Debate contributions by Mirosława NYKIEL

Madam President, I'm sorry. The use of deepfakes and disinformation poses a serious threat to the stability and security of Europe as a whole. Third countries and our enemies seek to undermine public trust in democratic institutions, to divide society and to undermine European unity. Attacks are often subtle, persistent and tailored to the vulnerabilities of each country, making them difficult to detect and counter. Our enemies not only interfere in our electoral process, they undermine faith in democracy, but they use these methods as hard weapons against us citizens, especially women and children. What we are witnessing is only the beginning. This is not a one-off challenge, it is a long-term strategic threat to our security. That is why I and my political group are deeply committed to preparing a sustainable and coordinated, well-equipped European response to this threat. We are already working to protect our electoral integrity, to protect our democratic values, and above all citizens, women and children.

Mr President, thank you very much. If we stop helping Ukraine, we can all start learning Russian. It is Kai Kallas' words that clearly show how serious the situation is today. Therefore, mobilising European funds for security and defence is a necessity, not a choice. Europe should have built its defence beforehand, protecting not only its citizens, but also key critical infrastructure. The most important thing today is one thing: Let us work together and strengthen the security of the continent with full commitment. During its presidency, Poland has consistently said: Safety, Europe! The ongoing war beyond the eastern border of the Union has made it clear that peace, which was the main objective of the creation of the European Union, has no guarantees and stability on our continent and is no longer a matter of course. Today's report shows how to make better use of existing funds and infrastructure for projects that can serve both civilian and defence purposes. This means safer infrastructure, the development of modern technologies, strengthening European industry, including industry, in my Silesian Voivodeship, without creating new financial instruments. There's no time to waste. Either we invest in security now, or we pay a much higher price later. Europe, you must be strong, united and ready to defend, according to the principle: If you want peace, prepare for war.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Friends and colleagues! No more funding for Putin's war machine. Russian oil in our cars or gas in our homes are Russian soldiers on the territory of Ukraine, soldiers who murder, rape and rob. Every drop of this oil has the smell of innocent people's blood. Europe cannot talk about values and solidarity if it still allows the money from trade to go to Moscow. We must immediately end energy imports from Russia, close all loopholes through which Russian raw materials reach us through intermediate countries. It is not a question of the economy, it is a question of the political will of the rulers to finally say: Enough compromise with the aggressor. Any circumvention of sanctions is a silent complicity in the crime. If we are truly on the side of the values of democracy and human dignity, we must be consistent. Every euro that flows to Russia is fuel for Putin's war. No more of that.

Mr President, thank you very much. Friends and colleagues! When I look at this room today, from left to right, I have the impression that for some, issues of equality are still the inventions of women who have imaginary problems. I want to be clear: no, these are not fictions. It is the daily experience of millions of women at work, in politics, in private and public life. Unequal wages, economic and domestic violence, lack of access to decision-making positions, underrepresentation – the list is long. And while we have been talking about equality for decades, progress has been dramatically slow. According to UN data, at the current pace, full equality in the world can take – attention – 286 years. It's an alarm signal. If we don't speed up today, our grandchildren will continue to fight for the rights that, in theory, have already been granted to us. Therefore, the role of the European Parliament is crucial. It is here that we can make equality not only a beautiful slogan, but a valid standard. And I reassure all concerned men: It's not about privileges. It is about equal opportunities, about being able to participate in social, political life – without barriers, without condescending tone, without explaining that this is not the moment. I invite you to cooperate, because modern feminism without men does not exist. As a Polish parliamentarian, I had the honour to support women in difficult situations: victims of violence, single mothers, women fighting for their independence. It's a difficult experience, but I also know that we can do a lot when we have space to act. I worked with fantastic women – smart, strong, determined. That's why I'm saying one thing today: Don't block us! Give us a level playing field and we will build a fair Europe.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Europe is ageing faster than it was able to prepare for. Across the European Union, people aged 65 and over now make up 21.6% of the population, and this share continues to grow. This is a challenge that requires a common response in labour policy, in health and in intergenerational solidarity. Polish society is ageing the fastest in the European Union, which is why we have appointed the first ever minister for senior policy. We have put in place concrete solutions: a senior voucher, a widow's pension and a number of programmes supporting the activity and health of the elderly. Already a decade ago, Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz, today's Vice-President of the European Parliament, spoke about the importance of the "silver" economy. But I would like to stress one thing: the situation of women who, after years of hard work and raising their children, receive pensions 30% lower than those of men is unacceptable. Equality among seniors must become a real standard. Colleagues, age is not an obstacle, it is a value. Is the European Commission, Commissioner, taking sufficient action to strengthen senior policy across the European Union? The development of care services, digital education for seniors and intergenerational programmes? Because the future of Europe depends not only on young people, but also on how we treat older citizens and how we use their potential.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Until recently, few of us thought that disruptions in supply chains thousands of miles from Europe could literally stop production. The pandemic has shown us that a cyberattack in another time zone can immobilize a hospital in our district, that from day to day there may be a shortage of basic medicines. These are not scenarios from the future, it is already our reality, which will return in various forms. The changing world no longer gives us the comfort of predictability. That is why, by adopting a stockpiling strategy with appreciation, the initiative is much needed today. This is not only a technical issue, but the foundation for building a Union of preparedness capable of acting not only reactively, but also in advance. In Poland, the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves plays a large role here, taking care of the health and raw materials security of citizens. This proves that responsible management of reserves is possible. Now is the time for a common European response. We need to secure not only critical raw materials, such as rare earths, but also basic goods: food, water, medicine. They are the ones that are most needed in a crisis. The Union and the Member States must be ready regardless of the source of the threat. Adequate reserves are not a luxury, it is a necessity.

Mr President, thank you very much. Friends and colleagues! Electricity is the bloodstream of the modern state. Without it, nothing works – schools, hospitals, institutions, factories, and even, as the reporter said, we cannot drink coffee in the morning. However, without an integrated energy system, also transitionally based on natural gas, but also nuclear and hydrogen, the European Union will not be energy secure. Friends and colleagues! The world we live in is also about aggressive regimes attacking our values, our borders, but also our infrastructure, especially our critical infrastructure. We must be ready not only technologically, but also strategically. We have to be resilient. Unfortunately, the European electricity grid remains incoherent and dispersed. This is why we have produced a report that responds to calls for better coordination, strategic funding, simplification of procedures and real support for European network industries. We have made sure that the report is not ideological, does not impose a single model or energy mix on Member States. The transition must be collaborative, not coercive. I want to commend the Polish government, because the Polish electricity networks will spend as much as PLN 64 billion on modernising and modernising the network by 2034. And the next three main companies – PLN 14 billion. This will increase the reliability and resilience of the network of the entire system. This is a good and necessary report. Thank you very much to everyone who worked on it.

Mr President, thank you very much. In March 2025, when the Hungarian government passed a law restricting freedom of assembly, it was not just about one social group or the exclusive blocking of the equality parade in Budapest. This was the next stage of the gradual dismantling of democracy, which has been going on in Hungary since 2010. This is no longer a value dispute. This is a real loss of civil rights. The European Parliament has unequivocally recognised that Hungary has ceased to be a full democracy not only because of the restriction of minority rights, but also because of the subordination of courts and media to the executive branch. The effects of such governments are well known wherever populists and the far right take power. State institutions are weakened and civil liberties are threatened. In Poland, we managed to reverse this trend in 2023, but we should remember that democracy is not given to us once and for all and does not disappear overnight. It is gradually lost with every restriction of civil rights and freedoms. That is why today it is worth saying: The dream of Budapest, Warsaw or any other European capital has nothing to do with freedom or the rule of law. It's a warning, not a role model.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. A secure Europe is a Europe prepared for difficult and unpredictable times. And this is exactly what full gas storage is needed for. They allow us to secure energy supplies in difficult times, especially in the face of crises such as the war in Ukraine or Russia's energy blackmail. It is worth recalling that Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek was one of the first to call for joint gas storage facilities in the EU. Today we see what a far-sighted initiative it was. Gas storage facilities show that it is only through cooperation at European level that we are able to effectively manage our energy security. We must also wisely optimise the level of filling of warehouses so as not only to ensure delivery, but also to guarantee the best possible prices for citizens and businesses. Because energy security is not a luxury, it is the foundation of a stable and solidarity-based Europe.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, There will be no free and secure Europe without a free and secure Ukraine. These aren't just words. It's a truth that most of us understand. That is why we are supporting Ukraine and will continue to support it for as long as it takes. Because peace is the most important thing and it cannot mean that Ukraine will give up its land and freedom. Because it wouldn't be peace. That would be capitulation. And we do not agree to peace on the terms of the Kremlin. What can we say to the families of fallen soldiers? Your children, your fathers, your husbands fought for nothing? It is as if we felt that defending our country, life and freedom made no sense. She had, has, and will have. We need to support Ukraine. Let's not be fooled. Peace must be just, lasting and based on truth, not fear and submission. Fame to Ukraine!

Madam President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. Europe's energy-intensive industry is crying out for help, and its main problem is energy costs. They represent from a dozen to several dozen percent. For example, let me give you: only in the ceramic industry in the European Union, the cost of energy is 30 percent, in aluminum 40. High energy prices have a huge impact on the competitiveness of our European companies and businesses. I would therefore like to thank my colleagues who have tabled amendments to this document with me. These amendments highlight a number of important points. Firstly, one of the most important is the recognition of gas as a transitional fuel in some regions, I am also thinking of my country Poland, and more investment in the capture and storage of CO2 and the development of low-carbon hydrogen. Ladies and Gentlemen, in order to restore the competitiveness of European industry and at the same time achieve climate goals, it is necessary to take into account regional conditions, but also to invest in innovative solutions and technologies. Let's save our industry. That's why we're here.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The United States has divided Europe, countries that receive chips for artificial intelligence, into those that have an unlimited limit, such as Italy, France and Germany, and 16 countries, including Poland, where this limit is limited to 50,000 with the possibility of doubling. For what reason? What were the criteria and what was the reason for this? We won't have answers to these questions. This can significantly hamper the development of AI in Europe and increase inequalities between countries. But one thing is certain. As Europe, we must stand on our own feet. Commissioner, invest faster and more and become a global player. Poland is a good example. Yesterday, at the conference, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced investments, large, hundreds of millions of zlotys, in supercomputer centers in Poznań, Krakow, where research on artificial intelligence is carried out. We have an Idea Research Institute with outstanding experts in this field. I invite you to use our experience. Good cooperation at EU level will be key. Only in this way can we ensure Europe's economic resilience and restore its competitiveness. Commissioner, will that be the case?

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Europe faces many challenges, but one of the most important is access to clean, cheap and secure energy. In the face of climate change, the demand for energy from clean technologies is increasing. Work is underway, as has already been said here today and the Commissioner has ensured, on ITER nuclear fusion. And as many scientists claim, these results of this work are very promising, because they claim that it will be a certain energy, emission-free, without permanent nuclear waste. But on the other hand, we hear that the fusion industry will be too expensive, and it will be almost impossible to design a nuclear reactor technologically. So we, as parliamentarians, should demand an in-depth analysis of information about merger technology - both technological and economic conditions. In a word, whether these technologies of the future, such an expected 10-year, 20-year, make sense and will be commercialized. That is why I am asking this question, Commissioner, how long will we wait for the concrete commercialisation of these technologies over a certain period of time, which is obviously not perfectly accurate, because it cannot be done. And aren't more advanced nuclear technologies being developed at the same time?

Madam President, colleagues, Commissioner, I would like to thank you for your support. The cost of energy, fuel and gas is very often the basic cost of life for many millions of Europeans. And I say this because, in particular, the price of electricity in Europe – compared to other regions of the world, the US, not to mention China – is several times higher than the price of energy. This affects not only the standard of living of Europeans, but also the competitiveness of our economies. This is why I am calling for systemic solutions to be urgently developed and for measures to be directed, firstly, to lower electricity prices, secondly, to increase investment in renewable energy sources, transmission and distribution networks, as well as interconnectors, and thirdly, to increase funds for a just energy transition and to direct these funds to regions that face huge challenges, such as the region that I represent, the region of the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time for Europeans in the 21st century to have access to cheap, clean energy.

Mr President, thank you very much. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women makes us wonder why, after many years of action, the problem is still widespread. Because it affects women regardless of their social status, age or nationality. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), One in three women in the European Union has experienced physical or sexual violence. In France, ladies and gentlemen, every three days a woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner. According to the STER Foundation, 87% of Polish women have experienced some form of sexual violence, and 37% have experienced physical or sexual violence. Many victims are afraid to report to the police for various reasons, so these statistics are even more frightening. And the economic cost of domestic violence is estimated at €256 billion a year. In my country, Poland, the Act on Counteracting Domestic Violence has been in force since 2005. We have a Blue Card procedure, but access to specialised facilities such as shelters, psychological and legal support is still insufficient. Friends and colleagues! Our responsibility does not end with words and statistics. We have to act. Both legislative changes and organizing social campaigns are important, such as the one organized in my city, Bielsko-Biała, where there are 16 days against women's violence, where we organize marches, performances, meetings. And as a member of parliament, mother and grandmother of five girls, I appeal: Let's not be indifferent, let's act!

Mr President, thank you very much. As the events in Moldova have clearly shown, threats in the form of external interference, in this case Russia, hybrid attacks are real and affect the fate of citizens, and sometimes they can change the course of history. Fortunately, despite the efforts of the Russian Federation and the allocation of significant expenditures on financing propaganda and buying votes of voters, Moldova has chosen a pro-European direction. Good for Moldova. But this example is an important lesson for all Member States, because it shows how external interventions allow political opponents to influence public opinion, political destabilisation and the erosion of trust in state institutions, and as a consequence can lead to serious political, economic and social turbulence. A key step in addressing these risks is the creation of a common system of information exchange mechanisms for all Member States. It is also important to increase investment in cybersecurity to protect critical infrastructure and information systems. In addition, educating citizens about disinformation and the ability to recognise fake news should become a priority to strengthen societal resilience against manipulation.

Madam President, thank you very much. Last week marked a year since the election was won by a broad coalition led by Donald Tusk on 15 October. Removing PiS from power, those who inflicted hell on women, required the creation of a broad political agreement from right to left. The coalition has a consistent stance on the governance agenda and accountability of its predecessors, while there is no unified stance on abortion. But he's not idle. The situation of women in this area has improved a bit this year. The Minister of Health introduced a regulation extending the current conditions for legal abortion to the criterion of a woman's mental health. And she issued an ordinance that in hospitals where abortions are not performed, contracts will be terminated. Emergency contraception was introduced without a prescription. I understand that further solutions are very much expected by Polish women, especially in the field of decriminalization of abortion. However, all legislative solutions that could be carried out by the ruling coalition will be vetoed by the host of the Presidential Palace, by Andrzej Duda, who announced so. This situation may change only next year's presidential elections. My party, the Civic Platform, supported legal abortion. We promised the women that by the 12th week... We promised that in the election campaign. We voted in favour of these solutions in Parliament and we will deliver on this commitment.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Bureaucracy is a handbrake on which entrepreneurs ride, and with them the entire EU economy. This must change very quickly, because in the era of global challenges, new technologies that are changing almost exponentially, bureaucracy is a serious disease that hinders rapid and effective action. The EU economy is over-regulated. According to Eurostat data, as many as 70% of small and medium-sized enterprises indicate bureaucracy as the main reason for hampering their development. The time and money that the current bureaucracy consumes must be redirected towards innovation and development. I therefore call for an urgent revision of the law towards simplification, reduction or elimination of regulations, reports and reports. I firmly believe that a significant reduction in EU bureaucracy will increase our global competitiveness. Because now, as we know, we are losing this race and we know it not only from Draghi's report. This morning we discussed the metallurgical industry, but it is also not going well in many sectors. It's time to change that.

Madam President, thank you very much. The crisis of the steel industry in Europe has been going on for a decade. We lost 20,000 jobs and a fifth of our production capacity in a decade. In 2023, we used only 65% of the production capacity. The steelworks in Częstochowa, Poland, was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2019 and cease production. There will be more and more such places on the map of Europe. High energy prices are deadly for energy-intensive industries, including the steel industry. Additional regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and rising raw material costs are exacerbating this crisis. Another major challenge is global competition - China and India. In the first half of 2024, China produced 614 million tons of steel, which is more than half of the world's demand. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. It's time for action. What are you going to do in this difficult situation?

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. In the face of an increasing number of online purchases and imports, the European Union needs to put in place more effective surveillance mechanisms for goods that often do not meet European standards, especially those imported from Asia. It is estimated that in 2023, the number of e-commerce shipments from Asia to Europe could exceed 1.8 billion packages. Better supervision will tackle unfair market practices that harm European businesses by promoting unequal competition. It is also important to raise consumer awareness of the risks associated with online shopping, the protection of personal data and to educate them on the identification of safe products. It is also necessary to strengthen the possibilities for enforcing consumer rights. The Consumer Protection Office should become an independent institution that cares only for the interests of consumers.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. The Energy Union passed its test during the energy crisis that was triggered by the war in Ukraine. Then we showed that if we are together, we act in solidarity, we overcome even the greatest obstacles. However, this should not put our vigilance to sleep, because there are many further challenges ahead. On the one hand, the EU's climate goals, on the other, global competitiveness, especially in industry. Unfortunately, despite the fact that energy prices are more competitive than they were during the 2020 energy crisis, they are still very high. And we should take both EU and national measures to ensure that these prices are competitive. It is not only economic development and investment in industrial development that depend on energy prices, but above all the standard of living of citizens. Energy poverty remains a huge problem affecting vulnerable citizens in particular. Draghi's report shows that we have a 5% investment gap with an annual cost of €800 billion. To close this gap, we need to focus our thinking on using not only private capital but, above all, common EU funds. However, I ask that we do not forget the regions in Europe that are facing the greatest challenge of the energy transition. And I mean, first of all, the region that I represent, that is, the Silesian Voivodeship. In addition, due to flooding disasters, some regions in Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, will have to rebuild their infrastructure, including energy, and re-ensure the supply of energy and heat as soon as possible. This is extremely important. And to meet these challenges we need cheap and clean energy, and without a strong and solidarity-based Energy Union we will not achieve this.