Debate contributions by Marlena MALĄG

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, Is the traditional family important? Yes, but not for Europe. Is the lack of control over migration a problem? Yes, but not for Europe. Is the lack of housing for young people hampering demography? Yes, but not according to Europe. Where are we going? Towards stagnation. Social issues, like in the mirror, reflect economic problems. The lack of generational replacement, the family crisis and reckless migration policies, poverty, regional inequality, youth unemployment and, on the horizon, the pension crisis are not slogans. The summit in Qatar is an opportunity to realize that these problems will not disappear on their own. Without good solutions, they deepen from day to day, from month to month, from year to year. We need to wake up, get out of the comfort bubble, go back to the sources. In what way? Thanks to the family, this traditional, unfashionable in Europe and treated as a brake on progress. Then we will do what will help Europe in the long term. We will change catastrophic demographic trends not against the family, but thanks to the family.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I very much welcome the fact that the European Commission has finally recognised and acknowledged the threat that regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine face on a daily basis. Too bad it's so late. This was lacking, especially when the Law and Justice government in Poland effectively secured the eastern border of Poland, and thus the European Union, against illegal migration, inspired by Lukashenko and Putin. I hope that the proposals aimed at strengthening defence, supporting the eastern regions, will be implemented in a timely manner and that the funds allocated to them will be spent as intended. I declare on behalf of the ECR Group that we will closely monitor this process to ensure that the European Social Fund Plus, whose main objective is to promote social inclusion, equal opportunities, is not subject to controversy and that the funds are properly used.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Doesn't a child killed by a heart injection at nine months of age have a right to life? Does the removal of crosses from public spaces, as was the case in Warsaw at the initiative of the Vice-President of the Civic Platform, not violate the religious freedom guaranteed by Article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights? Human rights, of which we are rightly proud, cannot be selective. That is why I call on us not to use the concept of anti-discrimination for ideological pressure. Parents, in accordance with Art. 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, they have the right to raise their children in accordance with their own beliefs and protect them from harmful content, which takes place in parades of pride. Neither the state nor the EU can deny this right to parents. The protection of fundamental rights must extend to all, children of believers, including those who want to return to traditional values.

Dear Mr President, The European Investment Bank is a necessary, effective and hitherto non-political institution. Its role in supporting investment, especially in the younger countries of the European Union, is invaluable. It is a pillar of cohesion policy and a driving force for integration. However, the EIB is under constant political pressure. It is expected not only to be in line with the Union’s strategic objectives, but also with the Commission’s current agenda or the priorities of the parliamentary majority. Let's remember that the triple A rating is not given once and for all. It is based on trust that is easy to lose. As Ronald Reagan said, one should not fix what is not broken. Let us not spoil the reputation of one of the last EU institutions to enjoy market confidence. It is the green policy of the European Commission under the current leadership that is causing the pressure that threatens the credibility of the EIB. The Commission needs new leadership, independent and respectful of the sovereignty of Member States and EU institutions.

Mr President, thank you very much. The digital euro is not a response to the needs of citizens, but a political tool. Europeans already have access to fast and secure payments. The digital currency does not solve any real problem, but creates new ones. So who does it really serve? the European Central Bank and the European Commission. It is they, not the Member States, who will gain new powers. The digital euro means the centralisation of finance in the hands of institutions detached from national interests. The European Central Bank will become a superbank: the issuer, the operator and, in practice, the owner of the citizens’ data. This is a blow to the sovereignty of states. We will lose the impact on our own banking system and monetary policy. Each country will become dependent on digital infrastructure managed from Brussels and Frankfurt. Do we want our economy to be decided outside our borders? The digital euro is a threat to the freedom of citizens and the independence of Member States. It is also a real risk of surveillance under the pretext of the security and progress of the European Union institutions, which actually build control over finances.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The reports of the European Court of Auditors on the RRF do not reveal anything new, they confirm what many of us suspected. The instrument is inefficient, poorly managed and costly, implemented sluggishly. Milestones are uneven and the impartiality of the Commission is questionable. It can be said that some of the funds were spent inefficiently. It is certain that the whole will cost more than 200 billion euros, of which repayment will consume up to 20% of the future budget. In practice, this means less funding for agriculture and cohesion policy. The new budget model is an attempt by the Commission to hide the construction costs for citizens, farmers and regions. Instead of rebuilding Europe, the RRF has served to strengthen the power of the Commission, which has turned subsidies into a tool of pressure for disobedient governments, as exemplified by Poland. If we consider that the idea of the instrument was good, then operationalization is no longer. This experiment failed, only bills and a question remained. With this question I leave you in the room: Who will pay for the Commission's mistakes?

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, Today we are once again living in a time of turmoil. The world is worried about the stability of the dollar, about global trade, about cryptocurrencies. But we in Europe have our own silent problem: rising sovereign debt and banks' overexposure to domestic debt. It's a delayed-ignition bomb. It blocks investment and restores the doomsday loop between budgets and the banking sector. How is it possible that the report, which is supposed to diagnose the condition of the banking union, completely ignores this topic? Don't we want to hear the uncomfortable truth? If so, then let's not say that no one warned. Today I warn you: In the name of responsibility, let's not pretend that everything is okay.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I come from Poland, a country that knows the bitter taste of a centrally planned economy. That is why I am watching with concern how competition policy in the Union is drifting towards EU economic planning. Central planning is polarly opposed to what is most valuable for competitiveness: innovation, innovation, grassroots initiatives. I am even more concerned about his ideological obsession with American digital companies. Yes, monopolies are a problem, but that's something we should all agree on in this room. They are now defending freedom of expression, while the EU is restricting it. Today, we need cooperation with the United States, not economic warfare. This report adds oil to the fire. I have a very sad conclusion. That's all we're discussing today, it's not a concern for competition. This is a geopolitical provocation against the United States. As ECR, we reject this harmful and short-sighted course.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, Employment security is the foundation of every person and every family. Meanwhile, in my country, Poland, we are seeing a wave of redundancies, often in violation of workers' rights. Nearly 15,000 people have lost their jobs since the beginning of the year. Behind each of these people is a tragedy – a man who does not know how to pay the bills, who has to look for a way to support his family. And yet there were so many beautiful words in this House about the protection of workers, about respect for rights, about increasing the coverage of collective bargaining. After all, a directive on adequate minimum wages was created. But where are the deeds? During the pandemic in Poland, the Law and Justice government saved thousands of jobs. He has proven that this is possible under critical conditions. That is why I call for decisive action to ensure job stability and real protection of workers' rights.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Social dialogue and respect for collective agreements should be the cornerstone of the restructuring process in order to provide workers with special protection during this difficult time. What does it look like in practice? In my country, the cradle of the Solidarity Trade Union, which changed the course of history in Europe, the rights of workers, the rights of trade unionists are not respected today. Have you heard about thousands of redundancies in the Polish Post Office, PKP Cargo? It is not only the redundancies of experienced employees and the drama of many Polish families, but also a blow to strategic sectors from the point of view of security and development of the state. Today's resolution is the result of redundancies in the automotive industry. It must be made clear: these redundancies are one of the many negative effects of climate policy and without its revision there can be no question of defending jobs and competitiveness in the European Union. Do we have the courage to act? Will we continue to pretend that the problem does not exist?

Mr President, thank you very much. Finally, the Commission recognises the problem of skills shortages in the Union. That's good, but why so late? For years, it has been clear that the lack of industry professionals will become one of the biggest challenges. Meanwhile, in Poland, under the rule of Law and Justice, the modernisation of vocational education began long ago, preparing young people for the real needs of the labour market. However, the real crisis is affecting agriculture and fisheries today. The state points to a dramatic lack of employees, but are they wondering why this is happening. The Green Deal, successive catch limits, bureaucracy – all this is not about keeping multigenerational farms alive. Therefore, it is very important that if we want to correct this situation, beautiful slogans and declarations are not enough. You finally have to look the truth in the eye and start acting here and now.

Mr President, thank you very much. The European Semester was supposed to ensure financial stability and coordinate economic policies, but the results are disappointing. Lack of effectiveness, lack of sense of need. Lack of effectiveness is a consequence of an ideological approach. Green ambitions have led to recession and drained fiscal space. The public debt of many countries exceeds 60% or even 100% of GDP. Increasing the power of the Commission and central planning is not the answer to the problems. Instead of supporting further initiatives, it blocks and hinders. The European automotive industry has collided with the Green Deal wall. A chaotic and costly transformation has raised costs, pushing innovation out of Europe. Today, from a world leader in innovation, we have become a customer queuing for American and Chinese technologies. This is not how we will build a great Europe. Let's use common sense. Only then will we begin to be effective.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The shortage of employees and competences is a great challenge faced by both small companies and large corporations. We have just discussed them in the context of the care sector, but this problem actually affects all industries. In the past, a learned profession gave a job for a lifetime. Today, we have to learn new professions throughout our lives. This is primarily the result of dynamic digitization, the fight for competitiveness, but also the fight for economic growth. It is also the result of demographic change. However, the European Commission is sending contradictory signals. The green transition was supposed to create new jobs, and we are seeing massive layoffs in the automotive industry. The Green Deal was supposed to be a cure for European problems, but it is becoming an insidious disease that is destroying the economy of the Old Continent. I leave you with one question: The European Union is not coping with the shortage of staff and key competences. So how will it deal with the new environmental challenge and the new environmental regulations when they come into force?

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Madam President, The European Central Bank has been operating in a difficult environment for years – political games, conflicting interests and ideological pressures. But its role is clear – the fight against inflation, the stability of economies, the security of citizens. However, there are a few questions. Did the European Central Bank beat inflation? Not yet. Did he make mistakes during the pandemic? I'm sure you do. Are they still felt to this day? Yes, of course. Is there a chance for a better tomorrow? Yeah, there's a chance. There is common sense in the discussion of monetary policy. On one condition, the European Central Bank cannot be a tool for politicians. He is the guardian of financial stability, not the hostage of ideology. We also have a digital euro ahead of us. This is a supplement, not a dispensation of cash. So more reason, more independence, less ideology for the good of the Union, for all citizens.

Ladies and Gentlemen. Thanks to the introduction of MICA rules, the European Union has become a global pioneer in regulating the crypto-asset market, liberating it from the shadow economy. It should be appreciated that the MICA regulation introduces a reporting obligation, provides internal control mechanisms and requires the separation of the client's assets from the assets of cryptocurrency service providers. These are the foundations that ensure greater transparency, investor security. Importantly, the interests of non-euro area Member States are also safeguarded. Cryptocurrencies, as we know, have no boundaries. However, we must make it clear that differences between countries significantly reduce the attractiveness of this market and slow down its development. Therefore, global regulatory standards need to be developed. Although the European Union is a leader in this field, it must be careful not to adopt, as usual, an overly restrictive approach that could push innovation, investment in more flexible markets outside the European Union. Until recently, cryptocurrencies revived the dreams of some investors about a financial infrastructure independent of central banks. Today, those dreams have faded a bit. But cryptocurrencies are and will continue to be a permanent part of the global economy. Our task is to treat cryptocurrencies as financial tools that require proper regulation, but close to traditional markets, such regulations that will ensure the safety of investors, without stifling innovation. We can't sleep through this revolution. The future of the cryptocurrency market requires a balance between protecting the interests of the client and enabling, above all, further development.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. We are facing a demographic tsunami. Experts warn that from 2026 the population of the European Union will begin to decrease, and in some countries this decrease may even reach about 30%. In 25 years, Africa's population will grow by 1 billion 300 million people, further exacerbating the migratory pressure on Europe. The European Commission needs to wake up and take action as needed. Do not push for illusory and meaningless solutions. Instead of supporting the family and creating the conditions for an increase in the number of births, we are pushing for equal agendas, regulations that are irrelevant to the demographic future. Opening borders to migrants will not solve the problem, it will even aggravate it. If we do not act quickly, Europe will become weak and uncompetitive. In my country, Poland, under the rule of Law and Justice, a demographic strategy has been adopted and I regret to say that it is not being implemented today. He was also the Government Plenipotentiary for Demographic Policy. It's time to change policy. Not tomorrow, not next month, now, before it's too late.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, Work should give every worker a sense of dignity, stability and security. However, migrant workers are often victims of unfair labour intermediaries and abuses in subcontracting. Unaware of their rights and regulations, they are exposed to lower rates of illegal working conditions, lack of social security and exorbitant costs of transport and accommodation. Unfortunately, subcontracting is often used as a business strategy aimed at reducing costs and avoiding the employer's responsibility, for example through subcontracting chains. These subcontractors disappear many times without paying their employees a fair wage. We don't have permission to do that. We have a moral obligation to initiate and implement such systemic solutions that will allow us to uphold workers' rights. All this in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the economies of the European Union countries.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. The skills gap is a serious problem that affects the European Union as a whole. According to the Draghi report, about three-quarters of European companies report difficulties in finding employees with the right skills. At the same time, around 42% of Europeans lack basic digital skills. This adds to the demographic problems of an ageing population and gives a picture of the labour market. While education and training policies are the responsibility of the Member States, the Union supports these efforts through specific policies, programmes and support. Digital skills, vocational education, including investment in lifelong learning, are of particular importance. It is important to promote initiatives such as Junior Skills promoting young professional masters. Instead of promoting migration, we must ensure that we train our own specialists so that the European Union is resilient to crises and much more competitive.

Mr President, thank you very much. The weak economic situation and deteriorating financial results of many state-owned companies in the rail freight industry require in-depth analysis, recapitalization as investment support. Unfortunately, the PKP Cargo company referred to by the Member in the restructuring process from Poland is going easy, laying off employees en masse, and the new management board comments on this in such a way that it releases employees into the labour market. According to trade unions, pregnant women, people of pre-retirement age, as well as trade union activists are thrown out on the pavement. There can be no consent to that. The principles of social dialogue are also violated. It is therefore reassuring that some of the workers discriminated against find justice in the courts where the results and judgments are favourable to them. There is no, and cannot be, permission to do so. We are in solidarity with the rail freight industry.

Dear Mr President, Poland is a democratic state governed by the rule of law, guaranteeing equality for women and men in all areas. Making a complaint here about the lack of equality between women and men before the law, i.e. alleged discrimination against women in the field of free, informed decision-making about having children, is a serious abuse. Once again, under the guise of combating discrimination, ideological content is introduced that undermines Christian values and promotes liberal politics. Abortion is a drama, a mother's drama, and the murder of a child. The Union should focus on actions that should support the mother so that she does not have to decide on such actions and steps. Abortion is nothing more than a manifestation of discrimination excluding, above all, the premise of protecting the life of a conceived child. Everyone should have the inalienable right to life from conception to natural death.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, As a result of more than 50 years of the centrally controlled economy, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are facing the problem of unmet needs and poor housing conditions. In connection with the construction directive adopted in March, we are facing a revolution in the construction industry. There is also a demographic crisis: it is important to maintain a balance between the expectations and opportunities that we will have, so that it does not turn out that the dreams of young people about housing, and often, therefore, about expanding the family, will fail. For the first time, housing will be in the Commissioner's portfolio. That is why I call for prudence and a real assessment of housing needs, so that too ambitious climate goals do not overshadow real social needs, nor are they a breeding ground for developers. The topic of housing is very important both for young people in Poland, but also for seniors, but also for the whole European society.