Debate contributions by Veronika CIFROVÁ OSTRIHOŇOVÁ

Madam President, dear colleagues, when I entered politics, a deepfake video of me was shared online. It was my face plastered on a dancing body clad in a bikini, because how else would you try to hurt a starting female politician? It spread quite fast and, despite our efforts, it's still online. Well, I'm an adult. I am equipped to deal with this, although I don't think I should be. However, imagine being a teenager – at a time where public perception of you matters so much – and a half naked video of a 12 year old shared without her consent is shared online, and it is impossible to erase. Well, that is – or was – Grok at your service, dear colleagues. So to Mr Musk and other tech bros, let's make it clear: nudifying other people without their consent, mainly children, is never okay. You can choose to do business in a myriad of innovative ways, and yet you choose children in bikinis? (Inaudible) Let's finish it up. So to sum it up, this is not just one company's problem though. We have to go further and we have to concentrate on actually making it impossible. Hence, I think that nudifyers should not have a place in the European Union. And we should start working on that together now.

Mr President, colleagues, every day adults in Europe spend around 2 to 3 hours on online platforms, with children almost twice as much. These hours are spent inside systems that decide what information you see, in what order and with what emotional charge. You are shown content designed to shock, scare and keep you hooked. And the systems neglect our well-being, our democracy, our society – and they do so by design. So what do we do? Do we fall into the false debate about free speech? Nope. Because the EU Democracy Shield is about protecting us from censorship: from the censorship of algorithms that push extremism, that push anti-women ideas, as we've heard here from my colleague Van Der Walle. These are platforms that are not designed to keep us safe and to protect our democracy. But, friends, these are our elections. This is our Europe. These are our rules, and we have to abide by them. And our future will also be judged by the strength of our Commission. So please, do make us proud.

Mr President, imagine that we are aware of sexual predators who approach 12-year-old children on social networks, send inappropriate photos, make sexual suggestions to them. We have evidence of this, but we are doing little against it. It's scary, isn't it? META admitted exactly such behaviour during the 2024 court proceedings. She did not consciously protect her children from predators. They didn't want to lose profit. The platforms we use on a daily basis have the best experts and the best technologies. Nevertheless, they often choose indifference instead of protecting the most vulnerable. I refuse to tolerate this kind of behavior. We need effective tools to curb manipulative algorithms and unfair trading practices. We need a Digital Fairness Act and we need it quickly. We owe it especially to our children. They are unique personalities who shape themselves and need us adults to do so safely, and not as merchandise for attention traders.

Madam President, my mother had high pressure, my father only had raised cholesterol, my uncle had diabetes, and then their hearts failed. I'm not exaggerating when I say that there is such a story in almost every family. Cardiovascular diseases are silent, they do not draw attention to themselves, and for a long time we do not even know that we have them. When they arrive, it's often too late. They are the leading cause of death in Europe. Almost half of people in Slovakia die from heart and vascular disease. It's not statistics, it's our friends, it's our parents and sometimes it's our children. Prevention does not start with emergency reception. It starts with knowing your own health, your own health outcomes. That is why we need systematic screening, early diagnosis and a common European approach to preventive screening. It's not just about a longer life. It's about living longer in health. Prevention is the best investment we can make. Healthy hearts mean more time with loved ones. To like longer. And that, my friends, is worth it.

Juliana, Adam, Sewell. These are the names of three young people who are no longer among us in good faith, in search of solutions. They turned to artificial intelligence for their troubles and pains. Maybe many of you know it, maybe many of you use it. However, there is a fundamental difference. Juliana was 13. 13 years old, a child who we ourselves have let into a dangerous world. He is no longer with us today. Everyone who cares about the health of our children knows that we need to act and respond to the fundamental changes in which our children grow up. That is why we propose, among other things, to restrict access to social networks and AI companions for children under the age of thirteen, and to allow access to AI companions under the age of sixteen only with the permission of parents. Our children are not future customers. They are personalities that are formed. And they need to do it safely with the help of us adults. And not as a check for attention traders. We can't let that happen. Juliana, Adam and Sewell painfully remind us of our responsibility. So dear colleagues, let us have the courage to discuss it.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, eight years have passed since Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated. For her sons, this is perhaps one-fifth of their lives. Imagine that – is this how a modern state treats justice and fairness? What message do we send to our citizens when so little follows such a crime? As a former journalist, as a mother and as someone who is passionate about the truth, this feels truly personal to me because justice and delays are just incompatible. We still need, as we have heard, thorough prosecutions for the corruption that Daphne exposed, and we need effective reforms to end the climate of impunity that enabled her assassination – preferably delivered yesterday, but the next best thing is as soon as possible. There is one more thing I wish to add: this debate is held in solidarity with the Maltese people. We want you to know that there are voices, European voices, who stand firmly and strongly by your side. And now it's time for local decision makers to step up. Grazzi ħafna.

Mr President, dear colleagues, we often hear grand talk about freedom of speech, usually from the loudest voices claiming they are silenced online – big, fiery speeches with honestly very little substance. The internet isn't a romantic town square; it is a business, built by engineers and driven by profit. Whatever keeps us online wins. If skinny talk keeps teenagers clicking, so be it. If anger keeps people scrolling, so be it. That isn't freedom; that is design. So the Commission's fine against Google matters. It is stopping the dominance that blocks choice, harms media and slows innovation. If you want access to 450 million European consumers, you follow European rules – it's as simple as that. Because if we truly care about freedom and fairness online, we must enforce our laws – strongly and firmly. When rules reward fairness, not dominance, ideas and innovation flourish. And that is a clear win that we all want here. Because honestly, colleagues, we really shouldn't be left at the mercy of someone's morning tweet.

on behalf of the PPE-DE Group. - (DE) Mr President, on a day when we are celebrating mental health, I want us to move from awareness to action. In our policies, we need to promote a psychosocial, person-centred and recovery-centred approach, an approach where we are not only a passive patient, but also an active partner in treatment. We know that participation in life and a vibrant community really helps. Do you know what else helps? Not only medication, but also comprehensive care. Social work, employment services, safe housing. And I believe many of us here know that. The funds therefore remain to be channelled where they belong, as funding simply has to reflect today's urgent mental health crisis, especially among young people. And I know that what I am saying here today will be heard by many who make up European policies, and that is why I will say it again. Yes. Without mental health, there will be no competitiveness. Mental health is at the heart of our emergency preparedness. Health is the foundation of wealth. And I think many of us are aware of that. I hope there will be more and more of us. The good news is that we know how to do it. Well, let's do it.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, I admit that I do not like to speak to the elderly, because I speak to those for whom age is just a number and who live a rich social life. But I also speak to those who get up from bed hard in the morning, and chronic pain accompanies them every day. I speak to those who see their grandchildren only through screens, but also to those who have never been online. And I have to say, in my home country, you don't get what you deserve. In Slovakia, for example, one in five people of retired age was hospitalised last year. People aged 55 to 74 accounted for more than a third of all hospital admissions. And under what conditions do we take care of you there? In hospitals, plasters fall on the heads, there is a lack of nurses, and those who are, have difficulty in administering medication at all, let alone positioning. It is not uncommon for older people to die alone and in unworthy conditions. And that's not okay. Respect for the elderly is not in words, but in deeds. She is in strong and empathetic leaders working for better living conditions, and she is in a strong and united Europe that wants and can help us in this. And we can all contribute here in the hall. Not just for us, but for the younger, for the older, for everyone.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, I want to support and thank everyone who has strongly and peacefully condemned the violence against demonstrators in Serbia. In August this year, the Slovak minority met with a violent and unacceptable reaction in Bács Petrovec and today I want to send a clear message to my compatriots in the north of Serbia, but also to all citizens of Serbia: Students and active people are not and must never be our enemy. The protests did not erupt because of a proxy problem. The protests are because corruption, negligence and the arrogance of power have tragically claimed human lives. I want our friends and compatriots in Serbia to know: we see what is happening, stand by you and support your efforts for a more dignified and free life. We want a self-confident Serbia on the European path. However, self-confident Serbia is not one that in any way prevents its citizens from exercising their fundamental rights. Ladies and gentlemen, holdavamo vas.

Madam President, dear colleagues, I had the honour of being at the Budapest Pride this year and the atmosphere was joyful. It was peaceful, very crowded. It was full of people who want to live and love freely. There were families, young and old. The contrast between the conduct of the Orbán government and the atmosphere at Pride cannot be more striking. The Orbán government – the ruling party – fuels division, fear and hate. That is so harmful in today's Europe, and it is so rooted in the past. However, Hungary, in this attitude, is sadly not alone. For example, five EU countries – my home country, Slovakia included – offer no partnership or protection for same‑sex couples. Only 20 out of 27 give any legal status at all. How is this fair? How is this a Union of equality? Tell me, dear colleagues, how is this fair? This is 2025, and the European Union cannot afford to backtrack. That is why I very much resent the withdrawal of the anti-discrimination directive, because equality cannot be treated like a bargaining chip. The European Union must lead not just by defending rights, but by taking action. And the time, dear colleagues, is now.

Madam President, courts that decide impartially and in a timely manner, where, as a victim, you can invoke justice and also prompt and concrete assistance. Media outlets that freely inform journalists without fear of intimidation and attacks. Politicians who do everything they can to ensure that corruption does not pay off and that responsibility is paid equally to all. And yes, if European taxpayers contribute to our recovery, for example on roads or hospitals in Slovakia, they have the right to know that this money is being used in a meaningful way. Ladies and gentlemen, these are not noble ideals. This is the absolute basis for a decent functioning of the country. And everything I mention is in the European Parliament's Rule of Law Report. And I want you, as a citizen of any EU country, including Slovakia, to ask yourself whether your current government is acting in this spirit. This is, and should be, the European standard. By the way, which we all agreed to when we joined the Union. And we deserve that standard. And not attacks on the institution or money drowned in dysfunctional hacienda.

Madam President, today is the day when we have good news, because we are taking the protection of children from sexual violence a step further, at least here in Parliament. The penalties for predators will be stricter and more accurate. As we have heard, we are also abolishing the limitation period for child sexual abuse offences. Indeed, we know that up to 40% of survivors only deal with this trauma after years, and most of them are only able to process it in adulthood – often after 50. If something deserves the right to life's justice, it is abuse in childhood. More helplines, more accessible healthcare and AI risks are all in these new rules. And I am glad that I participated in their creation, because I truly believe that this is our role in politics: to act and speak for the benefit of the most vulnerable, for the benefit of those who do not or cannot speak for themselves. I believe that this legislation has succeeded in Parliament. I believe that the Commission is also aware of this, and I hope that the Council that is missing today is also aware of this. 'Cause if we're not in this together, we're gonna let the kids down. None of us can afford that.

Madam President, try to imagine something. You are 11 or 12 years old, the first mobile phone in your hand and a new world will open up to you. Today we are talking about a fine for TikTok, but it is not just about this platform. Our kids spend hours on apps designed by the world's best software engineers. Algorithms track their behavior, goals, target content, create addiction. Huge amounts of data are collected. And we in Europe don't even know exactly how many children use these platforms. We lack research and data on what it does to them. This is our role here in the European Parliament: Finding solutions. The good news is that we did not fall asleep a few years ago and we have basic rules in Europe to protect us. And, of course, some big players may not like it. But if the platforms make royal money here, they have to respect our rules. And the protection of children has a special and special place here in Europe, which is why I will say this clearly. I won't give up on this, and I hope you don't either. We need to do everything we can to make the online space safer. We owe it to our children, but also to all users.

Madam President and dear colleagues, pursuant to Rule 150 and on behalf of the Renew Europe Group, I would like to request the addition of a plenary debate titled 'The fine against TikTok, and the need to strengthen the protection of citizens' rights on social media platforms'. This very suggestion follows the EUR 530 million fine imposed on TikTok by the Irish Data Protection Commission, which was last Friday, for storing European users' data on servers in China. Platforms operating in the EU must fully comply with our legislation, and we should reaffirm our commitment to safeguard citizens online. If the agenda does not allow it on Wednesday, we propose it for the debate for the May II plenary session.

Mr President, "The Free Europe Call Station, run by your friends in a free Western world. Our broadcast aims to provide a permanent and reliable source of information.” This was the first report in 1950 to totalitarian Czechoslovakia, the country where I was born. Today is 2025 and the world looks different. I am not speaking from behind the Iron Curtain, but from behind this desk of the European Parliament. Even though some colleagues might like the iron curtain. I am grateful to be a citizen of the free world. The United States, the long-standing guarantor of our freedom, is facing unprecedented times today, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but at the same time I see reality. This debate is not about America, it's about us, it's about taking responsibility for our own destiny and for the society we want to live in. Free, independent information for citizens who do not have access to it is part of this world. It's just that it's no longer enough to be in jail. Successful countries today are those that actively build and strengthen our space. Cooperation, clear foreign policy and common defence. It's 2025 and the world is changing.

If I understand that correctly, Mr. Kaliňák, then communism was propaganda or that we also had communism in Slovakia, is that propaganda? Or should he come back when you say that we are financing ourselves – which I honestly do not understand even in Slovak – that we are financing propaganda mechanisms? Should we go back to the eighty-ninth regime? Is that your idea of what it should look like? Should we go back to a country without free media?

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, Europe's strength and competitiveness lies not only in increasing defence, but also in strengthening the health care of our citizens. In Slovakia, healthy people live an average of 57 years. In the best country in the Union, it is up to 70. This difference is not just statistics. It is 13 years of full life with family, with children, with grandchildren and grandchildren. It's 13 years in full health that we're missing. One way to redress these inequalities is through a common European approach to faster availability of medicines. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how quickly and unexpectedly we can face critical shortages of medicines, and we cannot afford to depend on supplies from third countries such as China or India. We need to invest in European medicines production capacities, support research and ensure the availability of medicines for all. But we can only do this together. Defence, yes, competitiveness, yes, but the same yes applies to quality healthcare for all citizens of Europe.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, I don't think this crisis is silent. Just days ago, a children's crisis helpline reflected on 30 years of service. It has handled over 10 million interventions. Once, children called about everyday concerns like getting a period. Now, almost every call is about a serious mental health struggle: suicide, self-harm, eating disorders. Distressing cases rise each year. Suicide-related calls are up 23 %. Self-harm calls are up 18 %. Meanwhile, the phones in your hands: just last week I learned how platforms lead teenagers towards harmful content. The best engineers, the most advanced tools, and yet they amplify self-destructive patterns instead of stopping the harm. Three in four YouTube recommendations to young girls searching for diet advice promote extreme, eating disorder or related content. Not so silent this crisis, I say. Prevention, awareness, strong enforcement of the DSA. Let's realise online is not a space where everything goes. This issue is hitting too close to home – even your homes. We can't stay silent.

Jano Kuciak, that's the message I received seven years ago when the news began to spread like fire among my colleagues that one of them had been the victim of a murder. I know exactly what I was doing back then. I know exactly where I was then. Since then, a lot has happened in our country, events that will last for decades. But the important thing today is that John is not here today, and his fiancée Martin is not here either. He's not here because Jano did his job well, exposing abuse of power, injustice, corruption. This is ridiculous and infinitely unfair. I always try to find out how we can learn from all of this. Thanks to one young couple, we found out that in Slovakia there is a very vibrant community of people who care about public affairs, who can freeze in the squares and know that truth and justice are the basis on which not only Slovakia must function. They know that we are together in the Union and that the Union will not let us down if we stand by it. Being a journalist is not and should not be pleasant. Journalists are not meant to like and remain silent. They are not fragile creatures who want more than others. But there is a big difference when the work of journalists is unpleasant in a fair discussion, and something completely different is when, after a difficult investigative work, you get a photo of your children on the way to school. When you read threats every day, when strangers shove into you on the street. Please, let's keep this feeling of distinguishing what is and what is not right. Let us keep our sensitivity to the fate of others and let us keep our sense of the truth. John, Martin, Daphne, we will not forget.

Madam President, as a former journalist, I value the freedom of speech very dearly. And let me be very clear: the DSA and fact‑checking protect this freedom. Fact‑checking flags disinformation and keeps social media open for honest and transparent debate. Are we suppressing opinions? Look around this Chamber. I think every opinion here is well represented on social media and elsewhere. We must act and enforce the DSA to ensure that platforms used by European citizens are transparent, accountable and respectful of our rules. But let me say this: can you see what we are doing? We are merely reacting. And we will surely continue to do so. But reacting is not enough. We must move beyond the reaction mode and stop only responding to what happens in the US or elsewhere. Innovation, research, business and education have never been more important than they are today. Let this be the main lesson of this long, long debate to take from here. I want a future where Europe dares to lead the way. So let's start working on this here together.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, we often think of platforms like TikTok, but not only TikTok as free spaces, as neutral arenas where some bureaucratic rules are imposed. But this simply is not true. These platforms already are controlled ecosystems. Algorithms drive them, as we heard, and dark forces exploit them. Disinformation, foreign interference and large-scale manipulation flourish there. This is where the EU and the EU citizens have power. These networks profit from our use; they must also respect our demand for greater transparency online. Transparency and accountability are not optional. We should not allow for chaos to reign in the digital sphere, because there is no free speech if networks are hijacked by forces we don't understand. Freedom is the power of our citizens and it must thrive in openness, not in the shadows.

Madam President, today's children are facing unprecedented challenges. It was a pandemic that caught many without a safety net and sometimes completely without a safe environment. Not to mention the vast online world, which offers incredible opportunities, but we still do not fully know what tax we are paying for it. Many times we hear, and have heard today, that children are our future. But I always say that children are our present, they are here and now, and not just those who are lucky enough to live in loving families. They have the right, as legitimate citizens, to be protected, to respect, to support. And we politicians often overlook children in politics because they are not a target, they can't vote many times. But it is all the more important to find voices to represent children on this ground, because politics must also be in the interest of those who are vulnerable. Not just the ones who shout the loudest. I say this as a mother of two children, but also as a human being. Modern society knows itself by how it cares for its weakest. Let's not forget it.

Madam President, I cannot believe what I'm hearing in this Chamber, right here in the year 2024. I thought the European Union was supposed to be a union of equality, no? Am I wrong? I'm a new MEP – am I in the wrong Chamber? What is happening? So let me be clear: targeting or silencing minorities does not demonstrate strength, it highlights division and misunderstanding. The recent laws in Bulgaria and Hungary don't help or protect anyone. All they do is spread fear, deepen division and undermine the values we all stand for in Europe. What makes this especially troubling is that these laws often target children. What we need is clear: we need better schools, we need quality healthcare, reliable transport, competitive businesses and communities where people feel safe and included. That's what builds strong societies. That's what builds strong Europe, not targeting those who already feel vulnerable. Our responsibility is to protect fairness, equality and democracy for everyone, because no one should live in fear just because of who they are. And that is our mission here in Parliament.

Mr President, I do not find it easy to talk about women who have experienced violence. It is even difficult to call them heroines, not because they lack courage, but because they did not choose this fate on their own. And few of us can imagine the dilemmas they face. These are the choices they were forced to make. I rarely feel anger, but I feel it when someone tries to take space away from women in difficult situations, when he tries to trivialize what happened to them, their experience. I consider it our task, as politicians, to always speak up in such cases, to constantly educate ourselves. I will not allow and will not allow women to suffer outrageous attacks in public space from people who have no clue how to behave and have missed the opportunity to remain silent. Today, however, I also want to talk about help and the way out. Because the path exists. Whoever needs to hear it today: You're not alone. Confession helps. We listen to you and care about you.