Debate contributions by Vilis KRIŠTOPANS

Mr President, colleagues. Our factories are in danger, our farmers are left alone, and we will pay the price for an agreement that was secretly concluded. Ursula von der Leyen calls the deal between the European Union and America a success, but in fact it is a compromise without justice and a transfer of Europe without a mandate. It is now more profitable for entrepreneurs to open factories in the US than here in Europe, which means lost jobs, tax revenues and our future. This agreement is not only opposed by the opposition. It is criticised by government representatives, industry leaders and also by some of the major factions in this parliament. Europe is strong, our market is huge, and yet we only got crumbs. It's not a strategy, it's a capitalisation. Ms Ursula von der Leyen, Your time is over! Come back, please.

Dear Chair, Over the last five years, Europe has taken care of mosses and mosquitoes, but people have not forgotten why. Europe is economically lagging behind and has become weak without a strategic vision. Even when Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, our leaders still did not understand or did not want to understand the situation we were in. Only now that the Americans have shown our weakness, we are trying to do something. The 800 billion contribution to Europe's security is now announced, but it is only an opportunity to borrow. Do we want another wave of inflation? Do we want to further reduce Europe's competitiveness? The Green Deal must be fully reversed without delay and all money must go to the defence industry. If we do not do so immediately, then we will not save the climate or security.

Mr President, Colleagues! Europe has been stolen. This has been done by European bureaucrats who, through various regulations, determine how we live, how we work for the economy, what to sow and mow farmers, what machines to produce, how many illegal immigrants we should receive. We Members, in fact, cannot influence anything. Everything is determined and created by European bureaucrats. We are here only as voting machines. And if a political group has a voice of reason, then it is blocked and put in the sanitary cordon. We are now presenting the postponement of the Deforestation Regulation as a big victory. We accepted it ourselves, we postponed it ourselves. I think it's a rather strange thing to do. This regulation should not have been adopted at all, as it kills the competitiveness of our economy and forests. I have met farmers in my country, Latvia. Farmers, whose main task is to produce food, are forced to deal with useless paperwork created by bureaucrats who have not been close to the cow. This is madness and absolute harm. Valdis Dombrovskis has been nominated as the new Member of the European Commission from Latvia. It is an irony of fate that, alongside the Commissioner for Economic Affairs, he has a responsibility to cut red tape. It is Dombrovskis' party in Latvia that has grown a huge bureaucratic apparatus. The percentage of people working in public administration is the highest in the Baltic States and possibly even in the European Union. Does anyone in this Chamber really believe that those who produced bureaucracy will be able to reduce it? Bureaucrats have now produced so many different [...].

Dear Chair, Colleagues! Two years ago, my region, Northern Europe, was a big event. All the media wrote about it. Swedish company Northvolt inaugurated a battery production plant for electric cars. In addition, it was said that tens of billions of euros have already been contracted for battery production. BMV, Volkswagen and Volvo. A few weeks ago, it was said much quieter that the same Swedish company would cut 1600 jobs. The Swedish Government has already said that it does not intend to help the plant in any way in the face of financial difficulties. Behind every such dismissal stands living people with families and children. Brussels officials and politicians, who created the illusion of a bright future for the electric car, will continue to drink beer in the Brussels pabos. Nothing will change in their family budget. In the first eight months of this year, only 12% of the total number of electric cars planned were sold in the EU. We are not in a crisis in the car industry at the moment, but in the face of a disaster that will have consequences for many years. And most importantly, however, is the consumer. We want to impose an expensive, pleasant urban toy on people, although this toy can be bought well if 10% of all consumers who live in the forest, in the countryside or who are forced to use this car on an island of minus 20 degrees. Mr. Dombrovskis, try to correct this mistake! If you do not do so, it is likely that the next Commission will do so in 2029, but then it may already be too late.