Speeches

Madam President, I am very pleased that we are talking about this topic, such as the solar industry in the European Union, because it is a standard trade war. The overproduction of solar panels in China caused a significant drop in prices, led to a surplus of imported modules in the ports and warehouses of the European Union, and today European producers are unable to sell their production because Chinese companies sell it below the cost of production. Although we are focused on supporting domestic production and would like to reduce the dependence currently dominated by China in the area of solar panel production, somehow we are not doing very well. From my point of view, however, it is not only about preserving the industry and preserving the profits and firms that operate in the industry, but we must focus on the people, on the jobs that we also need to protect in the solar industry. We need to keep this industry going. And I am very pleased that the Commissioner has spoken about a number of measures that the Commission has presented, because those jobs and those people are really the ones that we should be looking at as the European Parliament at the moment. Industry is warning us that this is a closure of production lines, and we really should focus on how to avoid this.

Madam President, today, when you want, for example, to go to lunch with your colleagues and pay the amount you owe, or when you want to pay, for example, a hairdresser by transfer to his account, it so often happens that this payment takes time because your bank keeps the money so that it can trade with them and make money from them. Currently, these instant payments, which we are talking about today, are often specially charged or cost some extra money. I am very pleased that this will not be the case for a long time, and that the European Union is taking this step, that instant payments, which are very often used, will not be able to be charged with higher fees as far as banks are concerned, and that people will also be able to use them more, because they are really payments that you sometimes need to pay at the last moment, so that you may not get a fine, for example, if you are late with something. I am very glad that we are talking about the fact that these payments should even last 10 seconds, that is, they should be very short, but also that we are talking about protecting the people who use this money, that is, we will also check what accounts this money goes to, whether really the account that you think belongs to that person is really his. Of course, we are not replacing cash. Cash will continue to be used in the European Union, but we are only allowing people to use instant payments as a faster way to pay and will not be specifically charged for them.

Madam President, I think that the report as such on fundamental rights in the European Union is important. To say that even though we love to teach others, we ourselves are not perfect, but we should subtract what we have done and where we still need to improve. Personally, I think that the right to live in dignity is also highlighted in this report as one of the key attributes, because we want all citizens to be well. The right to live in dignity means for me that people do not live in poverty, that we do not have one in five children at risk of poverty in the European Union, but also that people who work know about this work, the income they earn, that they can live in dignity and that they can meet all their needs. I also think that we need to work more on freedom of expression, on the right to freedom of expression, in order to be able to accept opinions that may not be what the majority thinks, which may be a little different, and not to persecute those people who have a different opinion, to allow them to express a different opinion. I also think that we need to continue working to promote and combat violence against women. As the rapporteur has stressed, because this is a very important thing for all of us, and also for supporting people with disabilities. In this context, I am very pleased that we will have a common card for these people, for the whole of the European Union, to improve their position in life.

Madam President, I am wearing a green one today, like grain in the spring when it grows up here in Slovakia. And I would very much like to point out that we sometimes think that food will come to the canteen where we choose it, but in fact it is these people, farmers, farmers, whom I would like to support from this place, who will prepare the food that we eat every day. These are the people of work. These are the people who bring us bread every day that we can eat, and that is why we should support them. We should not forget when we talk about transition, about the transition to a green economy. We are still adding new regulations to them, new things that they still have to comply with, but then we forget that we should also support them. We can't just pick them up. We really need to support farmers, farmers, because at the same time we say that we want to keep people in the regions, that we want people to stay in those rural areas. Then we support cities and say that we support young farmers, but at the same time we are still giving them new and new things that they have to meet more and more and we are not really helping them. So let's think about that regulation, and actually about everything we do for the future. How it turns out for those people at work, for those people who really bring us that food. Because when they leave, we won't have anything to eat.

Mr President, while technology, automation and robotisation make our work easier, they also dismantle some types of work and put jobs at risk. Thank goodness, I think that these new technologies also mean that workers may not have to do such a hard job, and we are seeing new opportunities, especially in the area of digitalisation or even the silver economy, for new, better, better quality jobs. However, I think that the rights of employees should not be forgotten, so that the jobs we create are really of high quality, so that they have a good salary, so that they can not only survive on that salary, but live in dignity and really have all the opportunities and conditions they would like. Of course, this progress brought about by digitalisation, digitalisation also brings higher profits for companies, but I think they should just return it to those employees and people who make the profits. I think that this is also a very good opportunity to reflect in the future, perhaps on a four-day working week and perhaps a reduction in additional working time, so that we can make better use of the work-life balance also for our citizens.

Mr President, everyone who receives money from the European Union and from our budget must, of course, operate transparently. The dot. That is simply our rule, and I do not think there should be any exceptions, even for non-profits or NGOs. This could indicate that these organisations may be using some unfair practices. We do it for countries, we do it for governments, companies, universities. Everyone needs to be transparent. So I am very pleased that we are also talking about transparency in the field of NGOs and their functioning. They are not holy cows or nonprofits. And I think that, as has been said, also from the mouth of the rapporteur, and I am glad that the Commissioner said that we should also have some regulation or some legislative framework for the functioning of non-profit organisations within the European Union. I totally support that. We need this, we need to know who we're financing, what we're financing, because it happens that sometimes that money is used for a conference where the same people come together and talk about the same thing all the time and then have an opulent dinner and then write that they're protecting democracy. And I am also very pleased that the Commissioner said that we also want to know about third-country funding for these non-profits and that we want to be transparent in this area too, because that is also a very important thing.

Mr President, we are still talking about a greener economy and how great it is for the environment, and about solutions. It's still a mantra. I am pleased that we are also looking at protecting the final consumer who uses such products on this occasion. And I would like to commend the rapporteur, Mrs Borzan, for a very good report. We don't want it to be written on everything. eco, bio, rawTo be such a mantra that companies often abuse in their marketing campaigns, but also mislead people because they buy more products that they think are better, that they are better, that they are better, that they are better for the environment. I am very pleased that with this report we are introducing the fact that it cannot be abused. It will have to be backed up by some evidence that which product is really better for the environment, but that we are also looking at how to use these products for as long as possible so that we don't spend, buy more things, but fix things more. I would also like to emphasise that I think that the objective we are talking about of putting something like this into effect 30 months after it is adopted is sufficient, because in two and a half years, manufacturers can really deal with it. Thank you, rapporteur.

Madam President, I think we should calm down a little and not bring the courts to judgment when we do not know what is really going on. We cannot really sacrifice ourselves in everything for Ukraine. First of all, we should think a little bit about our citizens. And you know, in the east with Ukraine, these are Schengen borders, and now our short-sighted bombastic decisions have put these borders at great risk, and they have also put free movement within the European Union at risk. That is why we now have some internal Schengen borders closed. But I invite you, colleagues, who have a taste, because here you very much like to talk about what is happening in the East. I am going to the Ukrainian border at the end of the week, I am going to look exactly at the truck strike in Slovakia and I would very much like to inform the European Parliament about how all this is going, because I think that these people are also a little bit right. The pressure on carriers within the eastern side of the European Union is enormous. But not just on them. This puts pressure on people living in the east of the EU. These are small villages. Slovakia has 97 kilometers of border with Ukraine. We have one border crossing. Poland has closed border crossings and all those trucks, they are really huge quantities, they pass through tiny villages in the east of Slovakia, where those people live. This is a huge onslaught on the road infrastructure, on the lives of these people, on their safety. And this is really what we should be aware of, so come with me at the end of the week. I invite you very much.

My colleague, I understand that you have friends from political groups other than my friendly groups and that they are telling you some delusions. And I would be interested to know that when you talk about the fact that Mr. President, Prime Minister Fico, has been accused of some corrupt things, I would be very interested in which ones. Because what he was accused of was Facebook status and the organization of press conferences. I don't know if this can be considered corruption. I would be very happy if you could explain this to me.

Madam President, I think this meeting is absolutely useless, and I do not know why we have it here today. The opposition in Slovakia did not win the elections, so the sulfur, the fire on Slovakia, we defame our own state. This is probably the latest practice. In three and a half years, the opposition was persecuted, even the representatives of my own party, so you did not mind. No one asked for a meeting of the European Parliament. People were dying in custody. Public hunting for opposition leaders was perfectly fine, led by the head of the special prosecutor's office you're defending here today, who was abused. This office has been used for political cleansing. The special prosecutor, Mr. Lipšic, whom you are protecting, did not hide the fact that he is the political enemy of our political party. I cannot now fully imagine how such a person can be absolutely impartial and how he can impartially decide the lives of all of us. The media received information from the living writings and influenced public opinion in favor of the one who suited them at the time. I think, colleagues from Slovakia who initiated this meeting, that you are a disgrace to the Slovak Republic. Today is St. Lucia and we throw out devils and strigues at St. Lucia and I believe that on June 8 next year you will be swept away by Slovaks. They'll sweep you away at the European elections and you'll never sit here again. I have a right to my own opinion, my colleague, and I will listen to you as well.

Mr President, I am very pleased that the socialists have sparked a debate about young people and their situation, both in terms of the cost of living and in terms of housing. I have spoken a lot on this subject and I am very pleased that we can talk about it again in this House today. But what really matters is what we can do. I am very pleased that it was also the leftists, it was the socialists who, for example, created the Youth Guarantee, the Youth Guarantee, which helped a very large number of young people in the European Union to get out of unemployment and really helped them find perhaps the other skills they needed for the labour market. I think it was a very successful project. We should build on it with other successful projects or other ideas that could really address the situation of young people. In my country, Slovakia, young people also stay with their parents for a very long time. We are among the worst in the European Union. And it's not that these young people are so comfortable, but it's really because it's a necessity, because they can't afford their own housing. I think we need to help them find work, but most of all we need to build affordable housing and certainly involve them in the political process. And I am very pleased that, as a former Vice-President, I can commend the work of the European Youth Forum, which really works with young people and well represents their rights and the demands they would ask for.

Mr President, I liked Mr Bütikofer very much, as he said that America is no longer what it used to be. And he's very right. However, it remains our important trading partner and also a strategic partner with which we share many common goals. But of course, we have different opinions about something and sometimes we compete. More or less. However, this cooperation should not be underestimated and we need a greater exchange of views, and I therefore support the proposals in this report concerning, for example, the establishment of the Transatlantic Council or proposing, for example, closer cooperation between the parliaments of the United States and the European Union. However, we must not be content with anything. I therefore believe that we should always insist on a responsible appropriate level of participation, including from the United States of America. Mutual respect between partners is an important condition for our cooperation. And whether we like it or not, this cooperation is definitely a necessity. Our common task is to continue to promote mutual trade. Although the United States is not our largest partner, it is an important trading partner for the European Union. And also to respect the conditions in this international trade that flows between us. Together, we can do more not only in this area, but also in the area of, for example, the promotion of democracy, human rights, but also joint research, whether classical or, for example, in space exploration.

Mr President, I agree with Commissioner Borrell that we should have a vision of economic security for the European Union, because we need to reduce the risks and provide a plan for where we want to go as a Union. Strengthening our competitiveness is not easy in a global connected world, where we are not only competing with our neighbours, but with everyone, and we need to protect our industry, our jobs and, above all, we need to preserve them. In order to have economic security, we need an economy that works. So we need to secure the energy supply, to ensure cooperation, so that we do not miss the energy. We need to secure the supply of raw materials so that our production and our industry can continue to function. Our technological security is also a very important issue, because we need to defend ourselves against attacks and data theft, but also, for example, the personal data of our citizens. We must not be at the mercy of third countries, and therefore there is strength in unity. I am very pleased that this Parliament has adopted a position on how to defend itself against threats from third countries. The European Union must work together to achieve the status of a strong, credible and predictable partner.

Mr President, with the increase in teleworking, teleworking, but also due to COVID, we are increasing the use of the internet and other means. There is more stress, people have health problems, anxiety, depression, burnout syndrome and are not able to disconnect. They are still at work, demands for their work are constantly coming, and they are forced to answer them. I think we should insist on respecting working hours, not accepting shortened deadlines, and also on protecting employees in general and protecting their rights. They have the right to free time and the right to personal space. I think we can all agree on that. Unfortunately, the negotiations between the social partners have failed, and I would therefore like to ask the European Commission here to insist on reopening the negotiations and to present a European regulation on the right to disconnect, on which we all agree, as soon as possible. We really have three years after this European Parliament decided that we would want something like this. It is something we can all agree on and it is our duty to protect the rights of workers, people, their health, because they have only one thing. And even this mental health is only one and it is very difficult then the way back to normal normal life.

Mr President, I consider this agreement on the sustainability of the extraction and supply of critical raw materials to be very important. We have a responsibility not only towards our citizens, but also towards third countries, where such extraction often takes place. We know that we need raw materials for industry and for our further development, especially technological ones. But we should act responsibly. I am therefore very pleased that we are supporting much more recycling of already existing materials in this proposal, that we are raising this target to 25%, that we are supporting it more than another new extraction, and that we will no longer, for me, export so much electronic waste to Africa and other countries where it can kill young children. We will also start to make more money in Europe. I also consider this 10% target to be very important. This means that we also want to increase production capacity in our manufacturing industry and reuse the raw materials we already have extracted. In doing so, we will reduce our modern colonialism as the European Union does by extracting raw materials in third countries. We will use what we already have. I also consider the target of 40% of processing in Europe to be very good, as it brings more jobs for our citizens.

Madam President, colleagues, I will talk about the situation of farmers in the Visegrad Four in the east of the European Union. I think that we should protect these farmers and not destroy them, as is now common practice, because they ensure food sovereignty for all of us in the East. I speak for four countries: for Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. For farmers from these countries, who just last weekend had a meeting in the Tatras in Slovakia, where they also adopted a common position, which I would like to present to you. These farmers are asking us to stop the crazy imports of products from Ukraine, because they are really destroying our agriculture in the East. Our farmers are suffering, their costs are increasing and they are unable to sell their produce further. And indeed they are flooded with products and products from this country, where farmers from Ukraine do not have to comply with standards like we do, they do not have to deal with quotas and so on, because they do not have these quotas at the moment. I would like to ask that we really think about the review of the quota-free or duty-free system with Ukraine, which will be in place until June next year. If we want to support people in regions and on farms, we really should give them the opportunity.

Mr President, twenty years ago, when I was studying at a university, the European Union was still for us a place where everyone was equal, and such a European Union was a place where we entered as the Slovak Republic. This proposal, which is on the table, may have some good things, but many of them are, in my opinion, also wrong and not good. But who will benefit from this is always the question we ask ourselves with every proposal. Why do we make such a proposal? I think the whole discussion needs peace. People do not want some of these proposals, and the Member States certainly do not. We are talking about unanimity, which we want to abolish. I am absolutely opposed to the abolition of the right of veto, because it is precisely this right of veto that makes it possible for the European Union to speak one language, because we must always agree on a consensual text. Limiting the number of Commissioners is also a very good question, which countries will retain those Commissioners and whether we will pull it out of the hat as a rabbit or whether it will be decided in advance for the big Member States. Also at the beginning of this debate it was Orbán, then we said it was because of enlargement, today we say it's because of Trump. I still think we're sitting on a very high horse. We should get down there, talk to the citizens. And that mistrust in the European Union is growing, not because we do not have the right speedy decision-making, but because we approve of stupidity.

Madam President, we all want good healthy food and we must protect these from pests. This is part of the European Union's food security. The proposal to reduce the use of pesticides is inherently good, but I consider a halving of the area to be wrong. There are differences between the Member States of the European Union. For example, Slovakia has very low pesticide use compared to intensive agriculture in Western Europe. I cannot therefore support the legally binding nature of the reduction targets for the use of plant protection products and, in particular, the target of reducing them to 50% and gradually reducing them to a minimum or to zero in some areas. This will have a negative impact on the functioning of Slovak agriculture and forestry. Colleagues, we probably disagree, but I think we all agree that we should have less fanaticism and more realism in this, in this Chamber, and we have to grow food because people have to eat. We also need to protect crops, as we want to grow them, and I think that more should be done to look for alternatives, such as some bio-protection or banning monocultures, and more support for farmers as such.

Mr President, we must not only restrict and ban our efforts to protect the planet and clean air, but also appreciate those who are trying to help. Not only to limit emissions because we fail to do so, but also to limit the capture of these emissions. These carbon sink certificates, which will reward the effort, are, in my opinion, a good way out of it. However, I agree with the AGRI rapporteur that we must not risk replacing food cultivation with carbon sinks. However, I see the proposal as positive, because if we can come to the right agreement in the dialogue, we can get more of our own financial resources into agriculture, for example, as a reward for supporting afforestation and the care of land and forest. I believe that since it is about using scientific methods of carbon calculation and sequestration, it will be objective and true counting. I also believe that such a step will encourage further research, which may open up new possibilities to deal with the cleaning up of our environment from the negative effects not only of carbon but also of other harmful emissions. Carbon certificates will allow the financing of projects to reduce not only CO2 but also other greenhouse gases, which is why I currently support this proposal.

Mr President, reparability is a key aspect of sustainability. To facilitate the repair of goods, we contribute to reducing waste, minimising resource depletion and ultimately reducing our environmental impact. In addition, this is in line with the principles of economic efficiency. We stimulate local businesses by supporting repair businesses and skilled professionals. We also contribute to job creation, especially in the SME sector. By extending the lifespan of products through repairs, we reduce the demand for new production, helping to save raw materials and energy. Consumers should have the right to have the products they own repaired and manufacturers should make this process as accessible and simple as possible. Enabling repair strengthens consumers, promotes a sense of ownership and reduces dependence on one-off and often more expensive alternatives. People once had fewer things and often inherited, and when they broke down, they repaired them. Today, there is a tendency to buy new things, to throw away old things, and endless ads encourage us to buy more and more. I support Mr Repasi's proposal to promote and protect consumer rights on the issue of repairing goods they have purchased.

Madam President, the child does not choose which family he will be born into. That's why it's up to us as politicians and society to help him throughout his life. Every child has the same rights, whether they were born in France or Slovakia, whether they were born into a palace or into a small one-room apartment. However, how many children are still at risk of poverty, despite our efforts? Luckily, it's rare for children to die of malnutrition, but what are their options? Warm food is not commonplace for every family every day. I am also not talking about healthy fruits and vegetables, which are also unavailable for some children during the winter due to high prices. The school cannot be chosen by every child as he or she would like, because it is often chosen according to the financial capacities of the families and according to the possibilities of travel that the family can pay. And we're not talking about other options like rings that help kids support their talents, because when a family doesn't have the money to do it, they just don't. Children are our future and should have the same good conditions so that they have every chance for the future, so that they can be astronauts, doctors, researchers or builders.

Mr President, I think the Energy Union is a very good project and I would like to break down the five pillars. In the eighth report, we are talking about security and solidarity, which is actually the first pillar of this Energy Union. And we are also talking about the fact that we have still not achieved enough security and we still have to work on it because we are at risk of various crises. Therefore, we need more support for energy supply. Full integration of our networks, I think, is going very well. In my opinion, energy efficiency, which is the third pillar, has two parts, and it is certainly that what is the price efficiency of the energy we produce. So what is the final price for our consumers and whether they can really afford it. And here I would like to say that we really should do more to make sure that the energy we produce is cheap and accessible to all citizens, and that it is really an opportunity for them. The second part of this energy efficiency is, in my opinion, the impact that constantly supported renewables have on nature. What is the cost of producing solar panels, for example, and whether wind power really does not cause problems for our farmers as well. The fourth pillar is decarbonization. And here I would like to stress that I would be more supportive of nuclear energy and I am very pleased that Slovakia has become part of the Nuclear Forum. And the latest research in which we should look for new possibilities, such as small modular reactors.

Madam President, mental health is as important as physical health, which is why we should not downplay it. Our employees are faced with stress, which causes not only deadlines, but also a huge burden, when often the work of several employees is on one employee and they really have to do for a lot of people. Our employees are also often the target of mobing, but I think the biggest problem is that we are still online, that we are still required to deal with our requests at weekends, at night. They show us pictures of how great it is for someone to be able to respond instantly. The man who sacrifices himself for his work is the one who is perfect. And we appreciate these people, we reward them and we put them on a pedestal. Work becomes so important to us that it is at the expense of our family. I think people need rest. People need the right to disconnect, they need clear working hours, they need support, not to be mocked if they have any such mental and mental health problems. I think that work is part of our life, but it is not our life, and that we only work to pay the bills, and we do not live to work.

Mr President, Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia and also the country with the youngest population in the region. I consider it very important in recent years that progress has been made in improving working conditions. Child labour in this country has been eliminated, as has labour that we consider to be forced. However, I think it is important to point out that although Uzbekistan has already acceded to some ILO conventions, there are still some international standards that it still does not have adopted in its national legislation. And we should support that. For example, fair remuneration of people working on field fighters, or safety at work. I consider Uzbekistan to be an important regional partner capable of ensuring stability and security in the region, and therefore we should also work much more with it at the diplomatic level, and our contacts should be much more regular. I think we should improve these relations bilaterally. We should also improve our mutual trade with this country and fight organised crime, terrorism together, as well as promote the green transition in this country and more use of green energy.

Mr President, the right choice of partners is very important when trading and concluding an agreement. The European Union is constantly looking for like-minded partners who care about, for example, respect for workers' rights, consumer and environmental protection, or justice in the labour market. The European Union has a lot in common with Switzerland in terms of economy, social affairs or even culture. In the case of Switzerland, we have certainty that the above conditions will be respected, and moreover, the country's long-standing good relations with its neighbours indicate stability and credibility. At the moment, I consider the European Union's relations with Switzerland to be unbalanced. We need each other more than ever. Maybe it's time for us to strengthen our relationship with this country. What would I ask in this House? For example, as mentioned in the fight against money laundering or social dumping. We have already missed a number of such opportunities in the past, particularly in the field of security and research, and have underestimated or even wasted them. And we shouldn't repeat this. I think that support for such a report will be more or less unanimous in this House.