Debate contributions by Mārtiņš STAĶIS

Mr President, Dear Commissioner, The Baltic Sea is threatened by Russia, in particular by the Russian shadow fleet. We can only imagine what would happen if, as recently as in the Black Sea, a Russian tanker crashed in the Baltic Sea and large-scale oil spills occurred in the Baltic Sea. Such a disaster would be irreversible for my region. The marine ecosystem would have been destroyed, and for several generations our beautiful beaches would in principle have been finished for decades. NATO has already responded by sending patrol vessels. The European Union must now do its homework and the Baltic Sea must be protected. And what does that mean? Establishment of trained, equipped response teams that can take immediate action in case of oil spills; Baltic Sea States Co-operation Scheme for Coordinated Action and Storage of Oil Spill Prevention Equipment in Strategic Areas Close to High Risk Areas. As long as Russia is not defeated, but sails in the Baltic Sea, we must be prepared for the worst scenario.

My question is, what more can American and Chinese platforms do to continue to undermine democracy in Europe? Should they eliminate fact checking entirely or promote hate speech more aggressively, or maybe interfere more bluntly in our elections or design algorithms that expose our children to harmful content? Perhaps Elon Musk, who allegedly gave a Nazi salute twice yesterday, can convince you that it's time for strong and decisive action to stop these unhinged tech‑oligarchs.

Mr President, our children are not for sale. As parents across Europe, we must be confident that the platforms our children use are safe, not a tool for exploitation or harm. And unfortunately, TikTok failed this test. This platform bombards children with addictive algorithms and toxic content, material that would never be allowed in China, where strict time limits and educational videos protect young users. So why should European children be treated with less care? But the danger does not stop there. TikTok has become a tool for spreading disinformation, even influencing elections, as we saw in Romania. Now, TikTok has published an expensive ad in Politico, promising billions in investment for security and privacy. But trust isn't built on PR campaigns – it's built on actions, and TikTok has repeatedly failed to deliver on this front. Europe must take a stand. If TikTok refuses to respect our rules on privacy, safety and transparency, it has no place in Europe.

Madam President, dear colleagues, so Putin's goals go beyond destroying Ukraine. He seeks to break the unity of the West and destroy our values. Russia's first weapon is fear. Through arson, infrastructure attacks, cyberattacks, assassination plots and disinformation, Russia spread fear in our societies. A frightened person is easy to intimidate. The second weapon is greed. They use politicians who are willing to accept any peace on Putin's terms just to resume their personal business with Russia. A greedy person is easy to buy. We must respond to these tactics with strength, tougher sanctions, defend critical infrastructure and combat disinformation on every level. Supporting Ukraine is central to defeating this threat. But let's not keep fooling ourselves by vague and obscure terms such as hybrid threats, just so we have an excuse not to act. We must call Russia's actions by their true name: state‑sponsored terrorism.

Madam President, thank you Mr Niinistö for this report. I appreciate that it was written by President of Finland. As much of what we Latvians know about civil defence readiness, we actually learn from Finland. This is a special week for Latvians as we are not only celebrating our independence, but also remembering our freedom fighters. Our national guard has launched a new campaign called 'My Latvia. My Responsibility.' Mana Latvija. Mana atbildība. It speaks to responsibilities we have as a citizens toward our country. When I became the mayor of Riga, we introduced something entirely new to the city: an exercise on what to do in the event of a military attack. The Niinistö report calls for this type of training and exercise culture to be introduced across the EU. Most importantly, it reflects our key responsibilities ensuring that our community and institutions are resilient against any kind of threat because it's our Europe, our responsibility.

Dear Chair, Dear Members, Dear Members, The 19th century was an era of empires, the 20th century is an era of states, but in the 21st century it is cities that play a much greater role. Three quarters of Europeans live in cities. They are driven by our growth and also innovation. If there are brave leaders in the city, they take decisions faster and more efficiently than national governments. Cleaner air, lower utility bills, safer traffic and better quality of life are the goals pursued by modern, purposeful cities, so the opportunities for city dwellers to decide for themselves about their future need to be broadened. The European Union's investments must also reach cities without the intervention of governments. Governments do not always have an understanding of the needs of city dwellers, and city dwellers become hostages in government conflicts with city municipalities. More autonomy in attracting European investment would enable cities to plan and determine their own future development. Europe can only achieve its goals of economic growth and a citizen-friendly living environment by actively involving cities where both people and knowledge are concentrated.

Madam President, dear colleagues, today the people of Ukraine are showing incredible bravery in the face of brutal aggression. Hungary, like Ukraine, Latvia and other nations, suffered under the oppressive occupation of the Soviet Union – an evil empire that once dominated its neighbours. The same evil has been reborn in Russia. Nations that remember this history are standing firmly with Ukraine. However, Hungary vetoes our crucial support for Ukraine and your alliance with Putin, Mr Orbán, is weakening Europe's response. Mr Orbán, you value your unequal friendship with war criminal Putin over supporting the Ukrainian people. Or perhaps you agree with your adviser's remarks calling resistance to Russia irresponsible? Ukraine's fight is about protecting the security and values of all of Europe. The EU must stand firm in its support of Ukraine and, Mr Orbán, you must decide which side of history you want to be on.

Madam President, dear colleagues, for supporting the Belarusian people's desire to live in a free and democratic country, the Lukashenka regime has opened a crime case against me and declared me 'wanted'. Lukashenka has promised me 12 years in prison. But I am here to take every opportunity to remind you of the heroes that are the Belarusian people who are being tortured every day in Belarusian prisons under inhuman conditions. I am here to remind you that the life of Maria Kalesnikava, Sakharov Prize winner, the hero of Belarus, an outstanding European musician, is in danger. So are more than 1 400 other politically‑imprisoned Belarusians. I am here to remind you that the only way we can force Lukashenka to release them is to renew and impose new sanctions. Only the complete isolation of the Lukashenka regime can force him to release prisoners of conscience. That is why we need to push for more tougher sanctions on a European Union level, much more serious pressure. Maria Kalesnikava's sister says that Maria is being morally tortured in prison, saying that everyone has forgotten about her, that no one cares about her fate. We are all here to remind you that we care, we remember and we will fight for the freedom of Maria and all Belarusian political prisoners. Zhyve Belarus!