Speeches

Madam President, thank you very much. In recent weeks, the European Commission has presented a number of initiatives in the field of security and defence: the White Paper, the ReArm Europe programme or the Safe Regulation. Nor can we overlook the EDIP programme for the European defence industry. After reading these documents, it is clear that the Commission puts joint procurement and a mandatory European component at the heart of its proposals. Both of these issues are, of course, important in the long run, but today we do not live in an abstract future, but in a real and dangerous here and now. Therefore, the priorities for support should be different. Firstly, direct involvement in the protection of the eastern border of NATO and the European Union. Second, the level of defence spending relative to GDP. And thirdly, real assistance to fighting Ukraine, both military and logistical. These are fundamental and obvious criteria. Meanwhile, the priorities set by the Commission, instead of strengthening Europe's security, practically translate into benefits for large arms companies and their record results are proof of this. I therefore encourage both the Commission and Members to make the necessary adjustments to their priorities when working on EDIP and future projects.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, For three years, Russian missiles have been destroying Ukrainian cities, killing civilians, and warfare has turned entire regions into ruins. All this time, Ukraine's allies are looking for financial resources to support Ukraine in this unequal fight. At the same time, there are almost $300 billion of frozen Russian assets in Western banks. Money that could support Ukraine. Most of these funds are located in the European Union, which in subsequent resolutions and documents likes to emphasise its role in supporting Ukraine. In fact, the support of the Union perfectly reflects the saying that when the Russians occupy more territories of Ukraine, the European Union takes only a position. Why has this sentence been relevant for more than 10 years? Why are words not followed by concrete actions – real and not just on paper? The issue of freezing Russian assets is another clear example of such a paper action. There are legal mechanisms in place to channel these funds to help Ukraine. Russia has no moral or legal grounds to demand the money back. Therefore, I appeal to the governments of the countries in which Russian assets are located: It is time to act. We need to donate the first billions now. Every day of delay means more victims in Ukraine.

Mr President, thank you very much. Friends and colleagues! In two weeks, it will be three years since Russia brutally attacked Ukraine and killed civilians and soldiers. It is also 1084 days of heroic defense of the Ukrainian people, who steadfastly resist in the unequal struggle for freedom and independence of their country. Poland has accompanied Ukraine since the first day of the war, also when many European Union countries calculated whether such assistance was worth taking, putting their thriving interests with Russia at risk. It was the Polish ambassador, then the only European ambassador, who did not leave Kiev and continued his mission despite the ongoing war. And although today we see how necessary it is to end hostilities as soon as possible and to restore peace, it must involve providing Ukraine with credible and strong security guarantees. We must therefore, as the European Community, continue to support Ukraine and its efforts in peace talks and its position. It is high time that the common security and peace policy in Europe is built on the basis of genuine security for all European countries, and not on the prism of Business as usual.

Mr President, colleagues, I would like to thank you very much. Once again, the issue of Russia’s criminal activities through its so-called ‘shadow fleet’ returns to Parliament’s agenda. Unfortunately, the current lack of adequate and effective action on the part of the European Union has meant that it has not only not limited its activities, but on the contrary expanded them, this time to terrorist activities, leading to the breaking of sea cables at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. These were undoubtedly acts of international terrorism and as such require a firm response. It is high time to take real action. First of all, it is necessary to work closely with NATO to restore the security of the Baltic Sea and to take decisive action against entities involved in acts of terror. The sanctions imposed on the shadow fleet must be strictly respected and the list of vessels effectively completed. It currently has 79 units, and yet the active fleet of shadows has more than 600 ships. Finally, more sanctions are needed against Russia, including those that will hit the Russian gas and chemical sectors.

Madam President, thank you very much. The falsification of history is a well-known method of Russian politics. On the eve of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin delivered a speech full of lies to justify an attack on the country. So propaganda was the first weapon used in this full-scale aggression, in this full-scale war. Putin has often whitewashed the co-responsibility of the Soviet Union for triggering World War II, and the attack on Poland in 1939, which brought terror, murder and decades of enslavement, is still referred to as liberation. Europe must be at the forefront of the fight for truth, including historical truth. It is our duty to loudly remind the victims of the crimes of the Russian regime, as well as of other totalitarianisms. I therefore support the project to build a European Monument to the Victims of Totalitarianism and the 20th Century Regimes in Brussels and I call on the Commission to act to speed up this project. Once again, I would like to emphasise: Only a full victory for Ukraine will ensure lasting peace in Europe. This will be the foundation of justice and a response to Russia's imperial ambitions in the spirit of truth.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, The EDI programme, which is intended to strengthen Europe's common production and defence capabilities, raises legitimate concerns about the accessibility of the eastern flank countries' defence industries. The criteria proposed by the Commission for projects under this programme are unfair and favour entities with very large production capacities. It is in vain to look for support for smaller companies or start-ups there. Why has the criterion promoting projects located in Eastern flank countries been omitted when formulating criteria in programmes such as EDIRPA and EDI? The preference for large entities, French or German corporations, instead of introducing mechanisms equalizing opportunities for smaller companies and front states, results in the weakening of regional defence capabilities. Moreover, the need for own contribution as an important element of projects, for example in ASAD, further discriminates against countries where the defence industry does not have huge financial resources. Polish companies, although innovative, cannot compare in terms of capital with giants from Western Europe. It's time for a change. Before EDI repeats the mistakes of EDIRPA and ASAD, it is necessary to revise the criteria that will make these projects fairer and more in line with the real security needs of our continent.

Dear Madam President, Friends and colleagues! Since 2020, when Belarusians massively opposed another election rigged by the Lukashenka regime, more than 35,000 people have been detained for beatings, torture and inhumane treatment, and even killings. Today, the Belarusian regime continues to imprison more than 1,300 political prisoners, denying them basic rights, such as the right to medical care or the right to correspondence. These include Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish journalist and activist of the Union of Poles in Belarus, who was sentenced to eight years of maximum security in a trumped-up trial, as well as Ales Bialiacki, a Nobel laureate and founder of the most important human rights organisation in Belarus, ‘Wiesny’. Europe must seize all opportunities to put pressure on the illegal and criminal Belarusian regime for political prisoners to regain their freedom. Alexander Lukashenko and all those responsible for human rights violations in Belarus must stand before the International Criminal Court and be tried. Lively by Belarus!

Madam President, thank you very much. Poland as another country in Europe is struggling with extreme flooding. The inhabitants of the Lower Silesian, Opole and Silesian voivodeships were most severely affected by the element. Many lost their roof over their heads, and the water flooded the achievements of their lives. Several thousand people were evacuated, unfortunately there are also fatalities. Ladies and Gentlemen, in my region, in Lądek Zdrój, in Stronie Śląskie, in Kłodzko, in Trzebieszowice and a number of other places you really can not get out of amazement and you can not believe that these are the same places that we watched a few days ago. I would like to express my deep appreciation and gratitude for the generous work and the immediate response of all those involved in the fight against the floods and the rescue operations. Local authorities, emergency services, fire brigades, the Territorial Defence Forces, but above all ordinary citizens work tirelessly, evacuating people, providing assistance and strengthening flood embankments. This is an example of true solidarity and cooperation. The return to normal life will take months, perhaps years. In addition to flooded and demolished houses, receding water also reveals broken bridges and roads, and among the destroyed places there are also priceless monuments, testimonies of our culture, religion and history. Long-term help, analysis, building common institutions is important, but help is urgently needed today. That is why I make two very specific demands. First, the immediate mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund. Secondly, suspending the plenary sessions of the European Parliament in Strasbourg for one year and organising them exclusively in Brussels, and donating the hundreds of millions of euros saved in this way to help the flood victims. The fund can be used to repair what has been destroyed, as well as to prevent similar phenomena in the future. It is extremely important to invest in new infrastructure as soon as possible, in addition to helping those affected. A decision to limit the plenary session to Brussels for one year would save hundreds of millions of euros, especially on transport, which is now urgently needed to deal with the tragic consequences of this disaster. Supporting as ECR the content of the resolution and announcing the introduction of our amendments, we once again strongly appeal for help, not only in the gestures and words of Solidarity, but by immediately transferring funds to the victims of the cataclysm.

What I call Russia, its perfidence and its barbarity, does not come from racism or any of my personal sympathies or antipathies. It is enough to recall the history of Polish-Russian relations over the last few hundred years to understand that this is the only term, and still very mild in relation to Russia and the Russians.

Dear Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and colleagues! Today's debate takes place on a special day. Namely, on the 85th anniversary of the Soviet attack on the Republic of Poland. The Russians attacked, violating the peace treaty, violating the non-aggression treaty. Why am I reminding you of this? Because I have the impression, listening to today's debate in this Chamber, that some people either do not know or have forgotten that Russia was, is and will be a barbaric, perfidious, aggressive state that understands only the language of force. Therefore, our actions must be more courageous and consistent than before. It has been two and a half years since Russia started its war against Ukraine, during which tens of thousands of people lost their lives and millions were forced to flee their homes. And although the European Union is constantly expressing its solidarity, there are still a lot of companies that easily export materials to Russia that are subject to sanctions. We must stop this scandalous process. Greater export controls and the identification of smuggling routes bypassing the sanctions imposed on Russia are needed, followed by their absolute elimination. This requires the cooperation of the European services. It's time to stop doing bloody business with Russia. The governments of the countries whose companies are involved in this process must take real action.