Debate contributions by Gaetano PEDULLA'

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, this proposal for a regulation on EDIP aims to make Europe an unlimited producer of weapons. As a 5 Star Movement, we say forcefully that it is a wrong choice. With this text we dedicate billions to new lines of ammunition, missiles, military equipment, while resources for hospitals, schools, homes, transport and the fight against poverty are lacking. We are saying, with this regulation, to the citizens that for rearmament money is always found, but for their social rights never. EDIP strengthens the power of large war industries by ensuring dedicated funds, accelerated procedures, priority in permits and even derogations in environmental assessments and spatial planning: unbelievable! We reject the idea that the European response to war is a permanent race to rearmament and call for another path, namely investing in diplomacy, industrial reconversion, ecological, welfare, quality work, social and climate justice. For these reasons, we call on Parliament to reject this proposal and to return to investing in peace and not in war.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner Hoekstra, the Far West is the fiscal fragmentation that we tolerate in Europe, it is the first factor of unfairness, unfair competition and loss of competitiveness for the countries of the Union, even more than the weapons into which von der Leyen and the other warmongers in command are throwing billions of euros. This Far West is a gift to those who exploit domestic tax havens, multinationals and big elusives, to which now is added the renunciation to negotiate with Trump a sacrosanct digital tax on the giants of the web with which to reduce the tax burden for our workers, traders and craftsmen. A situation that has become shameful in Italy, where Prime Minister Meloni in the last year has increased the tax levy to 42.5% of GDP, conquering with her government the historical record of taxes. For the 5 Star Movement, on the other hand, it is no longer possible to harmonize European tax systems and, above all, drastically cut taxes. Commissioner, you have found the money for the bombs, you have found it for the citizens.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I am making a proposal: We should change the title of this debate, because Ursula von der Leyen has turned it into the comatose state of the Union. You, President of the Commission, are a disaster. It is along the list: for farmers who are sacrificed on the altar of trade agreements, such as Mercosur; It is an icture for small and medium-sized enterprises exporting their excellence to the world – the tariff agreement signed with Trump is a humiliation for Europe. She defended him in here, but it's a humiliation: Our goods will cost more in the United States, while the American ones don't even pay taxes in Europe. What a bargain! Even Donald could have done better. Von der Leyen, You are a threat to European security and stability: With its rearmament plan, Europe goes to war with Ukraine, while we would only need peace. The policies of this Commission are, finally, the death sentence for Palestinians, for Palestinian children. But what is it waiting for to stop the distribution of weapons to Israel? Von der Leyen, the sooner he goes home, the better.

Madam President, Commissioner, the reform of the single market for capital that Parliament is preparing to vote on is a piece of paper worse than the hole, yet another piece of bad work by Mario Draghi and the Commission. Of course, we need to strengthen investment to create development and employment, but we do not need to direct even more money to speculative markets and military spending, that is, the overt objectives of this reform. Therefore, as a group of the Five Star Movement, we acknowledge that President Lalucq has sought the best possible compromise with the current parliamentary majority, but the final result does not satisfy us at all and, indeed, alarms us very much. The main risk remains the transfer of financial dangers from traditional banking and sector institutions directly to savers. But it's not just this: It is unacceptable for us, first of all, that this reform does not guarantee banking support for businesses, agriculture, families, social policies and the reduction of inequalities, which today are the real enemy of Europe. Just throw away the people's money! (The speaker rejected the "blue card" questions by Jacek Ozdoba, Bogdan Rzońca and Lukas Sieper)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the course taken by the European Council will derail us all. Ursula von der Leyen's rearmament plan is congenial to the interests of NATO and the United States, while obedient Europe betrays its interests, its autonomy, its values and its citizens. This road will not guarantee us greater security, on the contrary, it is already fuelling a rearmament race that makes cannon producers happy, while citizens, families, traders, small and medium-sized enterprises suffer from cuts in investment and social services. With the leader of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, and many European parties, just as the NATO summit was taking place, we went to The Hague to lay the foundations of a different Europe, of peace, of social justice, of citizens and not of lobbies. Finally, allow me to add that the umpteenth postponement on the suspension of the association agreement between the EU and Israel for the veto of some leaders, including Giorgia Meloni, is mortifying. He pretends not to see how every day children lined up for a piece of bread are slaughtered by the Israeli army. These leaders are complicit in the genocide in Gaza. Shame on you!

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in Italy a law, as you know, gives the government the power to choose the top management of public TV. That's why the term "TeleMeloni" was coined for RAI. Also in Italy there is the highest number of reckless lawsuits in Europe, and uncomfortable journalists, such as Francesco Cancellato and Sigfrido Ranucci, are spied on or threatened by the same public service. Also in Italy, few media empires control almost all the information: Angelucci, a member of the majority; Caltagirone, favored by the government in the banking risk; The Berlusconi family, owner of Forza Italia. And always the right holds hostage and has been blocking the parliamentary supervisory committee on RAI for months. The results can be seen: in the ranking on freedom of the press, Italy ranks at 48o Worse than Gabon and Macedonia. From August 8th, the Media Freedom Act it will be fully applicable, but no one – neither the government nor the majority parties – has started to deal with it. A slap in the face to the law and also to this European Parliament to ensure the fake news Propaganda of the Italian Right. That is why we say 'awakened Europe', that is why we say 'enough'.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, since 2022, the annual report of the LIBE Committee on the rule of law has included clear recommendations for countries where the founding values of the European Union itself are set back: freedom, civil rights, respect for the person. However, there has been no improvement in recent years. Indeed, in several states governments reject the conclusions of this Parliament - we have just heard what Mr Ciriani said - and these governments are increasing their violations. In this sense, the case of Italy is among the most emblematic for the assault on the independence of the judiciary, the abolition of abuse of office, concentration, political control of the media, spied journalists, gag laws, the imprisonment of migrants, the compression of democratic rights, as happens with the recent shameful security decree. Recommendations are not enough. It is time to move to a more incisive application of the rules, political and legal instruments to respond to violations, starting with a serious sanctioning of the authoritarianisms, misconceptions and misconceptions that are so fashionable right now in Europe.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Union of Savings and Investments, beyond the title of the project, which is also acceptable, hides a very strong danger for European citizens. To increase the equity needed for industrial investments, including the most uncertain ones, start-ups and small businesses, it simplifies the possibility of using the large amounts of money placed by savers in bank deposits, thus shifting the risk of such investments from the financial system to the savings market. A market worth 10 trillion euros, the result of the work and sacrifices of citizens: money that the Commission should consider sacred. In recent days, we have had discussions in the ECON Committee with President Lagarde, who has ensured a high level of control by the European Central Bank, but, in the current geopolitical and economic context, it is more unacceptable than ever to pass on new risks to savers. All the more so if the objectives of this initiative aim to increase the competitiveness of the European system, using more of all the leverage of rearmament and military industry. In this way, your Commission will have deceived savers twice: the first, putting their investments at greater risk; the second, unbeknownst to them amplifying the financing of a dangerous war economy. And for my political side, the Five Star Movement, it is unacceptable that even the new rules for savers risk financing the war.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the Council and the Commission for their clear and clear words in defence of the International Criminal Court. But today there is not only Trump, with his delusions against the Palestinians, there is also Giorgia Meloni, who has targeted the ICC. It's an attack to distract attention from the blackmail you and your government are facing. You all know what happened. Giorgia Meloni has consciously released a man accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Italian prime minister boasts of being a mother and a Christian, but now she has to explain how a mother and a Christian may have freed a man accused of raping children. Bringing Al Masri to justice was not only a due act, but a moral act. I say this to Ciriani, who tells us that the Criminal Court is attacking Italy. It is Italy that has not arrested a criminal. A moral act, therefore, because child rapists do not free themselves but send themselves to prison to serve their sentences. I have a question to ask, we're all wondering: who blackmails Giorgia Meloni? What secret pacts did he sign in Libya with the blood of innocent people? What's he hiding from us? Who do you take orders from? I repeat: who blackmails Giorgia Meloni?

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, regulating internet platforms with the Digital Services Act is not enough. I listened to Vice-President Virkkunen and I understand her strategy, but if we really want to reclaim our digital sovereignty, fight disinformation and lead the development of technology, there is no alternative to promoting new European digital infrastructure. Only in this way will we be able to counter algorithmic interference and manipulation, protecting our democracies and freedom of expression. It is therefore good to implement the DSA and sanction and denounce fake news, but to effectively guarantee correct information and democracy it is urgent to favor the pluralism of platforms, even before pluralism on platforms. Europe has the economic and technological means, but if we do not create another digital identity we will remain here for years to talk about Musk, Zuckerberg and the manipulations of these dangerous techno-oligarchs.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, seven years after the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the European Commission's latest report on the rule of law also recognises the persistence of serious violations of freedom of information in Malta, as well as in other EU countries. In this hemicycle we are right to talk about it, to award prizes to the bravest reporters, but this is not enough to change things. A necessary new step is to overcome the resignation to the murder of investigative journalists, as well as those who operate in war zones, renouncing to consider these deaths as a side effect of their profession. In an initiative recently promoted in this Parliament by the Five Star Movement, The Left and S&D Ukrainian and Palestinian journalists, the international trade associations have put the theme of economic support to the wounded reporters, to the families of colleagues killed. It's almost 150, I remember only in Gaza in a year. That is why I am calling on the Commission to set up an instrument – also within the Community budget – to provide economic, medical and legal assistance to European media workers, or those who work in any case with newspapers and news agencies in Europe. Let's help, we all need it.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the manipulation of information and the pressure of fake news public opinion have by no means regressed since the last anti-SLAPP directive and the Media Freedom Act. Without compromising the right of everyone to support what they want, evidently there is a design behind the spread of so many lies, a design fueled by political forces that need to ride disinformation and fears. A game facilitated by the concentration of the media system, from social platforms to large TV and newspaper hubs. Let's say it, at least here: in many European countries the pluralism of information is now a joke and in some states, such as Italy, this is an obscene joke, given that the public service, called to verify the activity of the government, is controlled directly by the government itself, while the largest private television center belongs to a family that controls one of the main parties at the helm of the country. A picture in front of which this hemicycle can only do two things: Seriously punishing or being an accomplice. In this case, however, then do not cry in the face of the escalation of fake news and disinformation.