Debate contributions by András LÁSZLÓ

We had our own proposal to talk about this. We wanted to talk about this here in the European Parliament, so we supported this proposal – our proposal, of course. I believe it's a very serious issue that courts decide instead of European citizens and voters. They have all the information necessary to make their choice. In my country, just recently, we had a by-election because of a criminal case against a Member of Parliament. He resigned. We had new elections and people voted. Unfortunately, the socialist criminal was re-elected. It's a very sad situation, but I believe that people can make the right choice for themselves. It's not for courts to decide instead of elections.

Dear Madam President, The European Parliament's favourite occupation is to educate the world about democracy and human rights. And the moment came again: We can discuss the human rights report 2024. The European Union is a peace and freedom project. It would be good to lead by example. It is heard on numerous occasions in the European Parliament, and the authors of this report also demand that the human rights approach should play a decisive role in the EU's external relations. But if the world were to write a report about us, about the European Union, what would be in it? Couldn't you be concerned that in just a few months, two leading presidential candidates in two countries have been eliminated from the competition? Will the EU make any diplomatic efforts to restore peace in Ukraine? It is well known that war is the gravest risk to human rights. Corruption cases are on the rise in Brussels. Should the rest of the world adopt sanctions against our leaders? And the cases could still be listed. It is time to turn the EU into a peace and freedom project again.

Dear Madam President, It is not a bit ironic, however, when the Brussels elite is concerned about democracy, transparency and corruption. Let's take them one by one. Democracy: They're trying to make the right-wing politician, Marine Le Pen, legally impossible. Why is that? Because he's a patriot, because he's against the globalist elite, and because he's the most likely presidential candidate. Transparency: the European Commission has still not published the vaccine contract or its preparatory texts to Ursula von der Leyen. Corruption: The biggest corruption system in America is being unveiled, built around USAID. However, the EU is also heavily involved in the financing of fake NGO's and the left-liberal media. The left reacts hysterically when someone calls into question the funding of organisations that lie to themselves as civilians. The corruption cases of EPP, Socialist or even Liberal MEPs and European Commissioners are such that there is no time to list them. We need a change in Brussels. The corrupt, globalist elite will be replaced by patriots.

Dear Madam President, A few months ago, the International Criminal Court equated the leaders of the terrorist group Hamas with the leaders of Israel, which suffered the attacks on 7 October. This moral relativism is unworthy not only of the International Criminal Court, but of any court. The Hungarian government continues to welcome Israeli leaders to Hungary. The US has announced sanctions against members of the court, and President Trump has received Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington. If our privileged allies believe that the International Criminal Court has been severely politicised, then perhaps it is time for us, on the part of the European Union, to re-evaluate our relationship with the Court.

Oh, Congresswoman. You have just condemned the government and the U.S.-Hungarian relations, while the division of the EU Member States was caused by the previous U.S. administration, Joe Biden's administration. They took this measure before January 20. What do you think of that?

Madam President, free trade is the policy of leading economic powers. They sometimes even resort to dumping, selling with a loss to stifle rising competition. Challengers use protectionism to prevent leading competitors from undercutting prices and to protect the viability of their own industry. The chip war between the US and China showed what happens when you choose the wrong strategy. Joe Biden chose to repeat this mistake in the last days of his presidency, this time punishing many of America's allies. It is not our job to solve America's problems. I want a competitive European economy – for that, we need a robust digital sector, something that we don't have today. We want to build the future of the European economy on leading tech and innovation supplied by other economies. In fact, our exposure in the digital sector is borderline suicidal and unworthy of our great continent. We need to create a European domestic demand for home-grown digital businesses and less regulation. There is no European prosperity without our own digital sector.

No, what I'm saying is that the EU Migration and Asylum Pact sucks and it failed even before application. What we should be doing is working together to defend our external borders together. Unfortunately, this House denies the possibility of Frontex doing that. If we don't protect our external borders together, if we don't step up against third countries who refuse to accept their unwanted nationals from Europe, then in fact we should use the common market as a tool. That's what I'm saying.

Madam President, where there's a will, there's a way. With tariffs, the new Trump administration has showed the world how quickly countries will change their position and cooperate to stop illegal immigration. Several countries are now accepting the return of their unwanted nationals from America and beefing up border protection. And Donald Trump's approval ratings are through the roof. Let's make Europe great again. Let us in Europe apply the same recipe. The EU is the largest market in the world. The EU is one of the largest donors of aid in the world. We should use tariffs and economic means against countries that refuse to accept the return of their nationals from Europe. Colombia, Mexico, Canada; initially, they all refused to cooperate with America. When Donald Trump announced extra tariffs, they quickly agreed to receive their nationals and send extra troops to the border to stop the flow of illegal migrants and drugs. Tariffs were quickly suspended. Trade continues, but the borders are more secure. This is how it's done. This is how to make European borders secure again.

Madam President, 'that we do not have control over the wave of violence is quite obvious'. This is a quote from the Swedish Prime Minister and a damning confession. Migrant gang wars have been plaguing Sweden for years now, and bomb attacks surged to a level comparable only to failed states. Citizens are scared and outraged for a reason. Who is to blame? The current government's responsibility is limited in this mess. This is the fault of left‑wing elites who allowed mass immigration and adhered to the open borders ideology of George Soros. The EU's migration policy is madness. More and more countries refuse to apply the rules. They bring chaos, violence, death and the breakdown of rule of law. Even in Sweden, even if you are one of the wealthiest and most respected nations on earth: Swedes, this may happen. Swedes simply deserve better. Yet the European Commission is still looking to punish those who defend our common external borders, like my country, Hungary. We need zero tolerance regarding illegal immigration. We need to support all the countries that defend our external borders, and we need to remove all illegals from the EU, and we need to severely punish all violent criminals. Gang warfare in European cities is un‑European. The European Commission's weakness on border protection is anti-European. We need to make Europe great again. We need to make European borders secure again.

Mr President, EU countries want border walls and other barriers against illegal immigration, and the EU should pay for it. The majority of European leaders demanded that the European Commission immediately mobilise substantial funding for this. This was two years ago and Ursula von der Leyen did nothing. What did the Commission do instead? They sued Hungary for defending the EU's external borders. For not allowing illegal entry into the EU, Hungary received a EUR 200 million fine. In addition, they demand that we pay a fine of EUR 1 million for each and every day that we refuse to give up our efforts to keep illegal migrants out of the EU. European citizens don't want a Christmas like in Magdeburg. They don't want a New Year's Eve like in Brussels or Cologne. Europeans want tough border protection on the outer borders of the European Union. The radical ideology of Brussels elites about open borders is a failure. It goes against the will of EU governments, it goes against the will of European citizens and it goes against common sense. Ultimately, European citizens pay the highest price for it. In 10 years, Hungary has already spent EUR 2 billion to defend the EU's borders on the south. In the east, several countries are now spending vast resources to keep illegal immigrants out. Pay for the fence in Hungary; pay for the fence in Finland; pay for the fence in Poland and all other countries that defend our external borders. This was the demand of the European governments so that European citizens won't have to pay with their blood.

If I understand, you're from the European People's Party and you have supported the adoption of the EU migration pact, which includes an element about mandatory relocation or a EUR 20 000 fine per migrant for each and every Member State. Taking into consideration the events of today and the consequential and permanently happening terror attacks in Germany, are you and is the EPP finally willing to take the relocation element out of the migration pact and the EUR 20 000 fine out of the migration pact? Or do you want to continue with this lunacy?

Dear Madam President, European citizens want peace and security, not Christmas in Magdeburg or New Year's Eve in Cologne. However, the European People's Party, along with the Left, is calling for the distribution of migrants and the punishment of Member States that say no. The Tisza Party and DK are also part of this Brussels alliance. Péter Magyar will also be speaking soon. Mr. Member, why did the yews vote on 23 October to allocate more money to support illegal migrants? Why did the voters vote against Hungary receiving the money we have spent so far on joint EU border protection? Why spread fake news about people smugglers expelled from our country? The protection of Hungarian interests and the security of the Hungarian people come at a price. You're still hiding behind your immunity. This also has a price, and it is paid by giving up Hungarian interests. The ballots tell us. Shame on you.

Dear Mr President, Without any evidence, it is assumed in a leftist newspaper article that something irregular may have happened in Hungary, and a plenary debate on it is immediately organised in the European Parliament. If that wasn't absurd in itself, the choice of topic would be. Have the Hungarian services observed the activities of OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office? I don't know about that, but I, myself, have been watching OLAF's activities and those of other EU institutions to see how they act against fraud. First of all, there is the corruption scandal of the Socialists in the European Parliament, Qatargate. Do you know what OLAF discovered? I didn't do anything. There are still no messages from Ursula von der Leyen on the Pfizer case. It is a procurement of tens of billions of euros. Do you know what OLAF discovered? I didn't do anything. After years of money laundering, former Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders was arrested. Where did the money come from? How much is it? All interesting questions. Do you know what OLAF is doing on this case? I didn't do anything. If you look at the biggest corruption scandals or fraud cases in Brussels, OLAF is like it doesn't exist. What does OLAF do at this time? Someone could finally find out, because there's a need for it.

Mark Zuckerberg recently admitted that Facebook was censoring under political pressure. The pressure of the American left and the pressure of Europe. And at this time of censorship, you were Facebook's leading lawyer. He had to know exactly what was going on. I would therefore like to ask you two questions. On the one hand, how did Facebook operate the censorship machine, and on the other, how can you find out who and what content was censored?

Oh, Mr. President. The old, tried-and-tested method of the left is to try to silence opinions they don't like. Twitter used to be a platform of left-wing censorship. Censors have suspended ten times as many right-wing accounts as left-wing ones, including those of US President Donald Trump, and the left has welcomed this censorship. When Elon Musk fired the left-wing censors, there was a left-wing fire. Even the Commission threatened him with censorship. It's totally absurd. Commissioner, please do not follow the bad example of your predecessor. If an election result does not suit the left in a country, it is not because democracy is being violated. The voters are simply fed up with the lies of the left. It's time to finally understand: Europeans do not ask for censorship and do not ask for misguided left-wing policies.

In Syria, the forces of the Assad regime have been defeated. He himself fled the country. Nonetheless, the situation is fragile. The outcome of the power struggle is unpredictable and we must be prepared for every scenario. In this situation, the EU has three main interests and responsibilities. First, I ask the European Commission and the External Action Service to keep a very close and direct line of communication with the leaders of the Christian community. They may become a target very quickly and very easily. If they are targeted, they can only count on Western help and we need to stand ready. Second, aid sent to Syria should not end up in the hands of radical groups. It would be indefensible towards European citizens if we helped the consolidation of yet another oppressive regime. And third, our aid should aim to create the circumstances that make the swift and safe return of refugees possible.

Dear Madam President, Child protection begins with family support, a father and a mother who want what's best for their children. In Hungary, we have been introducing new family support measures for 14 years. As a result, in 2023, twice as many young people were married as in 2010, when we came to power. It is estimated that in 10 years, 120,000 children were born who would not otherwise have been taken care of by their parents, and the number of abortions fell by 41%. We provide free textbooks and meals so that the parents' financial situation does not hinder the children's learning. We want to provide stability and predictability for families. This is the most important thing for children. In addition, Hungary has adopted the strictest child protection and anti-pedophile law in Europe. We're on the parents' side. Pedophile crimes are not time-barred. Parents should decide when and how to meet their children with sexual content. With the proliferation of digital tools, this is becoming increasingly difficult and important. The Hungarian state protects children's right to self-identity according to their sex at birth, i.e. we protect them from the horrors of transgender ideology. For this reason, however, we have not received recognition, but a lawsuit has been brought against us by the European Commission. We will not allow ourselves, we will protect Hungarian families and children.

I'll speak Hungarian. So many lies have been told about Hungary, I don't have the opportunity to respond to everyone. I'm sure some people just lie, some people just... There have been so many lies about Hungary, or simply mistakes, which cannot be left unanswered, but I do not have the opportunity to respond to everyone. I would like to make it crystal clear that this is about national sovereignty. You do not have to deal with Hungary, because according to Article 14 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, this is national sovereignty, and it is the right of parents to choose the values according to which they want their children to be educated. Article 14 in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. There is no punishment for gays in Hungary. The new law, the 2021 law, does nothing but protect minors. (The President interrupted the rapporteur)

Dear Madam President, A child is not a product. Motherhood is not a service. We can't change our gender, and sexual propaganda has no place in schools. There is no broad public support for anti-women and anti-family leftist propaganda, so the European Commission and the left are trying to impose their will on the Member States through court decisions. We're not gonna let him. The family is the fundamental unit of every society and every nation. That is why family policy, social policy issues, child protection and education policy are rightly a national competence, not an EU competence. In Hungary, motherhood and families are regulated by laws that have a high level of social support. Our child protection measures were supported by a unanimous majority of the Hungarian people in a referendum. Their message is clear. Hands off our kids!

Mr President, I was an international observer at the Georgian elections and I'm totally appalled about what happened. Georgia held free and fair elections. Everyone who was there knew this. NGO observers told me they trust the integrity of the elections. That's what opposition party observers told me. That's what voters told me and I talked to several of them in different voting stations. Minor provocation and incidents took place at some voting stations, but nothing that couldn't happen anywhere else. The vote difference in favour of the ruling Georgian Dream party is more than 300 000 votes. Fraud claims don't even come close to match the massive victory of the Georgian Dream party. And then came politicians from EU countries who try to destabilise Georgia and fuel protests. Georgians made a democratic choice. Even if many don't like it in the EU, we should respect their choice. The Georgian Prime Minister clearly said in his first statement after the elections that continuing EU accession talks will remain a priority. We need to continue our partnership and accession talks with the new government.

Madam President, dear colleagues, do you remember what Ursula von der Leyen promised in February 2022? She announced sanctions which would cripple Putin's war machine. Two and a half years and 14 sanctions packages later, here we are discussing this humiliating failure. Picking energy as a battlefield against a global energy giant was arrogant and foolish. Ukrainians are paying the ultimate price because of this. The Russian shadow fleet of oil tankers is more than a sanctions evasion issue. It's also worth looking at why sanctions in general ain't working. Because beyond Western countries, no country in the world joined our sanctions. None. They rather trade with Russia. But let's not the point the finger at other countries. Let's look at European countries. EU countries imported EUR 8.5 billion worth of seaborne Russian oil through intermediaries in India and Türkiye. European countries have boosted trade towards Central Asian countries. Import and export data make it obvious that these products' destination is Russia. Western components were also found in Russian missiles that hit Ukraine. Despite the obvious failed sanctions of Ursula von der Leyen, she was re-elected by the EPP and its leftist allies. Do you really expect change when you vote for more of the same? Ukraine deserves our help. We need to help them bring a negotiated end to this war. This is also what the majority of European citizens want.

Dear Mr President, In 2022, Hungary experienced the largest foreign interference since the regime change. The Hungarian left has received more than $10 million in foreign funding for its parliamentary election campaign from the US left through suspicious NGOs and intermediaries. They all came together and benefited from: The Socialists, the Liberals, the Greens, and even the racist Jobbik. The leader of their coalition was joined by two EPP leaders, Manfred Weber and Donald Tusk. Inspired by a desire for power, even the most basic democratic principles have been overturned. And when it turned out, they were lying about where the money came from, and the Hungarian people were rightly outraged. According to research, more than 60 percent thought it was unacceptable for political campaigns to be financed from abroad. In order to prevent further electoral interference, Hungary, the Hungarian Parliament, adopted the Law on the Protection of Sovereignty. Do you know what happened? The European Commission has launched an infringement procedure and taken the matter to court. But the People's Party didn't learn from the scandal either. A few weeks ago, Manfred Weber, standing right here in this very spot, announced that the new candidate for Brussels was Péter Magyar, hiding behind his immunity. Today is the anniversary of the 1956 revolution. On this occasion, I would like to stress: We will not tolerate any foreign interference and we will always protect Hungary's sovereignty from everyone!

Ms Düpont, you are from the EPP. We are witnessing a severe crisis now in Europe. Still, I have a very simple question to you. Does the EPP support still the relocation of illegal migrants in Europe? (Ms Düpont asked Mr László to repeat the question.) Does the EPP still support the relocation of illegal immigrants in the EU between Member States?