What Miriam spoke about.

Mr President, the persecution of Ali Karimli and Anar Mammadli is yet another reminder of the brutal totalitarian nature of Aliyev's regime. Behind a facade, it systematically silences political opposition, independent journalists and civil society. Its repression also targets foreign nationals. We must not forget Ruben Vardanyan and the other Armenians still held hostage in Baku, who are subject

Madam President, imagine that you are starting a family or have young children. You live crammed in a small apartment with parents and grandparents. This is how about a third of people in Slovakia live. At the same time, Slovaks spend more than a quarter of their family budget on food alone per month. And I'm not talking about situations of families caring for a senior relative or having a child w

Madam President, when I drew attention to the threats arising from our dependence on China years ago, many of my warnings were seen as exaggerated. Honestly, today I'd like to be wrong. More and more people, our companies, are directly feeling the price we pay for the addiction we have created ourselves. China's unfair practices threaten our businesses and jobs. China's dominance of critical raw m

Madam President, colleagues, again and again, we warn about the systematic dismantling of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong through the abusive application of the national security law. Leticia Wong is the latest victim of the oppressive Chinese communist regime, while Jimmy Lai and many other pro-democracy voices remain unjustly in prison. China is constantly breaching the international obligatio

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the horrific attacks in Kawel village – where innocent Christians, including their pastor, were brutally killed – are yet another tragic reminder of the escalating violence against Christian communities in Nigeria. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Nigeria has become one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. Across the coun

Mr President. Artificial intelligence is increasingly affecting every area of our lives: From education to healthcare to setting up our smart homes. But artificial intelligence must have clear rules, so that it is a good servant, but not a bad master. One of the areas in which it can help us is international trade. Every day around 12 million packages from online platforms flood us at European bor

Madam President, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, as the rapporteur of this House for Armenia and for the relations with Armenia, I want to underline why today's debate truly matters. EU‑Armenia relations have reached a pivotal moment. Armenia has in the past years demonstrated a genuine commitment to democracy, and our partnership today is an example of what closer cooperation can achieve. Arm

Mr President, dear colleagues, Georgian people made it clear decades ago: they believe in a free, democratic Georgia anchored in European values. Yet, the one‑party rule of Georgian Dream, using Putin's playbook, is steering the country in the opposite direction. We are witnessing repeated attacks against peaceful protesters, the silencing of journalists and a curtailing of fundamental freedoms th

Mr. Blaha, I am not going to the Slovak Republic. But I stand here because Slovak citizens have put me in this institution to defend their interests. Slovak citizens do not want European funds to be stolen. And I have made it clear here that we are asking the European Union to act where we have given it competence – and it has competence to investigate corruption and not to act where it does not h

Madam President, if Slovakia were a house, there would be darkness in it. Yes, corruption plunges our society into darkness. The current government is extinguishing one light after another, weakening and dismantling institutions for detecting and investigating serious crimes such as the Special Prosecutor's Office, the National Crime Agency or the Whistleblower Protection Office. These steps, incl

Madam President, at the age of 78 and in poor health, Jimmy Lai faces life imprisonment following a sham trial based on fabricated offences. This is the real face of the brutal Chinese Communist Party. Jimmy Lai is one of the strongest supporters of democracy in Hong Kong. He represents the best of Hong Kong, its entrepreneurial spirit and its love of freedom. Therefore, colleagues, I would like t

Madam President, almost a month ago there was one of the largest abductions in Nigeria's history. The attackers entered St. Mary's Catholic School and kidnapped 300 innocent children. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. We are witnessing increasing abductions and recurrent violence by armed forces and Islamist terrorist organisations. Christian communities are suffering immensely. Christi

Madam President, dear colleagues, in compliance with Rule 202 of the Rules of Procedure, I would like to raise a point of order to the agenda point 'Award of the Sakharov Prize'. Last night, freedom and democracy defender and former Sakharov Prize nominee Jimmy Lai was found guilty of fabricated offences by the brutal Chinese communist regime. He faces life imprisonment. Jimmy Lai is one of the st

Mr President, dear colleagues, dear Baha'i friends on the balcony. The Baha'is are the largest unrecognised religious minority in Iran. They are facing systematic arrest and torture, denied basic human rights such as education, employment or even a dignified burial. Their only 'crime' is their Baha'i faith. The Iranian totalitarian regime misuses laws to label Baha'is as a 'misguided sect', treati

Madam President, sovereign motherhood is a business that knows neither ethical nor geographical boundaries. In it, the woman is humiliated to the level of rented reproductive organs, and the child to goods to order. With the fact that when the result does not suit the customer, the next fate of the child does not interest anyone. More recently, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women c

Commissioner, colleagues. The tragedy in Novi Sad is a clear example of how poor-quality Chinese investments, combined with a combination of corruption and non-transparent practices, will put the lives of European citizens at risk. However, it is also a symbol of where Serbia has been going in recent years. Instead of progress towards Europe, we see a gradual shift towards Moscow and Beijing. This

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, we speak here today about Gui Minhai, a Swedish publisher abducted 10 years ago from his holiday home in Thailand by the Chinese intelligence forces. Through Gui's writing and publishing in Hong Kong, millions were able to reach books which were banned in mainland China. His case reminds us of the Chinese Government's long arm of repression against independen

Mr President, dear colleagues, two years ago we woke up to the tragic news of Hamas's brutal and barbaric evil attack on Israel – an attack that left thousands of civilians dead or taken hostage and unleashed incredible suffering that continues today. Today, in Europe, we are witnessing a growing wave of antisemitism, or Jew hatred, to put it in blunter terms. Jew hatred manifested in attacks on s

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, the US is not only the largest trading partner, but also our closest ally. We share a rich history, common values and traditions. The transatlantic relationship is the foundation of our mutual prosperity and security. And tariffs benefit neither side. They only benefit totalitarian regimes like China and Russia – the same regimes that threaten our security,

Madam President, colleagues, the release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski and other political prisoners gives hope to all of us who believe in a democratic Belarus. But this single positive message doesn't signal the end of political repression in the country. Over a thousand political prisoners remain behind bars. Systematic crackdowns on citizens have only strengthened in recent months. Repressive measur

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, current export controls on several minerals is yet another example of the toolbox China uses for its political purposes. Misusing its dominance over rare earths and deliberately causing disruptions in the supply chains is part of China's trade strategy, which allows it to maintain global dependencies. This puts in danger not only our car producers, b

Mr President, Vice-President, just yesterday we witnessed another brutal bombing of Kyiv. Each such acts reminds us of the threat that Russia poses – and other totalitarian regimes – to Ukraine, to Europe and to world-based global order. It is high time to take our security seriously and adequately invest in defence. But we must do that responsibly and in cooperation with our allies. Raising our d

Madam President, dear colleagues, China has recently imposed new export controls on several minerals, misusing its dominance over rare earth. It's already causing disruptions in our supply chains. This is not the first time China has closed taps on critical minerals. In order to secure the future of our industries, we have to address these actions in the context of competitiveness and economic sec