Debate contributions by Nikola BARTŮŠEK

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, almost 42 million people in the European Union and 1.5 million people in the Czech Republic today face difficulties in paying high energy bills. One in eight people in our country is directly affected by this problem. Imagine a household being forced to spend unreasonably high amounts on energy. This leads to restrictions in other key areas: food, clothing or education of children. But it's not just households that suffer. Companies are also facing huge problems due to high energy, which leads to redundancies and business closures. This problem is indeed huge, and the European Union is making it worse with its policies. An example is emission allowances, the prices of which are unpredictable and constantly rising. Instead of an effective solution, the European Union is proposing the establishment of a climate fund, which means that the problem that we have created ourselves will be covered by additional subsidies. If the goal really is the self-destruction of Europe, then let us continue along this path. But I am calling you: Let us stop turning a blind eye to this problem and start taking action.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, hybrid warfare has long been used as a tool to destabilise states blurring the lines between war and peace. This is not only an attack on institutions, but also on our social values. Hybrid warfare also supports criminal groups. Today we see groups of tens of thousands of irregular migrants crossing the external borders of the European Union, lured by false promises of easy entry into the European Union. These are mostly spread on social networks and we support them with our inaction. Europe must make it clear and speak with one voice that hybrid warfare has nothing to do here. We need to stand up to the smugglers who spread disinformation about Europe so that they can commit organised crime here. This poses a direct threat to the territorial integrity and security of the Member States. It is time for us to take seriously the dangers of hybrid warfare and the abuse of migration, and to protect our borders and ensure the security of our territory.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, poor security, increased crime, sexual assaults, knife attacks are so common issues in the European Union that many people are starting to take this for granted. We hear from all sides how necessary it is to protect the external borders, but here in the European Parliament we spend hours and hours debating the security crisis in the European Union, which is caused precisely by illegal migration. There is really nothing we can do to improve it. I myself have worked since 2015 in the fight against illegal migration, and the new migration pact is a mockery for all the people who are fighting illegal migration on the front line. The real action is missing. Yes, cooperation with Frontex is key. Frontex now has a budget of EUR 845 million per year and has the potential to effectively protect external borders. It must be ensured that these funds are used with maximum efficiency. The current system of external border control is inadequate. We all see this and need immediate change. The European Union and Frontex need to clarify their priorities and how to protect their citizens and how to protect our territory.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! The Schengen area and free movement are one of the biggest benefits for all EU citizens. But that is now at risk with internal border controls. The introduction of border controls within the EU is only a consequence of the failed EU migration policy and the poor security situation throughout the EU territory. In 2023, almost 1 300 000 people illegally staying in the area were recorded in the EU. That's an increase of almost 13%. Germany introduced controls at all its borders last year, and other states followed suit. However, this is not a permanent solution. We enable smugglers to commit organised crime in the middle of the EU. The security situation in the EU will continue to deteriorate as long as we do not secure our external borders and change our poor asylum policy. We need to resume the debate on the migration pact and not look for ways to distribute migrants, but look for ways to prevent illegal entry.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, a few days ago, many families in Central and Eastern Europe lost their homes in the floods. This is a huge loss that will be very difficult to overcome. Some regions in the Czech Republic have been deeply affected. We must appreciate all those who intervened in the Czech Republic, the entire integrated rescue system, including the volunteer firefighters who did a great job. Thank you very much! It should be noted that just a few days before these floods, there was an undignified debate in the Czech Republic about the salaries of security forces. Again, the importance of volunteer firefighters, who are unfortunately not financially rewarded for their work, is shown. Robert Šlachta, the shadow interior minister for the Oath movement, has long drawn attention to this problem. It criticises the government for refusing to adequately fund our security forces, thus jeopardising their ability to function effectively and protect citizens. The rains will pass, but the devastating consequences will remain. There is a huge cleaning after floods, repairs of roads, bridges and buildings. Unfortunately, the damage in the Czech Republic amounts to billions of crowns, and this is a huge intervention in the economy for the Czech Republic. I call on the European Union to mobilise the Solidarity Fund quickly and to help where it is needed at the moment. The European Union must learn from the crises of the past and act quickly and flexibly in times of crisis.

Madam President, first of all, I would like to express my condolences to all victims and to all their families of the terrorist attack in Solingen. I myself worked in illegal migration for over 10 years, and my colleague was murdered by an unsuccessful asylum seeker. Let me maybe talk about a few numbers. Over 100 000 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave the EU in the first quarter of 2024, but only 30 000 actually left. This means 70 000 people ignored the law just because they could, and just because we allowed them. The Returns Directive needs urgent reform. We have no efficient enforcement system and our laws are ineffective. Unfortunately, the new migration and asylum package from April will keep this broken system going, encouraging migration without real consequences for breaking the rules. It's time to come together and protect our continent. We need stronger border control and return policy that proves Europe is serious and strong.