What Loucas spoke about.

One out of three women has encountered physical or sexual violence. Domestic violence claims the lives of approximately 50 women every week. Within professional environments, 75 % of women have faced sexual harassment, and it is estimated that 1 in 2 young women has experienced gender-based cyber violence. Ιt is unacceptable for women to feel unsafe in any aspect of their life: in public, online,

The attack on the church of Saint Elias in Damascus, where at least 25 believers were killed and more than 60 were injured, is another tragic reminder of the vulnerability of religious minorities in Syria.The European Parliament stresses the need for an immediate, transparent and independent investigation and accountability of those responsible. The protection of religious and cultural sites is fu

Mr. Sieper, if you go to Turkey you will see that the prisons are full of people with diversity. There is no writer or poet left who has not been imprisoned, and anyone who speaks out against Erdoğan's regime is in prison. Respect for human rights is a concept that Turkey completely ignores. And yet, my dear friend, we are still discussing with Turkey whether it will become a member of our Europea

Mr President, Commissioner. In just three months, the Republic of Cyprus recorded 520 aerial and 23 naval violations by Turkey, 543 violations. And we are still here discussing whether and how Europe will react. How many violations are needed for Europe to finally realise that there is a problem? If this happened in Germany, Italy or Spain, would you accept it? In Estonia? Commissioner, note, beca

Madam President, Commissioner, Covid has taught us something very specific, something very important: No country alone can deal with health issues. Two different committees, two rapporteurs from two different political groups, many different views. And yet, we have succeeded; We have managed to come up with a report, a common position, to provide solutions to a very serious issue, as we have descr

Mr President, Commissioner, the report we are debating today is the product of many negotiations and compromises. Above all, however, it is a report that must unite us, because it concerns the people who keep health systems upright: doctors, nurses, pharmacists and all health professionals who care for us every day; the people who stood at the forefront when the Covid pandemic gripped the entire w

Madam President, you said that we will defend every square metre of European territory, and I welcome that. You talked about Greenland, you talked about Ukraine. You didn't say a word about Cyprus. So I'm going to ask directly and I want an answer from you: Will any aggressive action by Turkey against Cyprus or Greece be treated as an attack on European soil? Yes or no? That's a very simple questi

Madam President, Commissioner, I come from a country where summer heat is almost a daily occurrence. In the European Union last year we had record fires with over 10 million acres of burnt land. For Cyprus, my home country, the data of the European Forest Fire Information System record an extreme peak of burnt areas. I therefore welcome the landmark decision, as there will be a record number for t

The citizens certainly cannot solve it, but the European Union must send out clear signals. When you say on the one hand that you are not progressing, but regressing on too many issues, and at the same time in the report you say that we should see how we help – customs union, upgrading, security – you are giving the wrong signal. That while you don't take steps, I reward you for being a strong cou

Mr President, Commissioner, I welcome the rapporteurs' attempt to square the circle, to put the words 'Turkey' and 'progress' in the same sentence. Very difficult task, because these two words cannot coexist. What progress? Turkey still illegally occupies European territory in Cyprus. He continues to threaten Greece with war. It continues to cause daily instability in the Eastern Mediterranean. Th

Mr President, Commissioner, I express my full and undivided solidarity with the Lebanese people. The ceasefire should be seen as a real opportunity for substantial de-escalation. Strengthen diplomatic efforts to draw up a credible map for lasting stability in the region. For Cyprus, my country, and this crisis is next to it. In the evening we can see the flashes of rockets flying in our area. As a

Madam President, High Representative, Mr Costa, you have said that you will not accept the violation of international law in Venezuela, Gaza, Iran, Greenland and even Africa. Why did you forget about Cyprus? But today I want to say something else. A stronger and more sovereign Europe is not only built on defence and geopolitical strategy. It is built with knowledge, with young people, with equal o

Mr President, High Representative, as the European Parliament's standing rapporteur on Iran, I would like to point out the following. The price of Iran's freedom has already been paid in blood, with the lives of people who took to the streets to demand the obvious: freedom, dignity and rights. The regime responded with brutal force, firing on protesters, arbitrary arrests and executions. Thousands

Madam President, Commissioner, Mr President, welcome to Parliament. For me, for all of us, Cyprus is above all. And we will do everything we can to make it work. The Republic of Cyprus took over the presidency of the Council at a crucial moment for Europe. But I want to say clearly to everyone that Cyprus can: can respond, can unite, can stand up to the circumstances. The challenges are huge. We k

Mr President, today we are preparing another European Council, talking about Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the European Union's strategic autonomy. But let me say that the Union is showing a dangerous selective sensitivity. The truth is awkward: Our European family does not face the same situations in the same way. Because at the same time we are defending the territorial integrity of Ukrai

Mr President, Commissioner, we are not just talking about an illegal proclamation, we are talking about 42 years of a pseudo-state of shame set up on the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus, a Member State of the European Union. We are talking about 51 years of Turkish occupation, with Turkey continuing to provoke, threaten, talk about two states, talk about partition. Where did you fin

Madam President, Commissioner, as Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, I want to speak with absolute sincerity today. Next Monday I am going to Belgrade as part of my duties and I want to be clear to everyone. Let's talk honestly. Do we want Serbia in the European Union or not? Today, Serbia is facing two roads: The European one, with refo

Madam President, Commissioner, my country, Cyprus, is only 200 nautical miles from Gaza and from our homes we see the missiles at night. We are the closest European territory to the battlefield and our responsibility, especially in the humanitarian field, is enormous. We have done and continue to do everything we can to alleviate the human suffering that has been going on outside our doorstep for

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I am speaking to you with outrage and indignation because five Greek Cypriots, five European citizens have been illegally arrested and detained by the Turkish occupation army for two months. It is an act of piracy, a kidnapping in retaliation against the legitimate Republic of Cyprus that has arrested usurpers, those who sell our property in the oc

Madam President, Serbia is a country that is on the European road, a road that requires dialogue, respect and democratic maturity. Violence has no place and is absolutely reprehensible wherever it comes from, whether by the police or by the citizens. Violence only brings violence, it does not solve problems, it sharpens them. Governments have a duty to listen, to listen to society, to give space t

Mr President, Commissioner, the Cyprus issue is not just a matter of trust. It's a matter of invasion and occupation, and you should know that very well. A Turkish invasion 51 years unpunished. Colonization? 51 years unpunished. Rape by the Turkish army of hundreds of girls and women? With impunity. Executions of children and men in front of their families? With impunity. They took our land, they

Mr President, in a few days NATO will meet again and Europe must go there with a plan and a compass. We cannot talk about common defence and expect the other side of the Atlantic to watch our backs. It is time for a Euro-army – not to replace NATO but to serve the planning, autonomy and credibility of the European Union. We cannot fail to have a clear timetable. We can't go watching and doing. Thr

Madam President, Commissioner, seven out of ten Europeans believe that corruption is a reality in their country. So let's say some truths. The rule of law in the European Union is seriously deficient and we are all aware of it. It's not a theoretical problem, it's existential. We violate it every day, not just with our tolerance but with our own decisions. Some see Europe only as a big bank: As lo