Debate contributions by Monika BEŇOVÁ

Madam President, I welcome the European Union's cardiovascular health plan. Let me highlight the impact of cardiovascular disease on women and mothers. It is time to adopt a clear direction for helping women in the strategy to combat cardiovascular disease. Both prevention and diagnosis in women are often underestimated, and atypical symptoms, which are often different from those in men, unfortunately mean intervention often only when it is too late. This type of disease can be prevented by early intervention. This is a broad group of diseases that can be stopped or even prevented by simple prevention and early identification of risk factors. We know that prevention and regular screenings reduce the number of hospital admissions, thus also the burden on the health system, and add incalculably valuable years of well-being to our citizens. For example, advances in digitalisation and AI tools already allow for cheaper ECG evaluation and more accurate identification and identification of risk factors.

I support the European Commission's proposal that large corporations with a turnover above EUR 100 million should pay a one-off contribution of EUR 100 000 to the common budget of the European Union. I am disappointed with the attitude of Germany and the Netherlands, because 100,000 is no threat to corporations. We are talking about companies that are already optimizing their taxes to the last cent. This is morally twisted logic and grotesque hypocrisy. And the same leaders have no problem taxing their own citizens twice through the ETS emissions permit system, through taxes on fuel, on heating, on housing. We tax labor, energy consumption. But when it comes to capital, suddenly our moralizing leaders protest vehemently. This is not a coincidence, it is a systemic protection of corporations against even symbolic redistribution of wealth. If we withdraw this symbolic corporate tax, but ETS 1 and 2 remain on the table, the European Union can also say goodbye to the last bit of credibility in the eyes of its citizens. Because the time when 'yes' to citizens and 'no' to corporations was long over, and I hope you all can finally see that.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, you know, at a time when we are going to import fossil fuels from the United States of America, we will be dependent on the United States of America for 70% of their imports. If we still use the argument that we are going to protect the environment by not taking measures that change our original goals, then this whole debate is about nothing. In fact, in '23, the European Union accounted for only about six percent of total global CO2 emissions.2. If we stopped all emissions from cars tomorrow, that share would fall to just 4.8 percent. Once again, we are going to import 70% of fossil fuels from the United States of America. In contrast, this industry is the engine of the European economy. It employs the automotive industry itself, but also the industries serving millions of people, and the lives of millions of European citizens depend on our automotive industry remaining healthy and competitive.

Madam President, Commissioner, I would like to thank you for your intervention and I am very pleased that you have stressed to our Slovak opposition that the dialogue between the European Commission and the Government of the Slovak Republic is going very well, that the Government of the Slovak Republic is not making any complications at all and that we are looking for solutions to the problems that are still open. I would also like to stress, and this has also been said on missions, and I am sorry that this has not been said here by the rapporteurs from these missions, that the Government of the Slovak Republic has announced in advance that, since neither the Slovak nor the European mechanisms have registered any irregularities, we have OLAF here and we have the European Public Prosecutor's Office that will register such irregularities. The government is ready to cooperate. Mr. Freund and I have been discussing Robert Fico here for many years, and we all know that he is not Robert Fico's friend. I respect that. As for, and now I borrow Mr Weber's expression, "crazy“ Mr Zdechovsky, perhaps there is no need to comment. But I will now speak this to my colleagues from Progressive Slovakia. I do not know, colleagues, where you take in yourself that unjustifiable and unbridled pride with which you are still attacking the Government of the Slovak Republic. But I want to advise you. You represent the Slovak Republic here and you have to stand for the interests of the Slovak Republic. Don't think they'll all like you better when you're here to swear at Slovakia just because you don't have any other agenda to offer.

Madam President, colleagues, as in the case of real-world sexual offences, also in the digital space, law enforcement authorities need adequate tools to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. Today, the Internet is also a tool for predators who manipulate and abuse children. We can't hesitate anymore. We have had years of discussion on this subject. The risks are proven. Hundreds of thousands of reports of child abuse per year within the European Union and an increasing incidence of online abuse. We need legal, targeted and technically consistent measures to prevent this brutality on our children, with clear priority, by protecting them. It's not about controlling the internet. It's about checking on those who are searching for the most vulnerable victims. Our children deserve active protection, not just passive regret and counseling. I expect both the Council and the Commission to share the priority of protecting our children. And I call for a swift conclusion of the work on the directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.

Madam President, I understand the reasons why Europe's military capabilities need to be restored, and especially after the political decision to make all key military equipment available to Ukraine. However, recent Eurobarometer data show a worrying reality. More than one third of our citizens expect the quality of life to deteriorate as a result of the growing cost-of-living crisis. How long can we afford this to continue, now that the proposal is coming that we need almost 800 billion to put in defence? Member States are currently consolidating their budgets and there is often fierce criticism from opposition parties, as we see in Slovakia, despite the fact that consolidation is necessary. It is therefore extremely worrying, and even dangerous, to risk a financial crisis to the detriment of ordinary Europeans simply in order to benefit military companies and aggravate the military dilemma caused by the sudden increase in military capabilities. I have always opposed global militarization. The EU must remain true to its foundations and to its fundamental identity, diplomatic strength and peace.

Madam President, colleagues, Commissioner, the European Union's current migration policy has long been ineffective. And what we are talking about now or what you are proposing now, such proposals we already had here in 2015, later in 2018. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this time. Although Member States issue return decisions on a regular basis, only around 25% of migrants actually return, and even some of them will be returned to us. Let us also stress that the EU solidarity mechanism on migration has been rejected by several countries and that, moreover, the mechanism is clearly unfair because it does not take into account the enormous burden on countries such as Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Poland, which have already received millions of refugees from Ukraine. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been raising these issues for ten years and has repeatedly called for a fundamental reform of the European return policy. That is why we welcome the European Commission's change of approach and we are keeping your fingers crossed to make it happen.

Commissioner, I am glad to have heard the greater part of the debate, because I see that your biggest critics are those who have given their support to the European Commission. It is so interesting that, despite your support for the European Commission, you are now the biggest critic of this proposal. I did not vote for the European Commission. I have also said for what reasons, and yet I think that this proposal that you have tabled is all right. This is a general proposal. We are in February and it will now be shown how you, in cooperation with the European Parliament, can deliver on this proposal. Some people say there's not much there. Others say there's too much. In my opinion, this proposal is also general because, in the current geopolitical situation, it is very difficult to say exactly what we want to do with some of the measures. So let's be a little patient together and find a way out of this together. And it's not that you're fighting your inner battles here. You can see that it is before elections in different countries. I think it'll be your card. How can you live up to what you have put forward? I like it and I hope we can do it together.

Mr President, Commissioner, do you know why European voters are inclined towards radical parties? Because they feel that we have betrayed them and betrayed them in favor of the illusion that we are on a par with the United States. win win, which has not been the case for ten years. But we in Europe are responsible for our decline. European passivity, servility. And in the last eight months, zero activity by the newly elected European Commission. Rejecting the reality that Europe has entered (incomprehensible part) regulatory and legislative measures, often very nonsensical. The European Union must respond pragmatically and resolutely. And it is precisely the decisive actions of leaders, such as the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, that Europe needs today. Sovereign and pragmatic solutions, not blind obedience to the values that our American partners ultimately abuse against us. And now Trump's victory turned out to be naked. So I congratulate America, I congratulate Trump, and especially for opening our eyes in Europe. Have a nice day.

Madam President, children are one of the most important parts of our society and face many challenges that require our immediate attention. Let me dedicate my speech to our European children. The pandemic deeply affected their mental health, isolation and fear brought anxiety and depression. But we cannot make endless excuses for the pandemic and what came after the pandemic. We have to make some decisions at last. We need to improve access to healthcare, education, nutrition, but also home and social well-being. Addressing chronic health problems and ensuring better nutrition are essential for their health development. That is why I also welcome the fact that soon, I believe and therefore hope that there will be a separate health committee to deal with these very areas. Let me also mention one very specific topic, namely the increase in children with autism spectrum diseases, which are not yet at all in the viewfinder of our institutions and which we need to address very carefully, because many parents do not have sufficient resources to provide these children with the necessary care and also medical care. Last but not least, we need doctors. We need child psychologists, child psychiatrists (The Chair interrupted the speaker) We can't help these kids without them.

Madam President, thank you very much, Madam President and Commissioner. I see colleagues from Fidesz here. They certainly remember when, in 2015 or 2016, at an extraordinary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, we were forced to take a decision on the mandatory redistribution of migrants. We're talking about nine years ago. For nine years, this has not worked and yet it has been brought back into the migration pact. When we know that this is not working, the protection of our external border is not working, Schengen is no longer working, our return policy is not working, nothing is working: I do not understand your optimism, Commissioner, when you spoke here and said that we are only missing the last piece, to settle the return policy. Return policy costs the European Union and its Member States a huge amount of money. And to our fellow progressives and socialists: We are not against legal migration, but we are talking about illegal migration here. We are talking about how Member States should deal with this without the support of the European Commission.

Mr President, we set up Frontex in 2004 to secure and protect the external borders, and now it needs our political support, perhaps more than ever, because it was on Monday that we talked here about protecting and safeguarding the Schengen area. What is more relevant to the protection and safeguarding of the Schengen area than the protection of the external border? That is why we support, and our whole delegation will support, the strengthening of Frontex, as we consider it to be a key tool for this protection and for the Schengen area to finally function. And one more note for the pathetic deputies. People who talk about human rights. No one wants drowning women or children. But you should have thought about human rights when you made the decision to make it mandatory to redistribute migrants to countries where they do not want to go. So please do not talk about human rights with regard to Frontex and with regard to migration.

Madam President, I will not repeat everything that has already been said here today. I am on the side of Israel and I support its fight against Islamic terrorism. And if we want to talk about why all this is, yes, Israel is waging a war against Islamic terrorism for us. That's a term that shouldn't have been used here for a long time. In the plenary of the European Parliament. Today, Israel is fighting for us. Josep Borrell and I started together in 2004. You were, Josep, President of the European Parliament, I was a Member. How many times have we fought here over whether Hezbollah and Hamas will be a terrorist organization? In those 20 years, x times. And today it all came back to us. I am also in favour of defending Palestinian women and children. But we can protect them when we fight Islamic terrorism and when we destroy Islamic terrorism.

Madam President, organised crime is today one of the biggest threats to the internal security of the European Union. This is not just about drug trafficking, human trafficking or money laundering. This is a threat that directly affects the lives of our citizens. The most dangerous form of organised crime is terrorism, which threatens the foundations of our society. Just think of the brutal terrorist attacks in Paris or Brussels, where innocent people, including children, lost their lives. Criminals know no borders, they use the European Union's open market to smuggle arms and finance terrorist operations. Children and young people are among the most vulnerable. They are often trafficked or exploited for radicalisation and violence. This new generation is being manipulated and forced to become an instrument of crime. The European Union needs to act more actively. More than ever, we need to strengthen international cooperation, support Europol and share intelligence to dismantle criminal networks. We must protect the most vulnerable, our children, and ensure security for all citizens of the European Union.