Debate contributions by Kinga GÁL

Madam President, I'm sorry. I would like to congratulate professional volunteers for soldiers who are fit for duty on dams, in flooded areas, in towns and villages. Thank you for that. We are facing an unprecedented flood in Central Europe, unprecedented in decades. Hungary is now awaiting a peak, which is why our Prime Minister also had to cancel his participation in today's plenary session. Nowadays it is most needed at home, because in Hungary flood protection takes place on 540 kilometers, and the highest level of preparedness is reached on 200 kilometers. This is the hardest part of the defense. In this situation, we need to work together and get quick and effective help from the EU. That is why we welcome the swift reaction and immediate activation of the EU crisis response mechanism by the Hungarian Presidency-in-office. This will allow particularly affected countries to coordinate their defence efforts. It is now up to the European Commission to use all possible means and financial support to effectively help protect against flooding. We call for the possibility of all kinds of bureaucratic and other unconditional disbursement of European Union Solidarity Fund funds. This is what the EP resolution should be focusing on right now. What is needed right now is not medium- and long-term climate proposals that are difficult to implement, but concrete, quick and effective help. Central Europe and Hungary are now defending against water as one person. Thousands of soldiers, professionals and volunteers are on the dams now, we need help from the EU institutions and we need to be with them in our hearts.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Today, Europe is weaker than it was five years ago. I will list the decisions that the President of the Commission has taken against the interests of European citizens. It is not taking concrete steps for peace as Europe drifts ever closer to war. He pushed through a bad migration pact instead of protecting the external borders. He did not protect our children by forcing gender ideology. Its policy of a poison-green green deal has harmed European farmers and weakened Europe's competitiveness. He has concluded vaccine contracts that are suspected of corruption, he has amplified the overgrowth of the Brussels bureaucracy, he has weakened it and, as we have heard, he plans to further weaken the sovereignty of the Member States. He used the rule of law and EU money owed to Hungary as political blackmail. It has made the application of double standards the main rule against democratically elected governments. As part of his campaign, he used the EU institutions to exert pressure by boycotting the Hungarian Presidency. This has harmed European cooperation. For all these reasons, we patriots in the interest of Europe will not support von der Leyen in today's vote. We need a change at last.

Madam President, it’s an honour to speak on behalf of the new Patriots for Europe Group for the first time in the European Parliament. Political violence has no place in our societies. Parliament must condemn all forms of political violence, including those that are directed against sovereignist, patriotic politicians. We must condemn in the strongest terms the assassination attempt against US former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump. Therefore, we request to add a statement of Parliament based on Rule 167 for Wednesday, today, at 15:00, with the title ‘Assassination attempt against former US president and presidential candidate Donald Trump, and the rise of political violence in Europe.’ We also request a resolution to be voted on in the September part-session. Let me say that the voting behaviour of yesterday of political groups, due to some shameless pacts among themselves, banning the Patriots from parliamentary positions they are entitled to is disrespect to 18 million voters, disrespect of democracy of Parliament and its own rules, the rule of law. It will backfire on all of us.