Speeches

Mr President, for the third time, despite COVID restrictions, we refer to urgent procedures to expose atrocities by the Cuban communist regime against its own people, not to speak about full debates when we discuss all issues. Yes, we do have agreement with Cuba, but to provide argumentation to one of the authors, there are no common values, no common principles, between us. There are deep systemic differences and we have to act quickly, decisively and resolutely to defend people, to impose sanctions and to prevent spreading of these kinds of policies, a kind of Stalinist policies, to all other parts of the Latin-American region.

Madam President, by this debate, our humble statements, we pay highest tribute to all activists of Memorial. We are extremely grateful for their work in both remits. First, the historic research exposing crimes of Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union, as well as crimes of Putin’s regime in the contemporary Russian Federation. And the second remit, defence of human rights in the Russian Federation and in the broader region. As a Pole, I am really, extremely grateful for their enormous achievements. There are double—track proceedings before courts in Moscow. One against International Memorial, an umbrella organisation, in the Supreme Court with allegations of violating the ‘foreign agent’ law, and second one against the Human Rights Centre with even graver allegations of defending terrorists. Do you imagine, those noble peoples defending terrorists while it is the Russian Federation – a country sponsoring terrorism?

Mr President, thank you very much. Forty years ago, with a cover of 10 million Poles, just like me, in love with Solidarity, she asked herself: Will they come in, won't they? It was about the Kremlin in the communist system at the time. For eight years, since Maidan, Ukrainians have been doing it. Every now and then, they have to deal with the threat, the growing danger – since 2014 with the annexation of a large part of their territory, the occupation of eastern Ukraine, economic, cyber, disinformation pressure, and the prohibition of any international choice. What's the difference between that world 40 years ago and what we're dealing with now? At that time, the collective West was able to give a clear and unambiguous, clear response to the Kremlin, the communist Kremlin of the Soviet Union. The fact that the annexation of Poland will face very significant consequences. There was no mention of Article 5 at the time. We were part of the Soviet bloc, and yet this threat was so clear and this strategic uncertainty that was imposed on the Soviet Union, so effective that we were sure that they would not enter. This Western response to Ukrainians, to Ukraine, and to the Russian Federation, to today's Kremlin, should be equally clear: wara from Ukraine.

Mr President, thank you very much. Today is the 40th anniversary of martial law. We also owe the suffering and struggle of Poles to changes in Europe. Here in this House, I pay tribute to them all. Thirty years ago, the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine signed the act of dissolution of the Soviet Union, a state that throughout its history persecuted peoples living within its borders, but also those outside, subjugated to itself. Events such as "Polish operation", Katyn, Holodomor were marked by genocide. Modern Russia has attacked Ukraine, Georgia, and supports a dictator who has turned against his own society in Belarus. In the spirit of the first congress of ‘Solidarity’, its message to the peoples of Eastern Europe, I wish Ukrainians a peaceful life in a sovereign, integral state, Belarusians to get rid of the dictator and shape the state as they want, and Russians a democratic state that will unequivocally cut off from the legacy of Stalinism and stop external aggression.

Madam President, to successfully combat rare diseases, we have to overcome many and enormous difficulties. Yet, I acknowledge progress achieved until now. The existing European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases is an example of a very good European cooperation, bringing together all stakeholders engaged in this area. I think that a revised action plan is necessary. In particular, Commissioner, I appeal to you and to your other colleagues to ensure broadening the scope of EU finances, in particular to those who are in action – parents, caretakers, as well as doctors directly engaged in providing treatment to patients of rare diseases.

Mr President, due to the efforts of the late President of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, the principle of solidarity and energy security has been enshrined in the Treaties, confirmed by the ruling of the European Court of Justice on the OPAL pipeline. It is a mutual obligation provided in the Association Agreement with Ukraine as well. Yet Nord Stream 2 violates all of those obligations, further emboldening Russia to blackmail us with energy prices and to mount armaments on Ukraine’s borders. We have to remain firm and stand together in fulfilling the six calls of the European Parliament to halt this project.

Madam President, I’d like to thank uniformed servicemen from the whole of Europe – the border guards, police, military – for guarding the EU’s external borders. Their efforts vis-à-vis Belarus, for example, taken in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia make the tireless criminal hybrid operational efforts by Lukashenko under Russia’s instigation ineffective. We have to assess the security aspect of this action. Today, it was visible in this statement of Jens Stoltenberg issuing words of solidarity vis-à-vis Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. We in the EU, with our aspirations for defence and security, have to take this into account.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, whatever you say and do about Poland, I will defend my country, always. On energy prices, please try to lower our dependence on Russia rather than trying to appease this country. In this respect, I think that the Eastern Partnership Summit is extremely important. It should be ambitious, supportive to our partners, but also seeing difficulties and dangers clearly. In this respect, I would like to turn to Georgia and please speak up for the detained former president of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili.

Mr President, this afternoon we are certainly discussing a European Parliament report of historic significance. I would like to commend Charlie Weimers, the rapporteur, and all the shadow rapporteurs, for a very comprehensive, good and, at the same time, balanced document. I would like to express the hope that the Commission is going to take on board the important recommendations the rapporteur was able to prepare. I also hope that, despite mounting pressure, so well described during this debate, from the side of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the air and in the waters of the Taiwan Strait, the community of Taiwan, the people of Taiwan, are able to develop a vibrant democracy and a very innovative economy. This enhanced relationship is going to benefit all of us.

Mr President, according to UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the situation in post—military coup Myanmar has already evolved into a multidimensional human rights catastrophe with the junta heavily cracking down on innocent people, in particular ethnic and religious minorities. Russia and China block a reasonable solution at the level of the UN Security Council, while heavily benefiting from arms supplies to the junta. We, the collective West, have to put places like Myanmar, but also Ukraine, high on the agenda, while, and when, engaging in dialogue with systemic rivals.

Madam President, I would like to thank you very much indeed for this debate, which has also added to my knowledge of the role played by the Arctic region in the mining policy of each individual Member of the European Parliament. From this debate, it would appear that keeping the Arctic as a low-tension region is certainly possible. Within the Chamber, that sometimes has very heated debates, we are able to find an almost consensual approach to a very important and very sensitive issue. As I say in the title of this report, there are also concerns, and when we state some issues they are of pure concern and we want to contribute to eradicating challenges in order to make the Arctic a place of peaceful cooperation and prosperity, and for it to be beneficial to the whole of mankind, giving possibilities for freedom of navigation and in particular for a prosperous life for local people, for indigenous people. I noted a statement of our colleague living in the region. Yes, certainly, it has been extremely important. We listened carefully to statements by Danish parliamentarians, politicians, NGO representatives, but in particular to those living in Greenland, including a large representation of Inuits, indigenous people. We promise to keep our word in making their life better.

Madam President, I hereby present the report on the Arctic, describing opportunities, concerns and new security challenges. This report was adopted in the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) by a vast majority of votes. Allow me to start with acknowledgements. I would like to thank all the shadow rapporteurs for their excellent work, and also the advisory staff of all political groups for their long and very comprehensive work on this report. I would like to also especially thank my own staff. Last, but absolutely not least, my predecessor, the former rapporteur of the European Parliament on the Arctic, Urmas Paet, for the excellent cooperation. Quite recently – actually one week ago – we were able to complete the first physical AFET mission to the region after COVID—19. It was extremely interesting, adding to our already quite comprehensive knowledge, after which I decided to table one amendment comprising expertise that was provided to us, during this mission by scientists, located in Nuuk, in the centre of Greenland. We were there discussing with them and assessing also other topics, the scientific environment and also knowledge—based findings about Arctic. Allow me to start with presenting the obvious statement that we want to preserve the Arctic as an area of considerable low tension and of fruitful cooperation of the international community. In the chapters of this report we start by points referring to this – the importance of international cooperation as the bedrock for the development, prosperity and keeping of peaceful cooperation. We here indicate the fundamental role of the Arctic Council and the responsibility of those states, although we end our report with a very special chapter named in a somehow slightly journalistic or marketing manner: ‘more EU in the Arctic and more Arctic in the EU’. Certainly, by this debate, we are providing for the last part of this sentence. We want, after a considerably short time, to update the European Parliament’s position on the Arctic, precisely because of our concerns in many areas. The big role we indicate in the report for climate change, we think that an ambitious response to this and keeping the protection of environment, as well as all other pillars of fundamental EU policy vis—à—vis the Arctic, is extremely important. We acknowledge that what is happening to the Arctic, the very visible effects of climate change there have been predominantly created elsewhere, outside of the region, and therefore there is a need for the international community to look into concerns and also our findings concerning the Arctic. We put very high in our deliberations the role of sustainable development, of the responsible use of the riches of the Arctic, also to the benefit of local communities, in particular indigenous people, in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and on our own documents adopted by the EU. We put very high on the agenda changes in the security situation of the Arctic, in particular the military build—up and military pressure of the Russian Federation – there is a special part dedicated to this – but also the increasing role of China. Because of the melting of the ice cap, there is more possibility for navigation and keeping freedom of navigation is extremely important in our deliberation. I look forward to the debate and I will speak once more towards the end.

Mr President, there is unity between Russia and China in keeping usurper Lukashenko in power. In case of Russia, we see even instigation to brutal crackdown on Belarusian society by the usurper Lukashenko, as well as waging elements of hybrid war on neighbours, namely Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Also, in some cases, other countries. I would just like to mention some cases of brutal crackdown on society. Andzelika Borys has been already 196 days in prison and Andrzej Poczobut, just two days less. Maria Kolesnikova was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Maxim Znak for 10 years in prison. In case of hybrid war, we have to abandon naivety and clearly see the aggressor and differentiate between aggressor and victims. The activity of Lukashenko is an internationally-condemned criminal activity on this, and I see traces of misunderstanding even in this chamber when we speak about a variety of countries under pressure. Remember that Poland is one of the main defenders of the EU unity in this.

Madam President, we face one of the most vicious cases of crackdown on innocent people wanting change and democracy in their country. Certainly one author said that Communism is incompatible with change and reform for people there. We have to do anything we can, everything that is at our disposal here in Parliament. These are words, but I call on the Vice-President / High Representative and the EU Member States to combat by all means these kind of actions against Cubans. They deserve their own country, ruled by people they want and for it to be really democratic.

Madam President, I congratulate Hilde Vautmans on her report. I also commend the tone and substance of today’s debate in comparison to last December’s EU—China Summit. It is real progress. We are very realistic in our response to Chinese diplomacy and policies. I stress the necessity to stay in solidarity with countries like Lithuania, Czechia and also with Taiwan – and with our colleagues here in the European Parliament – to counter Chinese coercion.

Mr President, allow me to start with thanking Andrius Kubilius for his very important work. Certainly it is an important report and very important that we take this debate, and eventually, I hope, adopt this report, just a few days before elections in the Russian Federation, very questionable ones. I think that in this document we are going to send a very positive message of hope to our friends, the Russian opposition, people like the members of Memorial, long-standing supporters of values, like many imprisoned dissidents, just to name Mr Navalny, but others as well. The High Representative / Vice President is right in saying that it is extremely important to keep our unity in the relationship to Russia, to resolve unity and lack of naivety in the assessment of, in particular, new methods used by the very vicious regime in the relationship to all of us. Hybrid methods are a kind of novelty and in this respect we have to collaborate very closely with organisations like NATO in the assessment of all threats that come from the Kremlin regime.

Madam President, yes, the moment is sad and full of dissatisfaction, yet allow me to remind you that nations decided to engage in Afghanistan upon a task given by UN Security Council resolutions adopted unanimously to combat a threat to international peace and security by all means. Allow me to repeat the words of Jens Stoltenberg, that certainly throughout 20 years Afghanistan was not the root place for a terrorist attack on our territory, our Euro-Atlantic territory, yet we have to learn this lesson and once more engage broadly. I think that multilateralism is proper once more to solve this problem. Not all UN members supported our efforts, and now we have to have efforts as broad as possible and a concise strategy for Afghanistan. I am afraid that the EU is not enough to fulfil this task. Once more we have to have international community probably with a different strategy, but certainly let us do this.

Madam President, I align with my colleagues, and actually I would like to praise the European Parliament and leading groups in finding this unity in defence of the people in Hong Kong protesting against the imposition of laws that try to curb the hard-won and long-standing liberties they were able to enjoy for quite a long time. We stand by the people of Hong Kong. It is our particular responsibility. I’m really happy that the European Parliament is able to adopt the comprehensive resolution, acknowledging many facts that are needed by the public opinion of the whole of Europe in order to create proper policies, foreign policies. I also join my colleagues in appealing to the EU and EU Member States’ diplomacies to decline invitations to participate in the events of 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Madam President, I participated in the gathering of the Iranian opposition in Paris that was endangered by bombing and yes, for many years I appealed in vain to the Islamic Republic of Iran to free all prisoners of conscience, and in particular to stop the death penalty. Dr Ahmadreza Djalali is most probably, along with Nasrin Sotoudeh, the Sakharov Prize laureate, the most prominent of prisoners – in very bad shape, tortured and accused on the basis of false accusations. Yes, free Dr Ahmadreza Djalali, but free all people imprisoned in Iran and stop the war against Iranian society!

Madam President, even today, the 1951 Geneva Convention provides the most comprehensive definition of refugee status and the rights of refugees. The Commissioner is also right about providing fundamental principles of non-discrimination, non—penalisation and non-refoulement. Some years ago, the former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Philip Breedlove, stated before Congress that Russia and Assad deliberately weaponised refugees to destabilise the West. Today we have the next crisis. The usurper, Alexander Lukashenko, under the instigation of Russia, tries to destabilise Lithuania, the EU and NATO territory. We have to remember this. We have to show solidarity.