Debate contributions by Annamária VICSEK

Mr. President, please. Thank you very much for the word. We are saddened to see that, as in the past, this Serbian country report is unbalanced, politically biased, does not present real progress in a proportionate manner and ignores the geopolitical sensitivity of the region. Commissioner Kos said during her recent visit to Belgrade that she and the European Commission support university students. The Commission's demands should relate to institutional reforms and not to support a group that polarises society, aims to overthrow the government, or anarchistically obstructs the functioning of institutions, violates the right to education of minor children, or forcibly prevents university professors from entering their workplace. The Commission's task should be to stabilise and strengthen institutional functioning, not to interfere in Serbia's internal affairs. Hungarian Patriot MPs continue to stand by Serbia's EU membership as soon as possible, as this is in the interest of the Hungarians in Vojvodina, Hungary and ultimately Europe as a whole. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for your question, Congresswoman. It was expected that a member of the Tisza Party would ask such a question. However, I would like to ask how it is that the Tisza Party is happy that the European Union is withholding the resources that are rightfully due to Hungary, and they hope that the Tisza Party will therefore perform better in the 2026 election. This is a very, very selfish request and a very selfish consideration. I think it is completely unacceptable that you are happy that it is bad for the Hungarian people to be better for you.

Mr. President, please. The left-wing Grand Coalition of the European Parliament wants an EU budget after 2027 whose resources would further support the implementation of the disastrous Pact on Asylum and Migration, the opaque funding of pseudo-civilian political activist networks, the financing of the war in Ukraine, and ideologically-based financial blackmailing of Member States. Some people are happy that Brussels is withholding EU funds due to Hungarians under the rule of law procedure, because it believes that it will support the Tisza Party in next year's parliamentary election. This is outrageous and unacceptable to us. The Patriots for Europe Group and the Fidesz-KDNP Group in the European Parliament want a budget that effectively supports Member States financially in protecting the EU's external borders and preventing illegal migration flows. We would also preserve regional development policy and the common agricultural policy in its current form, in particular with regard to area-based support for farmers.

Dear Mr President, The development of the trans-European transport network is not just a technical detail. This is an important issue from an economic, military and geopolitical point of view. Five TEN-T corridors and two military mobility corridors cross the territory of Hungary. Therefore, we know exactly the risk of delaying their development. Projects such as the development of the Belgrade-Budapest railway line or the reopening of the Szeged-Szabadka-Baja line can connect not only cities, but also communities. For the Hungarians of Vojvodina, this prosperity in their homeland is also a condition for economic prosperity. While Hungary spends nearly €3 billion a year on transport infrastructure, EU rules mean that many strategic investments do not have access to either grants or loans because they do not meet the economic return criteria. It is also not an exception when it comes to projects of major military importance. This needs to change. The TEN-T objectives can only be achieved by providing a more flexible funding and regulatory framework.

The cornerstone of Hungarian child protection legislation is that gender activists are not allowed to enter schools. What is your personal position? Can Gender Activists Go to Schools?

Dear Madam President, Culture is not only an important element of national identity, it is also important from an economic and competitiveness point of view. Across Europe, 7.8 million people work in this sector, which accounts for 2% of EU GDP. Cultural policy should not be second-rate in the budget and should therefore have a corresponding weight in the next MFF. In addition to the majority of national cultures in the Member States, European culture should also embrace the cultural diversity of Europe's indigenous national, regional and linguistic minorities. In their case, grant projects add value, but are often vital. More effective support for the cultural sector in the case of candidate countries can enhance their integration and, at the same time, the cultural diversity of the EU. The new Cultural Compass should also respond to the challenges of the digital era. The rise of artificial intelligence is a new challenge. Culture will only remain human-centred if we can protect the value of human creation.

Mr. President, please. Creating a European Education Area is an ambitious objective but also an excellent opportunity that will determine Europe's competitiveness, social cohesion and cultural diversity in the long term. The Alliance of European Schools initiative offers real solutions to this by building on the three pillars of innovation, mobility and inclusiveness. We must support such projects, but also ensure that the construction of the European Education Area respects national identities, the educational traditions and sovereignty of the Member States. A united Europe should not be about uniformity, but about the power of diversity and cooperation. Sharing good practices and case studies between Member States can contribute to achieving even better results at EU level. The implementation of the European Education Area is greatly facilitated by the Erasmus+ programme, by enabling the mobility of students and teachers. We are pleased to note that applicant countries outside the EU can also participate in Erasmus+ programmes, but we demand that all students and staff from EU Member States have non-discriminatory access to mobility programmes. The EU cannot afford negative examples such as the exclusion of certain Hungarian and Austrian students from Erasmus+ programmes. This is completely incompatible with the often mentioned European values and the objectives of the European Education Area. Finally, I would like to stress the importance of involving EU candidate countries as closely as possible in the programmes and opportunities offered by the region. It is especially important for the young people who live there, as they are the ones who can hopefully one day become EU citizens. By connecting the candidate countries, we can ensure that their education systems are better aligned with EU expectations at the time of accession.

Mr. President, please. If we want a competitive European Union, we need to provide a workforce with the right skills, adapted to the digital and green transitions, as well as demographic change. At the same time, we must not forget that education and training are competences of the Member States, which the EU can support through guidance, funding and coordination. Mobility in the EU is an excellent opportunity for young people, supported by several EU programmes. At the same time, it has its drawbacks, as emigration, demographic challenges and brain drain affect all Member States. It is therefore important to encourage the retention and return of talented young people. I would like to mention as a good example the Hazaváró program established by the Hungarian government, which encourages Hungarian citizens living abroad to return home by supporting relocation, housing and job opportunities. Significant interest proves the raison d'être and success of the programme. The return of young people will contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy, thereby indirectly increasing the competitiveness of the EU.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Today, Serbia is experiencing a political crisis. There has been increasing street violence and civil disobedience, and even serious disorder in the plenary session of the Serbian Parliament on 4 March, when opposition MPs used smoke bombs and pyrotechnics in the Chamber. This seriously jeopardised not only the conduct of the meeting, but also the safety of their colleagues and staff. Several MEPs were injured, including an eight-month-old pregnant MEP. A few days later, cult minister Nikola Selaković was attacked and assaulted on political grounds in the street. These events are deeply outrageous and there is no room for violence in a European candidate country. Aggression is not an instrument of democracy, but a mockery of it. Governments and authorities have a duty to protect public order and ensure the safety of citizens. The European Union must send a clear message, and political differences must be resolved within a democratic framework. Citizens need normality.

Dear Madam President, The European Union has a primary interest in the stability of the candidate countries. It is therefore understandable that the European Parliament is also dealing with the current political situation in Serbia. At the same time, it is important that the attitude of Members is fair and objective, since the European Union must also respect the sovereignty of the candidate countries. Protests have been taking place in Serbia for weeks, mainly due to the tragic collapse of the roof of the railway station in Novi Sad three months ago, which killed 15 people. In the meantime, criminal prosecution has begun. There was also political accountability. The government has met the demands of the protesting students. The anti-government protests, however, continue, and even new social groups join the protesting university students. Imprisonment of institutions, resulting in the complete abolition of educational institutions. I am convinced that the victims of all this are those primary and secondary school students whose right to education is being violated, since their teachers have also joined the total stoppage of work, so the children are practically not allowed to go to school for more than a month. It is difficult to speak impartially and objectively about this. We can consider the demonstration as a tool of democracy. As politicians, however, we must insist that political debates should not take place on the streets, but in parliament.

Dear Madam President, The labour market is undergoing dramatic changes. Digitalisation, automation and the green transition require new skills, while demographic challenges and global competition further increase the need for adaptation. In this situation, reshaping vocational education and training is not just an option, it is our duty. The Erasmus+ programme plays a key role in this, providing young people with international experience, up-to-date knowledge and marketable skills. It is therefore unacceptable that almost 200,000 Hungarian students were excluded from Erasmus+ programmes as a result of the decision taken in Brussels. This has happened despite the fact that the Hungarian Government has complied with the requests made by the European Commission, but still new objections and obstacles are being put forward. At the same time, we can be proud of the Hungarian VET and VET reforms, and I would particularly highlight the contribution of the Hungarian Presidency in the second half of 2024, which effectively strengthened European VET cooperation and the sharing of good practices.

(Start of speech off mic) ... the interference in independence, I have seen enough here in Brussels. This is my first term as an MEP, and for the last half year I have seen more shameful democracy in this House than anywhere else before.

We are saying, 'who does something wrong has to be investigated'. But is this really the only problem in the European Union? Is Hungary the only problem in the EU? I think all the countries – especially Germany, Poland, everybody has a problem. Why don't you investigate that?

Dear Mr President, We have witnessed countless times that the left is attacking Hungary in the European Parliament on the basis of speculation, fake news and obvious lies. We know you're happy to talk about alleged corruption in Hungary, so I've given you an example like this. In recent days, the head of an important Hungarian state institution has been found to be involved in a serious corruption case. Interestingly, the left and the European press are also listening to this. This time it is actually the commander of the outpost of Brussels who is involved in this corruption scandal, the head of the Integrity Authority. Yes, we could say that the Hungarian Reynders is the suspect who acted as a scourge of anti-corruption on behalf of Brussels. Then it turned out he was in the same shoes as Reynders. Suspected of misappropriation and abuse of office. Of course, Brussels is also silent on the shameful case of Reynders. The man who for years accused Hungary of violating the rule of law and corruption is now being prosecuted for corruption and money laundering. Hungary is constantly suffering from the double standards of European democracy, which other Member States are condoned without a word, and Hungary is being crucified for that reason. Isn't this double standard a cabaret, my dear fellow Members?

Madam President, I'm sorry. The Hungarian Presidency of the European Council is coming to an end. I am delighted that Hungary's ill-wishers must once again admit that the Hungarian Presidency-in-Office is a successful Presidency. We can show a number of results that the Hungarian Presidency has achieved in the last six months. Perhaps one of the biggest of these is that the long-standing stalemate has been lifted, and from 1 January Romania and Bulgaria will be part of the Schengen area. The other good news is that Serbia can submit its negotiating positions on negotiating chapters 16 and 19, which are part of the third cluster on competitiveness and inclusive growth. This means that the third set of negotiating chapters could be opened at the end of January, beginning of February. I am convinced that this could give a new impetus to Serbia's enlargement process. Serbia, as a key country in the region, should be in the EU as soon as possible. Perhaps now is the time for the European Union to realise this and for Serbia's accession process to be speeded up at last.

Oh, Mr. President. Today in the European Parliament, we are discussing gender equality and violence against women politicians, and we unanimously condemn all forms of violence. But why don't we also talk about violence perpetrated by women politicians? Do you know that there is a Member of Parliament among us who, in broad daylight in the capital of a Member State, committed group brutal violence on the streets? Why are we not talking about Ilaria Salis's shameful, unworthy behaviour, unworthy of the European Parliament, unworthy of a woman? How did we even get from gender equality to being equal to men in a woman's brutality? In the meantime, it is protected by the European Parliament. There is also a need for zero tolerance in the European Parliament and candidate countries for violence against women politicians and violence perpetrated by women politicians. How do we expect candidate countries to do more for gender equality and human rights if the European Parliament does not set a good example?

I would like to ask you, since you have been talking about LGBTQI+ children, do you know that, psychologically speaking, we cannot talk about LGBTQI children because there is no such thing in psychology. There is no such thing as gender identity in children up to the age of 25. When will you accept that children cannot be subject to the LGBTI propaganda?

Dear Madam President, The importance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child cannot be disputed. We can also agree that it is not enough to recognise children's rights in a declaratory way, and that they must be effectively implemented and protected. Child protection is perhaps one of the few topics on which we can agree, regardless of political affiliation. Because the protection of the child cannot be the subject of political debate and political ideologies. However, there is an indispensable prerequisite for the realisation of children's rights, which is the key to the realisation of all political programmes, including the protection of children's rights, and that is peace. Children are always the biggest losers in the armed conflicts in the world, in the economic and other difficulties caused by them. In war, children lose their lives, their homes, their parents, their physical or psychological integrity. They do not receive regular education or health care. It is therefore clear that peace is an essential prerequisite for the realisation and protection of the rights of the child. Hungary believes in peace, as it can only implement its effective child protection strategy developed and applied in the past decade in peace. Hungarian child protection creates the right conditions for the physical and mental development of children through programmes supporting the creation of homes for families, baby loans and a family tax system unique in Europe. By parents raising children and, in this way, by supporting their children. The Hungarian government has made concrete progress in this area and there has been a positive and lasting turnaround in most trends. Family support programmes in Hungary have expanded recently, despite the fact that Europe has been hit by a severe economic crisis due to the war situation and sanctions, and the financial funds due to Hungary have been blocked as a result of political blackmail by the European Commission. Economic stability, a predictable future and peace in Europe are essential if programmes guaranteeing children's rights are to be continued and results preserved. The most important right of our children is the right to peace.

Dear Mr President, The skills gaps mentioned in the Draghi report and the serious decline in European competitiveness can only be addressed through genuine competitiveness-enhancing measures and not just through symptomatic treatments. Such a solution could be, for example, the Hungarian model, which we have come to know as an element of the Hungarian Presidency's programme. The strategic partnership in higher education, vocational education and training and adult learning between higher education and vocational education and training institutions and economic and social actors has already produced measurable results over a period of five years. While five years ago there were only seven Hungarian universities, today 12 belong to the best 5% of the world, and even the best 1% of the world has a Hungarian university. Corporate revenues increased by 20%, student numbers increased and drop-out rates decreased significantly. The Commission must start to boost Europe's competitiveness, but at the same time it must stop discriminatory measures that reduce the competitiveness of Hungarian higher education institutions, which ultimately also reduces the competitiveness of the European Union as a whole.

Dear Madam President, Christianity in Europe is under attack, which is one of the consequences of illegal migration. There has recently been a significant increase in hate crimes against Christians across Europe, leading to their marginalisation and exclusion from public life across the EU. Attacks on Christian shrines cannot be treated as mere vandalism. These are hate crimes that target Christianity as a whole and violate the fundamental right to religious freedom. All religious communities should be protected. It would therefore be important for the European Commission, like its coordinator for the fight against anti-Semitism and anti-Muslimism, to establish a coordinator position to combat attacks against Christianity and defend Christian values. Christianity has traditionally been part of the European identity, which we European citizens must defend.

Dear colleagues, I would like to ask one question to the speaker now. In 2023, which was the Spanish Presidency, exactly 92 414 visas have been issued to Russian citizens. Do you know any of these people, any of these 92 414 people? Do you think that they're causing a smaller threat to the security of the European Union than the ten Russians who are issued visas in Hungary? Are these larger or smaller threats than the ten?