Debate contributions by Vilija BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ

President, Commissioner, colleagues. For more than 15 years, the EU non-discrimination directive has been stuck in the Council. This means that millions of Europeans still do not enjoy the same level of protection against discrimination in their daily lives, whether in education, health care, housing or access to a wide range of services. We Socialists and Democrats have consistently supported this directive, because equality and dignity are not the subject of negotiations. However, as long as unanimity is required in the Council, progress remains a hostage to political fears. Arguments about administrative or financial burdens often hide the reluctance to acknowledge that discrimination is still deeply rooted in our societies. A social and strong Europe cannot be built on double standards. We cannot defend human rights beyond our borders when we fail to enforce them internally. This Directive does not offer privileges, but ensures equal protection for all. It is therefore time to show the Council political courage and make European values a reality.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. My homeland, Lithuania, has been subject to continuous hybrid attacks from the Belarusian regime for years, ranging from instrumentalised migration and disinformation to cyber threats and pressure on our borders, airspace and aviation security. This is no longer a bilateral issue. This is a targeted, politically motivated aggression against the European Union as a whole. That is why yesterday's Council decision to include hybrid attacks in the EU sanctions regime is crucial. However, we cannot relax, we must apply sanctions that have an impact, while at the same time increasing deterrence against the hostile Lukashenka regime. This is a clear message that Europe will not be passive and that such activities will have real consequences. Acting in solidarity, we must strengthen the resilience of the EU as a whole, protect our democracies and support the most affected Member States. In defending Lithuania, we are also defending the European Union as a whole.

Lately, Lithuania is facing a new threat when illegal and smuggled balloons released from Belarus violate Lithuanian airspace, disrupt civil aviation and pose serious threats to the safety of the population. These intrusions represent a significant escalation in hybrid warfare tactics. This is part of a broader pattern of destabilising actions by Belarus and Russia and represents a growing threat to the security of the European Union as a whole. Therefore, on behalf of the Group of Socialists and Democrats, we ask that the issue of Belarus' hybrid actions against Lithuania be put on the agenda of the next plenary session, because this is important not only for Lithuania, but also for Europe as a whole.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. The accession of my country, Lithuania, to the European Union twenty-one years ago saved the country from the fate of Ukraine. We have become stronger, both economically and politically, and more resilient to external threats. The same is expected of Ukraine, Moldova and the Balkan countries. Enlargement is also necessary for the European Union. The European Union must therefore be prepared for enlargement, as must those countries which are seeking membership. However, enlargement will certainly not be possible without treaty changes, without comprehensive institutional reforms. We see that it is already difficult to take decisions quickly in the Council. Some decisions are delayed, some countries exercise their right of veto solely for their own narrow interests, and this certainly does not contribute to the European Union's ability to respond and adapt to change in a timely and effective manner. To remain significant on the political map, we must change ourselves, change our institutions and ensure swift and effective decision-making.

Mr President, High Representative. The war is taking place in Ukraine, but we, the countries of the European Union, are also feeling Russian aggression. The Baltic Sea has become a field of constant Russian warfare. Therefore, in these difficult times, we need more than ever a solidarity-based, strong and credible NATO alliance, with sufficient resources, a force to face any threat. And I very much hope that NATO leaders will agree on the issues of principle during the meeting. First, it is an increase in defence funding to 5%. Secondly, there will be a commitment to defend and strengthen the eastern flank of Europe, which remains the most vulnerable place in Europe so far. And thirdly, to agree on the uninterrupted provision of all kinds of assistance to Ukraine. My country Lithuania, aware of the real threats from Russia, will exceed the five percent threshold for security and defence already next year.

President, colleagues. Peace in Ukraine is the goal of all of us, but it must be a just, lasting and viable peace that will enable Ukraine to choose its own way further, its own security measures and deter future Russian aggression. The peace talks initiated by the US, in which the EU was initially ignored, are only favourable to Putin, who is not interested in a lasting peace in Ukraine and who is obviously delaying the process by testing our unity as the West. Russia did not abide by the ceasefire agreement, so it can hardly be expected to abide by the agreements in the future. We, Europe, must defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the inviolability of its borders and not allow Ukraine to be divided. We must mobilise the NATO bloc in Europe to ensure an increase in the flow of support to Ukraine so that it can defend itself until a peace agreement in Ukraine's interest is reached. We must deliver on our promises and speed up Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

Mr President, a competitive Europe is based on skilled workers and skills that meet the needs of the market. But let's look at the reality in the eyes, what is the real situation in the European Union? What are the basic skills of young people, including digital literacy? They are certainly insufficient and in some areas the situation is even worse than it was a decade ago. Fewer and fewer young people graduate in mathematics, science or information technology. I therefore call on the Commission to work with the Member States to adapt their education systems to new market developments and to include the skills agenda in the European Semester. There is an urgent need to ensure the cross-border recognition of skills and qualifications, to ensure that young people make greater use of traineeships that must be paid. Long-term learning and retraining should be encouraged.

President-in-Office, Commissioner, colleagues, there has indeed been progress in gender equality over the last decade, but that path and that work has certainly not yet been fully achieved. And our citizens have made it very clear that the main problems remain violence against women, the insurmountable pay gap between women and men for the same work, and the reconciliation and safeguarding of work and private life. Finally, women's reproductive rights. The roadmap presented by the Commission reaffirms the commitment of the European Union, our community, to improving women's rights. However, first of all, Commissioner, I call for a thorough assessment of whether the legislation that has already been adopted actually works and is being implemented in the Member States. Probably not, so we need an effective and binding post-2025 strategy.

Mr President, since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, countries bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine have been exposed to attacks by the Russian regime, which continue to this day. I am from Lithuania, and we suffered a direct attack from Belarus, when migrants were used as a political weapon to destabilise our society and cause panic. Hybrid attacks on the bottom of the Baltic Sea are still ongoing, with the aim of destroying our energy and communications infrastructure. We know how powerful the spread of Russian disinformation and attempts to infiltrate our society and spread a narrative useful to Russia, fuelling hostile sentiments and seeking to divide society. Therefore, the security and stability of the EU’s eastern regions and the strengthening of economic resilience go hand in hand with the security of the European Union as a whole. And this must be given special attention and the necessary funding so that these frontline regions are strengthened and the people living in them feel safe.

Madam President, strengthening the competitiveness of the European Union goes hand in hand with sustainable social employment and education policies. Workers with skills that match the needs of the labour market and high-quality, well-paid jobs are the backbone of a strong and competitive economy. Labour market needs in the digital and green transition economy are changing fast, and we must preserve all opportunities for vocational training so that workers can first re-skill, acquire new skills to match the needs of the labour market and finally feel safe. Employers play a crucial role in the professional training and qualification of workers, but there is often a preference for hiring new workers and a reluctance to invest in training, and there is a general attempt to shift the responsibility for training to the workers themselves. I therefore strongly urge the Commission to take concrete initiatives and present a directive on workers' right to training in order to guarantee all workers the right to paid work-related training and education.

Mr President, Commissioner, what is really needed to answer the questions raised by our people, how to increase the birth rate, how to deal with ageing, how to ensure that there is no shortage of workers? The answers seem to be very simple: stable and decent work, fair and sufficient wages to support the family, accessible and quality housing and accessible childcare and health services. Unfortunately, this is not yet available to all Europeans. This means that we are not sufficiently aware and concretely addressing demographic challenges, both in the European Union and in the Member States. Let's see, despite the obvious trend towards an ageing population, there is a critical shortage of care and long-term care services in countries. Despite the extremely low birth rate, there are no affordable and high-quality childcare, health and education services. Finally, let's see, there is a shortage of workers, but about eight million young people in the European Union are neither in education nor in employment. This means that the Youth Guarantee does not work. Twenty million of our children live in poverty. We do not invest enough in the child guarantee. So we need to work together.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, investment in security and defence, in significant capacity building for the defence industry, and investment in our European Union as a whole, in our people. There is therefore an urgent need to increase investment in defence and in our military capabilities, both by the Member States and by the European Union as a whole. And here we must be more united than ever. The threat of Russian aggression is huge. I come from Lithuania, from a front-line state, and therefore the ongoing war in Ukraine and global geopolitical instability in no way allow us to delay and wait, for example, for a new financial perspective, so that we can significantly increase our defence financing capabilities. We must look for initiatives and flexible ways of funding. We must have European funds for the development of the defence industry, mobilise funding from the European Investment Bank, review the fiscal rules that allow Member States to allocate more funding for defence without respecting the three percent of GDP budget deficit, which is required by the current reality.

Mr President, Commissioner, thank you for your work. I wish you the best of luck. Well, in fact, millions of Europeans cannot afford to heat their homes or pay their energy bills. The surge in energy prices since the beginning of the war in Ukraine has affected everyone, but especially our most vulnerable people. Energy poverty is indeed a multifaceted problem and an integral part of overall poverty, which includes both people's incomes, which do not correspond to real livelihoods, and price levels, as well as poor energy efficiency of buildings, and slow renovation processes and speculation on the wholesale energy market, as well as the huge profits of energy companies. Until now, energy poverty has been left to the Member States, but we need a common approach to understanding energy poverty and tackling it at European Union level. I therefore call on the new Commission to present as soon as possible a strategy for combating poverty, including energy poverty and concrete measures to combat it. We also expect a lot from the new Commissioner for Housing, so that every citizen of the European Union has affordable, high-quality and energy-efficient housing.

Dear President, Commissioner, colleagues. It is clear that the war in Ukraine is no longer limited to the territory of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, hybrid attacks have also started in the Baltic region. And the last attack that damaged two submarine cables between Germany and Finland and Lithuania and Sweden is certainly not a coincidence. This is a very well-planned act of sabotage and demonstration of power. These are Russia's hybrid attacks on the European Union. And the purpose of these attacks is to divide European unity, sow fear, destroy important infrastructure. Infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and strategic energy facilities of the Baltic States, such as the Klaipėda liquefied gas terminal, may become targets of hostile states. We need to be seriously prepared for this. The European response and condemnation of these attacks have demonstrated European unity, but condemnation alone will not be enough. We must protect the vital energy infrastructure in the Baltic region, because it is the security of the entire European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, Europe's security depends on us being able to help Ukraine preserve its freedom and sovereignty. Soon there will be three years of fierce war, and it seems that Putin is not going to retreat. That is why we must show solidarity with Ukraine and its people. My country, Lithuania, knows better than anyone the price of freedom and the real face of Putin's Russia. From the very beginning, we have been united and united in our support for Ukraine and its people, because it is only by acting together that we are strong. That is why we must continue to stand united across the European Union in providing support to Ukraine. Dear colleagues, Lithuania and the other Baltic countries – Latvia and Estonia – know how fragile freedom is and how high its price is. That is why it is the duty of all of us to come together and help Ukraine achieve victory, because a free Ukraine is also a secure Europe.