Speeches

Madam President! Dear High Council! Media freedom in Europe and beyond is increasingly under threat and poses a direct threat to our democracy. The media landscape in the Union is under increasing pressure due to politically oriented public funding, revenue-decreasing digitalisation and foreign interference attempts. Among other things, the European Union is not a safe zone for journalists and researchers. He carries on his shoulders numerous intimidations, threats against journalists and, of course, murders. Let us remember, for example, the silence of journalists from Malta, Slovakia, Greece and even the Netherlands. That's intolerable. This is why we need legislation that protects journalists and guarantees media independence and, of course, pluralism. I therefore welcome the Commission's latest proposal. Commissioner Jourová stressed that this was also encouraged by developments in my country, Slovenia. In my country, media freedom was severely damaged under the previous government. Financial exhaustion has been experienced by the Slovenian Press Agency STA, and public RTV continues to suffer from political abduction to this day. But we did, and we will resist. Without politics in public broadcasting, for more media freedom, for the independence and safety of journalists and, of course, for a healthy democracy. Thank you very much.

Madam President-in-Office, honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Robert Golob, honourable fellow citizen, welcome to Strasbourg, welcome to the European Parliament and welcome among us. It's nice to hear the Spanish voice here. Thank you for your great commitment to granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as possible. I believe that the efforts of Slovenian politics in this direction are crucial, including those of the President of the Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and us in the European Parliament. At the initiative of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsolo, we, the Members of the European Parliament, addressed a letter to the President of the European Parliament already in June of the month calling for the European Parliament to also advocate for granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. They expect you to create an environment that is a space for freedom of the media and thought. And for a region where the European Union promised a European perspective almost twenty years ago in Thessaloniki, but where we are still a long way from a new enlargement. There are strong ties not only between Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also with the other countries of the Western Balkans. Slovenia is and remains an ally to the countries of the region – no conditionality, no insidious games, no harmful interests. Today, two days before the December meeting, when the country also has the green light from the Commission, I call on European leaders to turn the green light on at the European Council. Let a clear voice be heard – the European Union is de facto living up to its mission of a united and cohesive Europe, of which the Western Balkans region must become an equal partner. In view of the present time and the horrific war in Europe, this is an extremely important, if not decisive, step for the entire Western Balkans region, a region that often has the impetus and strength to move closer to the European Union. Which country is the hardest nut, and is there still room for compromise, and what message do you want the EU to send ... to the countries in the region?

Mr President. Allow me to make my message clear and loud. As has already been said today, over 25 000 people have died in the Mediterranean since 2014, of which 2 000 this year alone. Saving lives is not a crime. This is where our humanity begins and ends. Europe can no longer turn a blind eye to this challenge. The admission of unfortunate migrants to the safe harbour cannot depend on the respective graces of this or that country. It is true that Europe cannot accept all the refugees of this world, but it must take its share of responsibility. We urgently need to cut the Gordian knot of a dysfunctional migration system. This is why we need an effective migration and asylum policy. This must be based on solidarity and fair burden-sharing. It must also be fair and dignified. We need – urgently – a migration deal, and we need it now. Thank you very much.

Mr President, honourable! In the Group of Socialists and Democrats, we support Croatia's entry into Schengen. Schengen is one of the key achievements of the Union and one of the most real advantages for citizens. Schengen is primarily for people. Croatia has done its homework and deserves entry into Schengen. Like any country, when it meets the conditions. However, Croatia also has to face a black spot regarding respect for human rights at its southern border, as entry into Schengen does not absolve the country from respecting commitments and agreed rules. On the contrary, Croatia will have to demonstrate and demonstrate by its actions on a daily basis that it respects international law and European law. Like all countries, we will, of course, look at it in Parliament. It is now up to the ministers, so our strong call to the Council to take a decision as soon as possible and, as the Commissioner has said, to open the door to Schengen in the waiting room, in addition to Croatia. So welcome Croatia, welcome to Croatia!

Madam President. Every year we record the progress of the Western Balkan countries on their way to the European Union, which is not as dynamic as we could have wished, and every year we make new promises to the people of the region. This year gives me hope that the Union is finally delivering on its commitments. The opening of negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania and the proposal to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina are restoring the Union's lost credibility in the region, and we must not allow the people of the region to fail again at the end of the year. Therefore, the Council urgently needs to support the immediate visa waiver for Kosovo. As one of the leading parliamentarians in the mediation process in Serbia, like my colleague Bilčík before me, I call on all political actors to implement reforms more constructively and to cooperate with the European Union institutions. Cross-party dialogue is a positive example of mutual interest in cooperation. I would like to inform the leaders of the Balkan countries that in today's situation there is no time to sit on two chairs at the same time. It is necessary to choose and sit at a common table. I would like to reiterate to the people of the region that the future of the whole region lies in the European Union. Together and now.

Madam President, honourable High Council. The world is at a crossroads and in crisis, and politics has been holding a compass in its hands for months, the magnetic needle of which points towards social-democratic, people-oriented politics. If politics is sincere in its intention to overcome the energy crisis and the costly, it will follow this infallible compass. European socialists and democrats are following in this direction with determination and sincerity, with a clear plan to tackle the challenges facing people and the economy. We have a plan for lower and fair energy prices. We demand a price cap on natural gas and the formation of an electricity price independent of the gas price. I expected a step in this direction from the Commission proposal, but unfortunately this did not happen. I also strongly urge European leaders to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina candidate status for membership of the European Union as soon as possible, before the end of the year. We still have a lot of work to do, and with a determined policy for the good of the people, we also have successes ahead of us.

Mr President, it’s about time. Today Parliament is discussing, at my request, this groundbreaking ruling on Schengen. It has been six months since the European Court of Justice ruled that Austrian and Italian border controls have been illegal under EU law since November 2017. But despite this ruling, nothing has changed. Austria and five other Schengen states again blocked the controls for another six months, breaking EU law yet again. I strongly condemn these controls. We need to act now, dear colleagues, because the Commission has said nothing so far about this ruling, because the Commission also never issued an opinion on these controls as law demands. While the Commission itself said in court that these controls were not in line with European law, I want to know: what will the Commission do now? It’s time to step up and protect the rule of law and Schengen. Start infringement procedures, issue opinions on the controls? Can you really accept this complete disregard for rule of law just because France and Germany are breaking it? Are we going to let Schengen slip away in front of our eyes? Ladies and gentlemen, the law needs to be respected. The court decision needs to be respected. Dear colleagues, we have to cherish and protect our Schengen, because if we lose Schengen, we lose the European Union.

Mr President, good day! The last enlargement of Schengen took place in 2007, when new Member States, including Slovenia, entered the area without internal borders, and in 2008 Switzerland. Then this process stalled and is in a dead end. Romania and Bulgaria met all the conditions already in 2011, but Member States kept them in the waiting room until then. In the S&D Group, we strongly support the enlargement of Schengen and demand that the Council lift the blockade and take an immediate decision on the accession of Romania and Bulgaria. Schengen is one of the most tangible achievements of the European Union. It has been in crisis for many years. Today, six countries still illegally carry out internal border controls. Austria with Slovenia. This is despite the fact that, in the case of the same threat, the Court of Justice of the European Union, ruling on the matter, has declared those controls to be unlawful since 2017. If we want to protect and preserve Schengen, we must not accept such an intolerable and gross violation of the judgments of the courts. The Commission must therefore take immediate action to protect Schengen by all means before it is too late.

Mr. President! The European Union was founded for the sake of peace and to protect freedom, democracy and the rule of law, of which a free, independent media is a key part. I am very sorry to draw your attention, dear friends, to the worrying and unsustainable situation on Radio Television Slovenia. After two years of Janez Janša's reign, and when he declared war on the media, the bitter battle after the Slovenian Press Agency is now also being fought by RTV. The political leadership, i.e. the political takeover of leadership, was first followed by the blocking of necessary legislative changes. Now, in the eyes of the viewers, the institution itself is being dismantled, with the abolition of broadcasts on restrictions on journalistic freedom and editorial autonomy and threats of sanctions by the management. What's happening on RTV, Reverend, is politicization and death by meal. I therefore urge you, and in particular the Commission, to take immediate and decisive action before it is too late.

Madam President-in-Office! The Three Seas Initiative is an important forum of twelve European Union countries located between the three European seas. This has developed in the hope of greater connectivity of the region and in the light of the promotion of joint investments, namely in infrastructure, transport, energy and digitalisation. One of the objectives of the initiative is also to reduce the energy dependence of Central and Eastern European countries on Russia in the field and energy policy issues in general. It is precisely the Russian aggression against Ukraine that has given it even greater prominence. An important shift in the initiative was made in 2019 in Brdo, Slovenia, under the leadership of President Borut Pahor, with the creation of an investment fund. This has led to the launch of several large-scale cross-border infrastructure projects. The Three Seas Initiative must remain an important forum for dialogue and cooperation, but it will not be a complete whole until both Ukraine and the Western Balkan countries are involved, and, of course, only together can we realise the true potential and opportunities that we have at hand.

Madam President-in-Office, as a very important fact, I consider it an opportunity to highlight here today, in my first address, the importance of the European Union's enlargement policy. Montenegro's progress report is clear. We particularly welcome the country's commitment to European integration, but without respect for the rule of law, full implementation of electoral and judicial reforms and an active fight against organised crime and corruption there will be no progress at all. I would like the country to be able to close one of the open chapters as soon as possible, namely to maintain its status as the leading country in the region when it comes to the enlargement process. The new – and as the only – government in Europe, led by a representative of a minority, fills me with optimism. Mainly because of its European perspective. At the same time, we also need a strong pro-European stance as a message, a basic message coming from this region. Dear, let us not forget, as representatives of the European Union, that we need the region and the region needs us. Now is the moment, now is the time. We therefore welcome Montenegro's progress.