Speeches

Madam President, leave the forests, leave the animals, only the people matter, but what do you see, the people don't matter exactly to those who scream the loudest about these things. People do not matter to local authorities who do not take European funds to ensure the safety of citizens' homes. People do not matter to the authorities who do not see how whole forests are stolen and how mountains of logs reach Vienna. Vienna thanked them with a veto for Schengen. People don't matter to hunting ministers, who only think about trophies and how to fly them from Romania. Of course, if you want trophies, trophies hunting, I'll tell you where to start. Let's start with the big crooks. That's where the trophy hunt is. I know some trophies through the Romanian Parliament, through the Government and here, through the European Parliament, some trophies with hundreds of thousands of euros went to the bag. That's where the trophy hunt is. Let's put these trophies in jail and see how the other problems are solved.

Mr President, it was discrimination and I am not saying it this time, the European Parliament is saying it too. The veto against Romania, without any reason, is discrimination and now we have this in a resolution of the European Parliament. And those who discriminate have to pay, because Romania suffers at least EUR 11 billion every year because of this discrimination. From now on, we're talking about paying these compensations, because the bill is coming. The bill comes for those who discriminate against us, for those who vote against Romania without any basis. I thank my colleagues from the bottom of my heart that I support the resolution proposed by me and I tell them one thing, this is not only about Romania and Bulgaria, it is about all the countries that have the right to be equal with the others in the European Union, because this is what the European Union is about, about equality. We are all the same and it's time to see this.

Madam President, I see that Putin still has comrades, and here in Brussels, we know some of them in Budapest, sometimes also here in the European Parliament. After we've given the sanctions to the mole, after it's taken us a long time to decide about them, now we want to let them get away with it? Of course we have to make sure that the European Public Prosecutor's Office deals with this, so that the European Public Prosecutor's Office sanctions and investigates the attempt to get rid of sanctions. Why do we even ask ourselves that question? We should have done it a long time ago. Why do we still have this debate? You should have voted long ago. Who's afraid of European prosecutors? Who's afraid of Laura Codruţa Kovesi? I know some people in Bucharest who were afraid. But now I see that there are some here, we know that there is one in Budapest, of course, but we still discover people who are afraid of prosecutors, who want to continue working with the oligarchs, as before. You can't do it anymore! That's the message we have to give. The DNA has put the fear in the corrupt in Bucharest, in the criminals. This is what the European Public Prosecutor's Office does in the European Union.

Mr President, we need this common framework for fighting corruption in the air. This is what I have always advocated in the European Parliament. Can we still tolerate politicians who let themselves be bribed? We can no longer tolerate the parties that put them on the lists, nor the governments of these parties that work against their own citizens, because corruption affects us all, absolutely all, and costs us enormously, at all levels, makes us vulnerable, impoverishes us and humiliates us. Citizens are tired of corruption and no longer want to hear excuses. We need a common framework against corruption, so that there are no more loopholes, so that they can no longer escape, either alone or with the help of people put by them. We have tools, we have good prosecutors, we have the European Public Prosecutor's Office. Let's give them the tools to catch the corrupt and take the money they're stealing.

Mr President, I voted today for transparency as I always do, because transparency is something no one should be afraid of, except criminals. Because cryptocurrencies are very good, as long as we can check who's behind them. And today we have oligarchs, we have sanctions against them, we have a lot of common criminals or even corrupt people hiding behind cryptocurrencies and this cannot continue. Because, what's the most important thing, always? And the fight against oligarchs, also from the confiscation of their money leaves. This is the most effective way to fight criminals. Similarly, the confiscation of the proceeds of crime and the fight against corruption means the confiscation of wealth. So it's all about transparency, and crypto doesn't have to be a favorite way for criminals of any kind or Putin's oligarchs to do their dirty work in the European Union.

Mr President, the budget of the European Union is the money of European citizens, and we must not forget that. Our job is to allocate money according to the needs of people, not governments or various parties. The citizens of Europe no longer want to be robbed and tricked, they no longer want to pay the costs of crises, climate change and even Putin's war. We have asked to increase this budget for the fight against corruption. Every year, billions of euros end up in the pockets of the corrupt, the corrupt who finance parties, leaders, TV or anti-European protests, governments against their own citizens. It is a mockery of the honest people of our countries and we have the duty to stop this urgently, to catch even more corrupt, very importantly, to recover the damage, to confiscate the wealth of the oligarchs. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office shall ensure that all comply with Union sanctions. Otherwise, it's another way of diverting European citizens' money. We need to help Moldova even more, where criminal oligarchs are only Putin's tools against the Union. We also demanded that these oligarchs be sanctioned. If we don't wake up quickly, we'll all pay to vote.

Madam President, I voted for the report on the rule of law in the European Union, but know that the rule of law is at risk in the European Union, and I will also tell you why: because in our countries, in national parliaments, in national governments, there are criminals who try to get rid of their own files simply by voting. And as long as we have this thing, we can't defend ourselves against them unless we have some common definitions for corruption crimes, because we have a European prosecutor's office, we have prosecutors to deal with the corrupt, but, what we don't have, there are uniform laws throughout the European Union. It can happen as it happened in my country, in Romania, in 2017 and as it happened yesterday, but it can also happen in other countries in the future, namely the corruptions in parliament or in the government, simply to make laws for them to get rid of the files. We can stop them from doing this. We have prosecutors who want to deal with them, but we also need uniform European laws that would take away their right to modify their files with a simple handshake in parliament.

Mr President, over a million Europeans are telling us to put small farmers first, so we have a duty to listen to the voice of citizens. They tell us to prioritize healthy food, eliminate harmful pesticides, restore biodiversity, make sure we put clean products on the table that don't make our children sick. Romania is the second country in the Union in terms of number of hives. 9 000 tonnes of honey are exported annually to all member countries and all over the world. Romania still has natural grasslands, but we do not protect them very well, nor do we help those who want to keep them for future generations. Just like we don't stop illegal logging in our forests and poaching bears or sturgeons. This citizens' initiative is not just about bees, but about us and how we want to live at home, in Romania and in Europe. We have a duty to allocate more money for organic farming, for those who respect the land and healthy traditions, for clean air, waters and soils.

Madam President, European citizens are being stolen every day by organised criminal groups, the corrupt, fraudsters, networks of traffickers, wood thieves, polluters, poachers. What is the European Union doing? They generally debate. The idea of the European Public Prosecutor's Office appeared in 2007. It only became operational in 2021. The damage in the files investigated in 18 months exceeds 14 billion euros, but there are still parliamentary parties and groups here in Parliament that oppose the extension of the powers of the European Public Prosecutor's Office. They do not want to increase the budget of the Prosecutor's Office or the number of employees. The message is given to criminals: Europe is weak and can be stolen, isn't it? We do not have uniform anti-corruption rules, we do not give European police and prosecutors the resources to punish cross-border criminals. The vast fortunes of the corrupt remain unconfiscated, so we talk too much and do far too little against organized crime. And European citizens see it and we will see it and feel it in the elections, dear colleagues!

Mr. President, Moldovans are Europeans and what is happening now on the streets of Chisinau is invented in Putin's laboratories, but financed with money stolen from Moldovan banks. With the billion stolen by the oligarchs, they now pay the so-called protesters directly. It's stuff that's proven, it's stuff that's recorded. No one doubts this anymore, so I say it now, as I said before: Cut off their money! If we stop giving them access to money in the European Union, they will have nothing to create these false protests with. It is time for the Magnitsky Law in the European Union to apply to the corrupt and I believe that the example of the corrupt oligarchs in the Republic of Moldova, especially Ilan Shor, must be applied now, we can no longer wait. How long are we going to wait, how long are we going to let them walk their dirty money through European banks before we cut off their access to money?

Mr President, the people of Georgia are fighting for European values and their weapons are the European flags. Their fight is non-violent, but they are very certain about their future. On the other hand, the Commissioner for Neighbourhood is silent: he doesn’t fight for the Georgian people’s right to be European. I would like to know what does he intend to do to show support for the Georgians who – I say again – are Europeans? I know the Commissioner’s opinion about the Members of this House. I would like to remind him that Orbán has useful idiots, but somewhere else, they are not here. He needs to look for them somewhere else. And also, one last message: this House stands together with the Georgian people for the right to be European. It’s time that the Commissioner does the same.

Mr. President, corruption kills. And that's not a catchphrase, it's reality. Corruption costs us a lot: EUR 1 trillion annually in the Union, yes, EUR 1 trillion, you heard it right. Corruption makes us weaker and more vulnerable to the attacks of our enemies. Corruption leads to tragedy. What happened in Turkey and Syria is not just a natural disaster, but the result of corruption in construction, in administration, in politics. Do you think we are protected in the Union? Eva Kaili's case is the latest proof that she didn't. The time for words is long gone. There is an urgent need for facts. I've been asking for an integrity agency since December. I don't want another institution that looks like we're doing something. The integrity agency must be genuine and work with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Proven corruption must be excluded from any public office. He has to give back all the wealth he's made from the civil service and let everyone know what's going to happen to them. Let them no longer have the nerve to touch the money of the European Union or our money in our countries.

You are PSD deputy, Mrs. Avram, you are in the governing coalition. Together with your colleagues here in PNL, you have the responsibility for this failure. How do you see the role of Minister Aurescu? Or, more importantly, the role of Minister Bode? Do you think they should still be ministers? Do you think that their role helps us, Romanians, at this moment or more confuses us?

Mr President, "United Europe" - that is just a catchphrase if we continue to allow Romania and Bulgaria to be held totally unjustifiably in the queues of Europe. Having Romania and Bulgaria outside Schengen, in the middle of an economic, energy crisis, with a war at the borders is not only discriminatory, but absolutely stupid. So stupid that you wonder who's using this? Clearly not Europe. It is very dangerous, because it decreases trust in the Union, fuels anti-European propaganda and legitimises nationalism in all these countries. It is discriminatory because it is not possible for some European citizens to have only rights and others only obligations. And it is unfair and we cannot ask for solidarity only from Romania and only from Bulgaria. Beyond presidents, ministers, weak, extremist governments, campaigning or with their own agenda, our message must be one: We are all equal in this Union and there is no one above it. We are stronger together, and our citizens must never pay for internal games or electoral policies of anyone, not even the Austrians.

Mr President, when we help Ukraine, we are actually helping ourselves. Perhaps from the Netherlands or Austria the war seems something far away. Perhaps some politicians do not see things as they are, that in fact the war is on our border, on the border of United Europe, and there is no European citizen who does not feel at his pocket the consequences of Putin's energy blackmail or who has never felt his fake news campaigns, whether they are citizens of the Netherlands or Austria, or whether they are citizens of Romania. Just passing through winter isn't enough, and it can't be enough. Russia is a terrorist state. I just voted for this thing. We can no longer allow exceptions to sanctions that put us in a position to do business with this terrorist state. We can no longer have governments that are friendly or even lobbying here in the European Parliament for a terrorist state. The help given to Ukraine and in the future to the reconstruction of this country, candidate for accession and now defending Europe's borders, must come from the money of the oligarchs and must come from Putin's money.

Madam President, I voted today for Croatia to enter the Schengen area, because Croatians, Romanians, Bulgarians have the right and must enter Schengen. And I don't know if you realize it, but we have this discussion about borders, about walls, 33 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And we must remember that for 50 years, half of Europe was divided, half of Europe was filled with borders and barriers. And we know very well, both Romanians and Croats and Bulgarians, how that was. And I think now, in 2022, by discussing borders and barriers, we are embarrassing ourselves. Because a united Europe is not a Europe with borders. And I have one message for the Council and for those who still oppose the entry of all countries into the Schengen area: Break down this wall now!

Mr President, a free country is not really free unless it has a free press. Unfortunately, we in Romania know very well what this means. Since communist times and even now, the press is too often controlled. There is no way a press can be free if it is controlled by politicians. And, unfortunately, again, in Romania, a large part of the press is also controlled by politicians, even by former Securitate officers, but also by criminals, by people convicted especially for corruption deeds. Unfortunately, today and in Romania, once again, journalists are being persecuted. Unfortunately, one of the most well-known cases is that of Emilia Sercan, a journalist who showed the cases in which politicians steal, and for this there were made compromise campaigns against her. If we, in this Chamber, in this Parliament, are not taking action to ensure that these things do not happen again, then why are we still here?

Madam President, in 2023 and every year, the Union budget must meet the needs of European, Romanian, Bulgarian, German or Dutch citizens. The money must go to the people who pay the energy bills, record inflation, drought, the aftermath of the pandemic and Putin's war. Transport, tourism, the labour market are all settled by citizens, especially if national governments and the European Union treat them too bureaucratic, incoherent, insufficient and late. It's been hard years for all of us, but I don't know how some people pay more. Shooting drivers, teachers, health professionals, pensioners in particular, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, farmers and all vulnerable groups. We have a duty to support them more, and in my committees, budget and transport and tourism, I have managed to get funding for safe parking and better public transport. The European Public Prosecutor's Office headed by Laura Codruta Kövesi and all the European institutions that stop criminals must receive the requested budget. Their results are being seen quickly and European money is being recovered. The 2023 budget follows this line and it is good that it does. The member countries are rich and the Union has money for all of us to do better, but we must stop corruption and all the crimes that line us, including environmental crimes, from illegal logging to the waste trade. Just like those who attack us from the outside or from the inside, everyone has to pay. Violation of the rule of law, non-compliance with the sanctions imposed on Russia, we can no longer tolerate them. We demanded that the Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine receive the money confiscated from the oligarchs. We asked for European money to go directly to those who help Ukrainians from day one.

Madam President, (the start of the intervention was not done on the microphone) ... I worked on it in the Committee on Budgets and I thank my colleagues for supporting my amendments. Millions of Ukrainians left their homes and arrived in the European Union and in no country, the State was not the first in customs, it was not the first in train stations, but volunteers and NGOs mobilized from the first moment. In the ‘United for Ukraine’ group, 280 000 Romanians continue to help after six months of war. However, we have chosen to give funds exclusively to governments, the same ones that violate the rule of law and are affected by corruption or paralyzed by bureaucracy. We also called for direct funding lines for civil society, because European money must reach direct beneficiaries and those who actually help, not be delayed by governments in triple-track files. Especially now it is our duty to increase the level of preparedness and intervention in the crisis, to guard European money from corruption and to learn from the past years, not to take three mandates to change something that does not work.

Mr President, united Europe cannot continue just for the sake of money, but by ignoring common values. The war on our borders is not a pretext for leaders or governments to violate European principles. We cannot tolerate endlessly for some members to behave like the enemies of the Union, with whom they kiss in pictures and in statements too often. We cannot accept that Russian propaganda and Putin's habits enter the heart of Europe and poison the lives of our citizens. Viktor Orbán is constantly opposed to all the initiatives that make Europe stronger together, but he likes European money very much. Our response was too late and too gentle. In the State of the Union address, the rule of law is a priority, as is the fight against corruption. But the time for speeches is over. Today is the time to act. Today is the time to really put citizens first and not the interests of groups or parties. Today we must protect Europe from enemies within, just as we must protect ourselves from attacks from outside.

Mr President, I voted for the protection of the European Union's financial interests and the fight against fraud. It is our duty to ensure that the money of European citizens is not wasted and does not end up in the accounts of corrupt and organised criminal groups, because European values and principles are always worth protecting. The rule of law is the foundation of the Union and those who do not respect it cannot be awarded European funds. We cannot finance those who intentionally take Europe's money but act against the United Europe. In 2020 alone, one and a half billion euros went to waste, and now we are spending even more to recover them. Plus the work of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, OLAF, Europol, Eurojust, institutions to which we need to increase the budgets, the number of employees, the resources allocated. I welcome the support for the establishment of the European Green Prosecutor, my proposal to fight environmental crime. Illegal logging, illegal waste, air, water and soil pollution cost us enormously, not only billions of euros, but also the health and future of our children.

Mr President, we started this session with a moment of silence for the victims of terrorism and climate change. Europe faces extreme weather phenomena ranging from deadly heat, drought, wildfires, tornadoes and destructive floods. Beyond material damage, they all mean loss of life. Pollution also kills more than 400 000 Europeans every year. A cycling strategy is not an easy summer topic. It is an important piece of our fight for the future of Europe and it must happen quickly, because we are running out of time. Bicycle means sustainable transport and tourism, fighting pollution, independence from fuel consumption, economy and health for our citizens. Let's not forget that cycling tourism has already revitalized entire communities and brought them the chance of a sustainable income. Let us not forget the major demand for bicycles in the pandemic and the clear message sent by Europeans, who are becoming more and more fans of this means of transport. We also urgently need cycling infrastructure in all Member States, from lanes to cycling services. bike-sharing and special parking lots. Europeans need to be incentivised to use bicycles, and our duty is to provide them with the framework, to do it safely. Local authorities must be helped to access the necessary funds without too much bureaucracy, simple and efficient. And I stress once again, the time for discussion is over. It's time to act. If we don't, our children won't forgive us.

Madam President, Commissioner, Mr President, I welcome the work of the European Investment Bank in the last two years of crisis and I thank the President of the European Bank for that. I appreciate your openness to collaboration. We need results, not only in reports and offices, but in local communities, where citizens directly feel the improvement of their lives and gain confidence in the European Union. I appreciate the high percentage of investments in the environment, biodiversity and sustainability. Climate change is already here. There is no time to stop investing in green projects. I stress that European money must be protected from corruption and fraud. Full collaboration with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Laura-Codruța Kövesi, is essential. One final remark on the assets of Putin and Lukashenko's close associates. We don't finance wars on our borders directly or through third parties. We expect full reporting, full compliance with sanctions and immediate termination of ties with these regimes and their partners.

Madam President, I voted in favour of protecting the environment today, I voted against illegal logging, against wood thieves and organised criminal groups that are destroying our lives. We are experiencing extreme weather events all over Europe. It's just the beginning. Our children don't have a future if we don't act now. Illegal logging triggers chain reactions. It's scientifically proven, and we all know it. However, there are still politicians who put above people's health, profit and their own advantages. But wealth will not guard them from what follows. There are still parties that believe that in their country there are no illegal logging, there is no waste, there is no poaching, but pollution has no borders, esteemed colleagues. Those who do not understand this vote against their own citizens. Those who oppose the punishment of environmental offenders do so at the cost of our health and that of our children. These politicians forget that there is no private ozone. You can't buy unpolluted air, clean water, or unpoisoned land.

Madam President, I voted for the European future of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. Now, and so, we write history. We show the world that we keep our word, that we are leaders who know and do the right thing. For us, European values are not just on paper. We defend those who defend them. Romanians know what it means to be invaded by tanks that forget to leave. Romania knows what it means to have pieces taken from you at the table of the big ones. We know that the liberating army is actually destroying. In 2022, as in 1945. I promised I'd never let that happen again. We say we are united, we pride ourselves on being strong together. Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia believed us. Moldovans voted to join the European Union. Ukrainians are trying to join the European Union. Georgians took to the streets with tens of thousands to enter the European Union. We have heard their voices and now we have a duty to listen to them.