Debate contributions by Şerban Dimitrie STURDZA

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, geopolitical circumstances require us to adapt rapidly to the changing dynamics of international relations. These days, in Davos, the economy also draws the lines of security and the subject everyone is talking about is the security of our continent. The reality is as follows: competitiveness has taken the place of foreign policy. Europe's competitiveness must become the European Union's number one emergency, as it is the way to guarantee our security and to remain relevant at the table of the major negotiations. In this specific context, Romania must be part of the solution. We need policies that support production, industry and energy so that Romania can make a real contribution to a stronger Europe, composed of strong nation states and not weak and dependent structures. And I ask you: Is Europe ready to defend its interests?

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the freezing of relations between Brussels and Tbilisi is deeply regrettable, not only for Georgia, but also for the entire European Union. We have a clear strategic interest in being present and relevant in the South Caucasus, a region essential for the security of our continent, for the stability of the Eastern neighbourhood, but also for the energy and economic interests of the Member States. We cannot afford to lose Georgia and, equally importantly, we cannot afford to lose relations with Armenia. The absence of the European Union from the Caucasus will continue to deepen a vacuum filled by other state actors. Enlargement must undoubtedly be a merit-based process. However, its credibility depends on compliance with the acquis communautaire and on genuine political will for integration. But enlargement is also a major geostrategic tool of the European Union. Let's not burn diplomacy and let's not blow up strategic partnerships. The European presence in the South Caucasus must be strengthened diplomatically and politically, because an absent Europe is a weaker Europe.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, it is European solidarity that unites us and makes us stronger. The tragedy in Spain that we are commemorating today reminds us of one simple thing: The European Union must be prepared not only to react, but to react in time. It is a good thing that we have European mechanisms and funds dedicated to emergency management. However, it is regrettable that European support is often seen first on paper and that it is also felt very late in practice, after the effects of the disaster have long since been managed by local authorities. In the meantime, they intervened, helped people, made payments from their own resources, exhausted their budgets and waited a long time for reimbursements from the related funds. For Europeans to feel our solidarity, we must show it quickly. Prompt help from the European Union would support both authorities and citizens.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, a state that sincerely aspires to European integration cannot limit the freedom of its citizens to peacefully exercise the fundamental rights that define a true democracy. And that includes respecting the rights of national minorities on its territory. The situation of ethnic Romanians in the Timoc Valley can no longer be ignored. Besides the fact that their rights to study, pray or administer locally, including in Romanian, are not respected, the Romanian community risks, in addition to cultural assimilation, a physical disappearance. It is the large-scale mining operation of a Chinese company in the region that has turned copper and gold mining into a symbol of institutional corruption and environmental degradation. Because of them, entire villages of Romanians are forced to be relocated, which threatens the very ethnic composition of the entire region. Serbia's accession must be conditional on respect for the rights of national minorities.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, in 2024, Romania had the highest number of citizens suffering from serious deprivation in the whole of the European Union, that is 17%, three times more than the European average. Today, one in three children in Romania live in poverty. Economic progress requires to go hand in hand with social justice, but it remains for many Romanians only a dream. We see how the mathematics of austerity fail in Romania and we risk ending 2025 with a budget deficit of over 8% of GDP. But beyond the figures, Romania does not need austerity, but solutions for people. And cutting European funds would be catastrophic for Romania. Therefore, I ask the European Commission not to penalize Romania for the mistakes of an irresponsible political class. European funds must be made conditional on competence and transparency, not blind austerity. To help the Romanians, not to punish them.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, in a reality that is struggling between the specter of war and the depths of the economic crisis, Romanian steel is in a critical state. Under the burden of record energy prices and unfair competition from outside the European Union, we ended up exporting scrap and importing finished steel. While other European countries have adopted clear strategies to support the industry, Romania continues to improvise. Without a national vision, without a coherent industrial plan, we risk losing an entire critical industrial sector. The Romanian government must understand that we cannot build a modern economy solely from imports. We must produce again, and European funds, also aimed at revitalising the defence industry, must not pass us by. We need a national strategy for reindustrialisation. It's time to make Romania a country that creates value, not just a market.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the elders of rural Romania in 2025 are living a silent drama: humiliating pensions, lack of social and medical services, whole villages without dispensaries or doctors. Too many of our elders are poor, sick and awfully lonely. Old people's homes are few, expensive and often unsuitable. Breaking the natural chain between parents, children and grandchildren, chasing after material pseudovalues makes only the church and the priest their last solace. We are talking about the reality of a part of Europe that has simply remained feudal. We are talking about the failure of the Romanian state to honor its citizens who sacrificed themselves to shape today's Romania. We need a moral rebirth, empathy, love for our neighbor and a restoration of Christian values. We need a real conservative revolution.

Madam President, dear Mr Fitto, dear colleagues, I am glad that this report finally acknowledges the reality. The green transition has brought few benefits, but mostly major damage to many of Europe's regions. Today we are just trying to repair this damage and to be honest, the least developed regions in the European Union have paid the highest price of the Green Deal policy, both economically and socially, while the rich regions have been able to profit from it. This is because European policies and solutions must be tailored to the realities and needs of each region. In addition, we need a more efficient and competitive European economy. It is time to put aside ideologies and really look at the interest of citizens, because Europe does not look the same everywhere. What is seen in Brussels does not at all resemble the reality in a commune in eastern Romania, Poland or Bulgaria. One solution doesn't suit everyone. Until this regional mosaic is truly integrated into European economic planning, we cannot really talk about cohesion in the European Union.

Mr. President, dear colleagues, how can we show here, in the heart of Europe, a serious and responsible Romania, when our governors have ruined the country's finances? After years of promises and pseudo-reforms, Romania is collapsing into a huge budget deficit, and today's governors are proposing austerity measures that also sanction the right Romanians, the working Romanians and the vulnerable. We complained that the governors were not attracting enough European funds for hospitals and highways. Because of them, we risk getting nothing. We learn that an excessive deficit procedure is soon being added to the bill, which the European Commission is now speeding up against Romania. We risk having vital money suspended from the NRRPs and cohesion funds. I appeal to all members of the European Parliament: Let us not forget that, beyond figures and budgets, we are talking about people. Romanians should not be punished. For them we need to find the best solutions so that they do not lose confidence in Europe.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, our vote on the North Macedonia file is more than just a legislative exercise. This is a political signal. The European Union needs enlargement to remain relevant and stable in a changing world, and North Macedonia needs us, a clear signal that the European path remains open to it when it completes the constitutional reforms it has committed to. This country has taken courageous, even painful steps, I would say, to continue its European accession path. If we do not recognise this effort, we risk losing the trust of the citizens and the political class there and, even worse, we risk giving way to increasingly aggressive foreign influences from outside Europe. European accession must reflect real reforms. Let us remember that enlargement must not be a land of dispute, but a proof that Europe is keeping its word. The place of North Macedonia is in our great European family.

Madam President, dear Ms Kos, dear colleagues, the enlargement of the European Union is a strategic priority. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to continue its European path on the basis of concrete progress and compliance with the accession criteria. Accession cannot be a symbolic gesture or an ideological instrument. It must reflect real reforms. At the same time, we must be lucid. Foreign influences and interference in the Western Balkans are increasingly aggressive. Through active support for the integration of the region, the European Union strengthens its own security and reduces the risks of destabilisation. I believe that the European Parliament must unequivocally uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as its constitutional order. But we cannot ignore the fact that the lack of genuine political will for reforms slows down this path. Bosnia and Herzegovina still has essential steps to take and the European Union must remain demanding but fair in this process. Membership is earned, not offered.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, at a time when the major global powers are competing to expand their influence, the European Union must recognise that enlargement is not just an opportunity, but a strategic necessity. We need to incorporate the Western Balkans into the European project for the stability, prosperity and security of our continent. Montenegro is the most advanced candidate country with strong public support for EU membership by the Montenegrin people and substantial progress in rule of law reforms. At the same time, reforms on justice, the professionalisation of the administration, freedom of the press and the fight against corruption must remain priorities, but these efforts must be accompanied by a clear message from us. If our partners meet the criteria, the European Union must deliver on its commitments. In order for the enlargement process to retain its credibility, Montenegro's integration into the European Union family must take place as soon as possible.

Mr. President, dear colleagues, I am addressing the Romanians. I know you didn't vote for scandal, but that's what you got. I know you didn't vote for higher prices, but that's what you'll still get. Since the election of the new President of Romania until today we still do not have a Government, and the interim Government is playing hide-and-seek with your money. From Strasbourg, things are worrying. Politicians in Bucharest, a whole Europe sees that you are afraid to face the crisis that you yourself have created. You do not want to take on the weight of the economic recovery that Romania needs. Instead of talking about clear strategies to get us out of the crisis, instead of talking about better tax collection and how we can build a state budget that meets the real needs of Romanians, the post-electoral circus continues. Don't raise taxes on Russians. Better collect the money that needs to enter the state budget. No one deserves to pay for your mistakes.

Madam President, Mr Fitto, ladies and gentlemen, first of all it must be stressed that the main objective of cohesion policy is the gradual reduction of disparities between regions, that is to say, the expression of European solidarity. However, reality is changing rapidly. We have new priorities, unforeseen crises and investment pressures in strategic areas. Therefore, the flexibility of cohesion policy should give Member States the chance to invest where it is really needed. Cohesion funds must remain a real support for the regions and communities that need them, and where resources have not been spent on time, they must not be lost, but smartly rethought and redistributed by the Member State itself. However, cohesion policy cannot become a kind of good piggy bank at all. Flexibility is certainly necessary, but it must be targeted, balanced and responsible.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, democracy, the rule of law, political pluralism and free voting have disappeared from Romania. Elections are diverted from their democratic purpose and turned into an instrument of political struggle. The right to stand as a candidate is today brutally violated, and the electoral law is interpreted only to the advantage of the ruling political class. We play as the European Commission commands, a kind of High Commissioner for Just Repression during the Soviet period. Electoral abuse, banning some citizens from running and preventing a large section of society from exercising their legitimate right to vote seem to have become the new rule in Romania. Through electoral censorship, the Romanian authorities have succeeded in inflaming the population, creating maximum tension in a society where millions of people today feel unjust and disobedient. How can Romanians still trust democracy or justice? This nightmare has to stop. We must immediately return to democratic values and freedom.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Republic of Moldova belongs to the European family not only geographically and historically, but also through the values and aspirations of its citizens. Half of them are already citizens of the European Union through their Romanian citizenship. It is therefore our responsibility to unequivocally support Chisinau's European integration path. The European Union's growth plan is a clear signal. The Republic of Moldova must be supported to permanently decouple from the Eastern influences. Reform, modernization, distancing from the Soviet heritage, all this must be strongly encouraged. I voted for a support of EUR 1.9 billion for the Republic of Moldova. It's not just a financial aid, it's a political statement that we are with our brothers across the Prut. The Union is making the power and maybe one day this political, economic and spiritual reunion will be perfected under the same tricolour in the European Union. Until then, the Republic of Moldova needs our support. Now, here, concretely.

Dear President, ladies and gentlemen, in recent months we have had the opportunity to see with satisfaction that democracy in Serbia is functioning. The citizens demonstrated their civic spirit and the protests sent a clear message to the political elites. They had to take note of the popular will and initiate measures aimed at recalibrating Serbia's European path. Given that the European Union is Serbia's main political and economic partner, Belgrade should accelerate the implementation of the reforms needed to align the acquis communautaire. Serbia's commitment to its strategic objective, European integration, needs concrete action. Thus, I want to highlight the situation of ethnic Romanians in Serbia, whose rights must be guaranteed and respected according to European standards, as is the case with other minorities in Serbia. The Serbs now need a clear signal of support from the European Union, which must encourage them in their fight against corruption and organised crime and for the rule of law and democratic values.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, enlargement policy is and must remain a priority for the European Union, which, without the countries of the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova, would be incomplete. Enlargement is not only an opportunity for these countries, but also for the European Union itself. Enlarging the European project must contribute to strengthening security and guaranteeing peace on the continent. However, the benefits of membership for the Western Balkan countries can only exist if the whole process remains merit-based and reforms are implemented irreversibly and not in half-measures. Democracy, the rule of law and fundamental values are non-negotiable. They must remain the main pillars of accession to the European project. Accession to the European Union must be a strategic commitment, not a reaction to geopolitical pressures or influences from Russia or China. Enlargement is not a race against time, but a marathon of real reforms, and together we are stronger.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, democracy and freedom have been killed in Romania. Thirty-five years after the 1989 Revolution, we are now experiencing the restoration of dictatorship. The neo-Marxist globalist network is desperate for the democratic loss of power and shows us its true totalitarian face. More than two million Romanians voted in the first round of the presidential elections in favor of the conservative, sovereignist and patriotic candidate, Calin Georgescu. This panic led to the abusive cancellation of the first round of the presidential elections and threw Romania into a situation of unprecedented political instability. Freedom of speech is censored. Simple people, farmers, farmers are raised by masked men by means that remind us of the Stalinist period. These are the habits of those who say that by canceling elections they have restored democracy. Romanians have been and are consistently deeply pro-European and committed to the transatlantic alliance. We are dealing with an obvious struggle between globalism and sovereignism. Romanians demand free elections and need your support. Stand in solidarity with the Russian people!

Mr President, dear colleagues, the critical infrastructure of a state must be protected, not sold. Unfortunately, the Romanian politicians who went through leading positions of the state did not understand that our country should not be plundered. Since the fall of communism, Romania has given up much of its natural resources, which eventually led to an explosion in gas, electricity and even water prices. We are talking today about the concession of reservoirs for the development of energy storage capacities in Romania. Yes, we need a legislative framework that stimulates both the obtaining of energy from more resources, as well as investments, because this contributes to the country's energy security, but the state must retain strategic control over their exploitation. Energy must not become strictly the monopoly of profit-seeking private individuals. We need strategic and appropriate investment, not to hand our country over to foreigners.