What Elena spoke about.

Madam President, the war in Ukraine is making the Black Sea an increasingly dangerous area for the economic and food security of the European Union. Maritime transport corridors, ports, underwater communication cables and energy infrastructure are at risk. But military risks also have serious economic consequences. We cannot allow European farmers to pay with their livelihoods. Mrs Kallas, do you

Madam President, a number of reports of beatings, unlawful detentions and intimidation by police officers in various cities of the country have been reported in Bulgaria. In a number of cases, the Bulgarian court has even already declared the detentions unlawful. The most worrying is the situation in the Kardzhali district, where the facts call for an urgent check for abuse and use of the institut

Madam President, we have before us an agreement that will open the European markets for duty-free imports of honey from Mexico in an amount comparable to the production of honey in three Bulgarians. First, the quota is increased to 35 000 tonnes. After the seventh year, all restrictions are lifted. This is happening at a time when the European institutions themselves are warning about the risk of

Madam President, Europe needs a serious climate policy, but it must not punish. It should not penalise European industry, workers and energy security. The carbon trading system has contributed to reducing emissions, but European companies today pay 2-3 times more for electricity than the United States of America. This puts at risk strategic sectors such as steel, chemical industry, energy. For cou

on behalf of the ALDE Group. - Mr President, in the face of the threat of a global energy crisis due to the war in the Middle East, Europe must take a decision now. We don't have time to wait for the construction of new nuclear power plants after losing decades in short-sighted politics. Didn't the war in the Middle East show you once again, once again, that it is the economy that suf

In the European Union, slow growth threatens Europe's ability to maintain low levels of inequality and among the most vulnerable countries is Bulgaria, where purchasing power is at the bottom of the European Union, almost a third of that of France and Germany. The gap between the regions in Bulgaria is widening and 20% of Bulgarian citizens cannot heat their homes and young people can hardly buy a

Mr President, in democratic societies, the right of association is fundamental. People should be able to freely organize and defend their causes. This is important and I respect the Commission's efforts, but democracy has a clear principle: Power is vested in institutions elected by citizens. Civil society has a role to play, but it cannot override the democratic mandate. If we are to introduce ne

Madam President, political interference against the independent judiciary in Bulgaria should not be allowed. What we are seeing today, however, is an attempt by one of the opposition parties to attack the independent judiciary. The occasion for today’s debate is the arrest of one of the mayors of ‘Continuing the Change’, who runs Bulgaria’s third largest city. There are reports of corruption again

Mr. President, President Trump's new peace plan brings real hope for a definitive end to the war in Gaza. It sets out clear steps for the release of hostages, the exchange of prisoners, the disarmament of Hamas, international governance and the reconstruction of Gaza. Thanks to this plan, all parties are now at the negotiating table and for the first time we are seeing real progress, supported by

Mrs von der Leyen, the success of the European Union lies in the strength and dignity of each Member State. During your visit to Bulgaria on August 31, the world news agencies came up with false information that your plane was hovering for 1 hour over Plovdiv due to a possible jamming of the GPS signal. You know that this false information caused a serious blow to the image of Bulgaria. So far, yo

Madam President, dear colleagues, in the Middle East, the crisis is spreading fast: from Palestine, to Lebanon, to Yemen, and now to Iran. People need urgent help, but peace feels farther away than ever. This is already our sixth debate on the Middle East since our new mandate began last July. And honestly, it feels like we keep saying the same things. We call for peace, we ask for action, but ver

Madam President, the attempt to impose peace by force in Ukraine is a path to an escalation of war with enormous consequences for European citizens. And the longer the fighting continues, the more Ukraine will lose both people and territories. That's the reality. For three years, the European Union has not sought a way to negotiate and stop the conflict. The new US administration is trying to stop

We have long believed that censorship is inherent in authoritarian regimes. Today, however, it is taking over the media in Europe with security arguments and the fight against disinformation. There is already correct and incorrect information, and critical thinking, journalistic investigation, we replaced with fact-checking. Freedom of speech is increasingly implied by the provision of pre-approve

Mr President, dear colleagues, today we face a critical challenge once again: the future of the Middle East. And we find ourselves asking, how can the European Union make a meaningful impact? The answer lies in our commitment to a two‑state solution. And this is not just an option – it's the only path to true and lasting peace. The recent hostage deal is a vital step for the good example of diplom

Mr President, dear colleagues, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is an urgent matter that affects hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees. We must acknowledge the essential role played by the humanitarian agencies actively working on the ground. UNRWA is a leading organisation providing food, shelter and health care to nearly 2 million people and it's responsible for 63 % of primary health

Mr President, dear colleagues, how can you possibly turn a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen? With more than 18 million Yemenis facing food insecurity and 4.5 million displaced, we cannot afford to remain silent. The urgency of the situation calls for our immediate actions, especially for the most vulnerable: women and children. Imagine the children suffering from malnutrition and a la

Madam President, if you want the European migration policy to be fair to those who need protection, it should be firm and effective to others who don't have the right to stay. Almost half of the people who arrive in Europe do not receive asylum status. Last year, less than 20 % of those with return decisions were actually returned. Yes, Commissioner Dalli, we need to do more. Returns is the missin

Thank you for your question. I think that the main instrument we have today to be able to effectively manage the external border of the European Union is the Pact on Migration and Asylum. It gives us all the tools we need to be able to manage the external borders of the European Union. Of course, much depends on its implementation and that is why our efforts over the next two years will focus on t

Dear Mr Schinas, Europe's security depends on the security of our external borders. In recent years, Frontex has shown that it can carry out effective reform and provide assistance to frontline countries, including Bulgaria. But let us not delude ourselves that by strengthening Frontex, by strengthening the external borders of the European Union, we can stop migration to Europe and hide from the p

Madam President, dear colleagues, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deeply concerning, with over two million people in desperate need and thousands of lives lost. This crisis extends beyond Gaza, affecting neighbouring countries like Lebanon. We find ourselves in a crucial situation after a year of escalating conflict. I am asking Mr Borrell: are we truly powerless to break this cycle of violence

Madam President, today I want to address a critical issue: the need to uphold international law standards for children in the Middle East. International law is a moral compass guiding our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable: the children. Many of these children are caught up in war. During my visit to Yemen two weeks ago, I witnessed the struggle faced by its people. Children urgently ne

Mr. Chairman, I'm going to speak Bulgarian. Dear Mr Borrell, colleagues, Europe must be a leader in the Middle East peace initiative. Unfortunately, the conflict is growing and endangers both the interests of the European Union and the security of European citizens. A concrete example is the daring attacks of Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea and the three European citizens taken hostage six months a