, the Chinese side is unwilling to be a responsible global actor and use its leverage to stop Putin’s aggression. It cannot, and will not, because of its own crimes and oppression across mainland China and Hong Kong; because of its coercive behaviour against third countries; or because of its design against the free people of Taiwan. It’s time to spell out to the Chinese Communist Party the consequences of these actions. Particularly today, we need to speak about the costs for the complicity in Putin’s aggression, including any future steps China might take to help Russia avoid sanctions or lessen their impact. How we respond today will determine the world in which we will live tomorrow. Russia and China claim that their friendship knows ‘no limits’. We should not underestimate this, but we should make it clear to both that our determination to defend freedom and democracy knows no limits too.

Mr President, after horrifying images from Mariupol, Bucha, Irpin and other areas, we see more and more crimes committed every day. Bombing of civilian areas, killing of innocent people, rape, torture, looting, forced deportation of people to Russia. This is the true nature of Putin’s special operation, not a liberation, as Kremlin propaganda lies day after day, but a scene of brutal war crimes. A real hell on earth. The crimes committed by the Russian soldiers and security servicemen must be fully documented. And those responsible, from the highest ranks to the lowest, must be held responsible and brought to justice. That is why I welcome the announcement of the European Commission supporting a joint investigation mission to Ukraine to document these unspeakable crimes. To remain silent and not stand up to the evil means supporting utter moral bankruptcy.

Madam President, Putin's aggression against Ukraine has been causing horrors and suffering for almost a month. Millions of people, mainly mothers, children and the elderly, have been forced to seek refuge in EU Member States. Evacuations are becoming more and more difficult, all the more so when it comes to vulnerable groups. Nearly 3 million people with disabilities live in Ukraine, of whom more than 150,000 have managed to flee to neighbouring countries. However, many of them are unable to do so because of their health problems. In addition, attacks are often targeted at hospitals or social facilities. I therefore thank all organisations and volunteers who provide targeted assistance to vulnerable groups, both when fleeing and when receiving in neighbouring countries. At the same time, I call for support for states hosting people fleeing the war so that they can also provide assistance for persons with disabilities, taking into account their specific needs.

Mr President, Commissioner, first of all, I would like to emphasise the importance of the new strategic framework for health and safety at work. This framework represents an important milestone in the protection of workers, which is more than necessary due to major changes in the labour market due to digitalisation, demographic changes, but also due to the pandemic. Faced with new conditions, we also need to set up new strategies to protect workers from adverse effects on their physical or mental health. There are new challenges in the labour market, in the form of the need to adapt the labour market for older workers or people who have recovered from serious illnesses and wish to re-enter employment after prolonged absence. It is for these workers that we need to develop effective strategies that include, for example, job adaptation or flexible work organisation. Digitalisation itself, but also the current pandemic, has shifted a lot of work to the online environment, which for many has meant working from home in often unsuitable conditions and combining work with caring for children or relatives. Unfortunately, this has contributed to an increased level of stress and mental health problems. We know very well that stress and psychological discomfort also contribute to the development of various serious diseases, including autoimmune diseases, rheumatic, inflammatory, but also oncological diseases. We have to reflect on all of this. Therefore, let us promote prevention and a healthy lifestyle. Let us protect workers from the negative effects of the job, but also from stress and a lack of work-life balance. On the other hand, it is also necessary to think about those vulnerable and disadvantaged workers, as well as people with disabilities, who want to fully participate in the labour market. Colleagues, we must do everything we can to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential. I also want to mention hundreds of thousands of women, especially women, who are seeking refuge in our country from the war in Ukraine. Exploiting our full potential will make us stronger at this time when history is breaking.

Mr President, how we respond today to Putin's aggression against Ukraine and its people will define what kind of world we will live in. Today, Ukraine is fighting for our shared values, freedom and democracy, and we must do everything we can to end this aggression and the heartbreaking human tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of women and children are fleeing the threat of war. Hundreds of thousands of women and children whose future has been transformed from day to day into one big question mark. I myself was involved in coordination in the first hours and days, and I personally met with volunteers and organisations that have been helping these people since day one. Thank you for all these expressions of humanity and solidarity. I am glad that people are able to unite to help those in need. This unity and solidarity across Europe, across my country, Slovakia, gives us the chance to return, by its very nature, to the primary values on which a free, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Europe was built after the Second World War. As Pope Francis said almost two years ago, when we faced the beginning of the pandemic: "We are in the same boat, all fragile and disoriented, yet important and necessary, all called to row together". Because only united in truth and principles can we solve the challenges we face. Only united can we stop the tragedy unfolding before our eyes. And only united will we defend freedom and democracy.

Madam President, for the first time in decades, Europe is facing a wide—scale war. This is also highlighting the failure to remain consistent with our values. For too long, we were naive, falsely believing that by engaging with authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, we can change them. Today, we see the consequences of this naivety. Instead, these regimes have been seeking to corrupt our democratic processes, degrade our economic strength, divide our society, undermine our alliances and rewrite international norms to suit their malign interests. Even worse, they seek to subvert the very notion of truth. How we respond will determine the world in which we will live. We must remain united and, above all, to seek and defend the truth and the very values on which our Union has been founded, because truth and our values make us stronger and are the best weapon we have to fight back against those wishing to subvert our freedom.

Madam President, the situation of young people has deteriorated significantly during the pandemic. Many of them were hit by the measures at the time they were looking for their first job. Others have lost the opportunity to study or intern abroad. This was compounded by social distancing, the impossibility of sports or culture, and the long months spent behind computers. Education has been moved online for almost two years. All of this is linked to the mental health of young people. According to statistics, it is a much bigger problem than we expected. In Slovakia, a survey comparing the mental health of young people before and during the pandemic showed a shocking deterioration caused, among other things, by cyberbullying and inappropriate content online. We recently voted in favour of the Digital Services Act, which tackles such content. But our work is far from over. We need to look for other ways to protect young people from the negative impact of the online world. The second aspect I would like to mention is unemployment. In order for a person to start a successful life, start a family, and take their future into their own hands, it is crucial that they find work and self-realization. Unfortunately, even in this area, the pandemic has significantly worsened the situation. I consider this to be two fundamental areas on which we must focus in the coming years. Otherwise, we may find ourselves in a reality where we realize that we have lost an entire generation of young people.

Madam President. We have here the first plenary session of this year, when the election of the new leadership of the European Parliament is the dominant agenda. Congratulations to Roberta! I wish you strong decisions, strength in values and wisdom in decisions. Therefore, there is less space for an ordinary agenda. And all the more incomprehensible is the fact that the topic of so-called sexual and reproductive rights is again included on the agenda. Recently, we have talked about it and voted on it so often that I do not remember a single plenary session where it would not appear. As I am constantly reminding you, this subject falls within the exclusive competence of the Member States and, by opening it up to the European institutions, we are grossly interfering in the – from the outset agreed – reallocation of competences by the European Union and its Member States. By such a constant interference with the principle of subsidiarity, which is one of the fundamental pillars of our integration, we are setting a dangerous example for its further and repeated violation in other areas. At the same time, I am very sorry about this development, also because this is a very sensitive value issue that should not be treated in such an ideological and, above all, polarising way. Because it is precisely through the heated debate that we are deviating from what should be our goal, namely the protection of human life, human dignity and the rights of each one of us, the protection of health, quality health care provided to mothers and children, and support for families. Women in difficult life situations deserve our help and support. And it is precisely achieving the protection of any life that would otherwise be lost for economic or other reasons that should be at the heart of all our efforts, while respecting the clearly agreed reallocation of competences between the European Union and the Member States.

Mr President, let me begin by thanking my colleagues from across this House on excellent cooperation in drafting this resolution on the worsening human rights situation in Hong Kong. Our cooperation is a testimony to the strong cross-party consensus on standing with the people of Hong Kong. The latest worrying developments show how the PRC is stifling the life and the soul of the freedom-loving people in Hong Kong. I am glad that we are able to agree on clear messages that the European Union must take. First, implementation of the targeted sanctions against those responsible for the ongoing human rights crackdown. Second, review of the EU-Hong Kong Agreement on customs matters. Third, support a UNHCR special session on the deterioration of the human rights situation in mainland China and Hong Kong. Fourth, implementation of the EU Council conclusions from July 2020. And we reiterated that any ratification of the EU-China agreement on investment must take into account the ongoing human rights situation and China's commitments to the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Let me also welcome that we once again called on the EU leaders to decline invitations to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics. Not because we want to politicise sport, but because we cannot turn a blind eye to the dire human rights situation across mainland China and Hong Kong. Finally, I think it is imperative that we express solidarity with Lithuania in the face of the PRC’s economic and political coercion and speak out clearly in defence of our EU single market. Nevertheless, while I am glad that this House has delivered such a strong and united message, it must be followed by concrete action. Freedom-loving people in Hong Kong and across the world must know that the European Union stands by them.

Mr President. I am very pleased that today we are discussing this legislative milestone towards a safer and more ethical digital environment with clear rules that protect the user. Because the Digital Services Act is clearly such a step. From many sources and evidence, we can see that the online world, if it does not have clear rules, can be very toxic for all of us, but especially for our young generation. Illegal content, which is becoming more and more prevalent, be it content depicting, for example, violence, child abuse online, or content related to illegal products, can harm us all in areas ranging from financial to mental health threats. Algorithms that we often do not understand and do not even know are used on us by platforms for higher profit purposes multiply these threats. Platforms thus subtract from us content that is more beneficial to them, often deliberately polarizing or disinformation, often regardless of the concrete effects of their unethical actions on the individual and on society as a whole, democratic institutions or even freedom itself. I am therefore very pleased that today we have before us a horizontal regulation which, if applied correctly, will put an end to such practices. I appreciate not only clear rules for downloading illegal content as quickly as possible, but also, for example, rules that will protect users from excessive pressure from platforms to give consent to the processing of their personal data. And while we still have a lot of amendments to vote on, I believe that we can agree on a common position to open the way for swift implementation of this important piece of legislation. Let us give the green light to a safe and ethical online world, so that the good of a person and his or her dignity are always at the centre.

Mr President, the Linglong tyre factory construction is emblematic of the current growing impact of China’s economic footprint in Serbia and across the Western Balkans. We observe the potentially devastating impact of these projects on the wider environment and on human rights, as well as the surrounding population, all covered under a veil of non-transparency. This extremely sad situation highlights the consequence of the Chinese investments. Although political leaders may be swayed by grand projects and the promise of jobs and investments, it is impossible to ignore the corrosive impact that Chinese investments have on society, governance and on the environment. The protests of the Serbian people over the past weeks show that they care about their country and the environment in which they live. After all, we are all home-building creatures, and it is a basic human instinct to care for one’s home. This is why I call on the Serbian Government to provide a clear action plan moving forward on how they are going to address the existing issues, to honour and follow both their own domestic legislation to the full extent of the law, as well as the regulations passed down as part of the EU accession process. This is particularly important in cases of corrosive investments from authoritarian and totalitarian countries. Also, let me welcome the decision of the Serbian Government to withdraw the law on expropriation and the amendments to the law on referendum, and to investigate and address the conditions at the Linglong factory. At the same time, let me welcome the opening of cluster 4 of the negotiating chapters with Serbia. I sincerely hope that the opening of the new chapters will provide the Serbian authorities with the impetus to ensure the relevant legislation concerning the mentioned cases. It is very important. In this context, it is also important to ensure that investors – regardless of their origin – are not above the law. To conclude, let me highlight that it is imperative that the European Union supports the resilience of the neighbourhood and candidate countries.

Madam President, let me begin by thanking my colleagues on this important and timely resolution. The crimes of communism continue to reverberate and haunt Europe. For many of us whose countries were subject to communist rule and whose families have suffered persecution for our belief in freedom and human dignity, the memory of this brutal regime is not only something in the past. It is something we must continue to remember and remind the future generations, so that such crimes are not repeated again. My own members of the family were killed, sent to forced labour camps and prosecuted by the communists. It is in this context that the work of Memorial has been so important in documenting the crimes of one of the most murderous regimes in history – the crimes it has committed against people in the Soviet Union and beyond. Dear colleagues, Memorial was established in 1989 by Andrei Sakharov and others – that was still in the days of the Soviet Union. It is ironic that an organisation that was able to exist even in the last years of the Soviet Union, still under the grip of the Communist Party, is being labelled and forced to close down by today’s regime in the Kremlin. The regime of Vladimir Putin is not only trying to whitewash the history of the Soviet Union, but also we can see attempts to rehabilitate Stalin, one of the most brutal murderers in history. These steps tell us a lot about the kind of regime we are dealing with in the Kremlin today: corrupt, oppressive and willing to abuse and manipulate history for its own ends. This tragic history is our shared history. And if we don’t stop these attempts, it might have serious consequences for us all.

Madam President, the escalation at the Ukrainian border and in Russian—occupied territories of Ukraine is but the latest of a series of actions undertaken by the Kremlin which seriously undermine peace and democracy in Europe. It is indeed the biggest challenge to European security since the end of the Cold War. Dear colleagues, we can no longer afford to stand by and watch this crisis unfold. In doing so, we may sleepwalk into a potential conflict over which we will have no control. I welcome the current resolution of this House, and its consistent position. But what we need now is unity among the EU leaders as a cornerstone of any meaningful response. It is time for EU leaders to use the upcoming Council meeting to set aside narrow interests and work, united with our allies, to address the current crisis. Because united we have the leverage and the right tools to deter the Kremlin from any further deterioration and destabilisation. Dear colleagues, the current crisis is serious, but it is still not beyond our control. Only united and resolute will we be able to send a clear message to the Kremlin that we will use all our means to protect peace and security, and that we reject a return to spheres of influence and any attempts to undermine our democracies.

Madam President, colleagues, Europe is facing a crisis. This is not a migrant crisis as we witnessed before, it is a major challenge to European peace and security orchestrated by autocratic regimes. Moreover, it is not an isolated act. We are facing disinformation, cyber attacks, blackmail through energy supplies and military build-ups at our borders. We must do our utmost to ensure that the current crisis does not escalate. We need to send a strong message to the autocrats in Minsk and Moscow, who are oppressing their own people at home, profiteering from the misfortune of others, and undermining peace and security in Europe. We must reject appeasement, which will only serve those who are encouraging those seeking to divide and weaken us. We must adopt the fifth package of sanctions as soon as possible and show that such destabilising acts will have consequences. In this, I welcome ongoing coordination with our transatlantic allies. And, finally, we must continue to uphold security and defence spending commitments and thus ensure that we are able to deter those seeking to undermine peace and security in Europe.

Mr President. As shadow rapporteur for the EMPL opinion, I appreciate that the report reflects our priorities for education while preserving the principle of subsidiarity. I would also like to thank my colleague Šojdrová for this balance. Education should not be geared solely towards employment. Education should primarily serve the personal development of a person and be adapted to his individual needs. Whether in the context of inclusiveness for persons with disabilities, retraining for job loss or wishing to further develop in older age. That is why, in addition to focusing on professional specialisations, we should also focus on so-called transversal skills, such as media literacy, critical thinking, intercultural and interreligious competences. I see this concept of the European Education Area as an opportunity to abandon the established view of education. Let us open up the possibility of developing for all, regardless of age, special needs or socio-economic conditions, because only in this way can we create a society that is resilient to change and provides equal opportunities.

Mr President, let me begin by thanking colleagues across this House on working together to produce a report that sends a strong message to support our Taiwanese friends. Taiwan is a democratic ally facing unprecedented pressure from the totalitarian Chinese Communist Party. As a result, Taiwan’s democracy, economic achievements and regional and perhaps global security are all at stake. We must stand with Taiwan, but we must also develop and strengthen our relations. First, in a world where totalitarian regimes are becoming increasingly assertive, defending democracy is no longer enough. We must take democracy on the offensive. Where there remains instinctive desire for freedom and self-determination is suffering. And secondly we must strengthen our economic cooperation. Today, Taiwan is an important investor in many of our countries, and there is huge potential for cooperation in areas such as manufacturing of semiconductors or the development of 5G networks. It is high time to start negotiating an EU—Taiwan bilateral investment agreement.

Mr President, for over a year now, the people of Belarus have been suffering under a worsening regime. Today, there are over 700 political prisoners, including my good friend and co-Chair of the Belarusian Christian Democrats, Paval Sieviaryniec, who has now spent 10 years in and out of Lukashenko’s horrific prisons. Paval’s father has died of Covid in a hospital last week and Paval was not given the chance to see him. The only crime that Paval and others like him have committed, is wishing to see their country sovereign, democratic and prosperous. The stories we hear every day are of fear, terror and torture. Despite the fact that Lukashenko has been terrorising the people of Belarus now for almost three decades, we have kept engaging in dialogue with the authoritarian regime. Let the situation in Belarus be our lesson. It is time to ensure that our external actions are consistent with our values. We must maximise our political and economic pressure against Lukashenko and his associates, including by adopting an additional fifth package of sanctions. (Exclamation in Bielarusian)

Mr President, the transatlantic bond remains the bedrock of the free world. Today, new totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are threatening our freedom, notably the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP is oppressing its people and it is challenging our freedom and democracy around the world through hybrid threats. Despite the naïve beliefs of some, there is no third way between standing with our allies and extending trade cooperation with a totalitarian regime. Only by working together can we address the malign influence, protect freedom and democracy, and ensure our future prosperity. This is why I welcome the EU—US Dialogue on China. We must also not forget about those whose freedom and dignity is denied every day. For this, an ambitious transatlantic democracy support agenda is absolutely vital. Europe must do its part, and we must work together with our closest ally. Only then can we address the greatest challenges we face today globally.

Mr President, the right to petition is one of the fundamental rights of every citizen and its functioning is important for participatory democracy itself. Every year, many petitions concern precisely the status of persons with disabilities in the European Union. They point to the obstacles they face on a daily basis, inaccessibility or discrimination. Based also on these petitions, we are able to respond in a more targeted way to their real needs in our policies. And although the right to petition is declared for everyone, its use is linked to how accessible the petition processes themselves are. It is also important to inform citizens in this regard, but also to ask how many people can actually exercise this right. That is why, once again, I would like to call on us not only to remain ambitious in ensuring the accessibility of the right to petition, but also of all other areas, but to move on to action. Let us implement properly and timely adopted legislation, such as the Web Accessibility Directive and the Audiovisual Directive. Let's stop hiding behind the many exceptions to the adopted accessibility rules. Last but not least, let's use all available finance, innovation, digitalisation and technological advances to make our society inclusive, barrier-free and ensure full participation for everyone.

Madam President, across the world communist totalitarianism is responsible for some of the worst crimes in human history. These crimes are real and they are still occurring today. Let us not forget that many European states still continue to suffer the consequences of communist totalitarianism – murder, terror and oppression, communities destroyed, families torn apart, no basic freedoms. These are but some of the deepest traumas left upon us. My great uncle, Páter Mikuláš Lexmann, died in a communist forced labour camp for priests. Before, he was saving the lives of Jews during World War Two. My other family members were forced to work in mines as forced labour, and I grew up in a society unable to exercise the very same liberties which we today take for granted. As countless millions across Europe, and indeed the world, longed for freedom, so do the people of Hong Kong today. As President Ronald Reagan said: ‘In the communist world men’s instinctive desire for freedom and self-determination suffers again and again.’ The people of Hong Kong prize their freedoms and liberties and I admire their boldness and determination. They cherished the high degree of autonomy which, just 24 years ago, the Chinese Communist Party had pledged to uphold. The CCP has reneged on the promises to the people of Hong Kong and it has reneged on its international obligations. Across mainland China, and now in Hong Kong, it has imposed a cruel regime which is growing more oppressive every day. The UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, in their latest report on the human rights situation in China, noted that the darkness deepens. The CCP is engaging in the worst human rights abuses since the Tiananmen Square massacre. The free world cannot stand by and so, on the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party, in words and in deeds, let us send a strong message that we stand with the people of Hong Kong. We stand with all victims of CCP terror and oppression and with freedom-loving people everywhere. We cannot remain silent or pretend that what is happening in Hong Kong or across mainland China does not concern us. Today, in the interconnected world, we have a moral obligation to do our utmost for the people across the world and at least make them free to determine their own destiny.