Addressing EU demographic challenges: towards the implementation of the 2023 Demography Toolbox (debate)
Dear Bureau, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, demographics is a major issue that plagues the whole of Europe and most acutely my homeland Greece. The figures from the European Commission, which refer to a reduction of 57 million in the population of the European Union, alert us to the danger and force us to act immediately. That is why, as a member of the Budget Committee, I am presenting you w
ELSpeech
General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2027 – all sections (debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, we are experiencing the ultimate global economic storm and we are at the centre, because Europe is under the greatest pressure, and you know it very well. So, what should we do? As the European Parliament's rapporteur for the 2027 budget, I propose the following, Commissioner: Quickly, quickly, more fiscal flexibility for states to help societies. Greece, as Mr Dombrovs
ELSpeech
Escalations in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean following persistent Turkish provocations (debate)
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, the Gordian ties are not broken, they are broken. And today we need to cut Turkey's cough. And this cough is violations, they are threats to territorial integrity. So today, as a member of the Economic Commission, I ask that we now institutionalise large cuts in Turkey's funding to make sense of it, Commissioner. Otherwise it does not put a mind, s
Mr President, you are considered one of the best lawyers in Europe. Why? Because you combined housing with demographics. Mr Jørgensen, you can get a lot of ideas from the President-in-Office. Europe needs money. It takes too much money to be able to solve housing, which is also demographic: fast funding for young people, tax incentives for families, simplification of permits (to get a permit to bu
ELSpeech
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
Madam President, Commissioner, a few days ago it came to light that six countries are demanding cuts of EUR 400 billion from the European budget. You realize that if this happens, it will be the most tragic event. Why is it? We do not have a single market. Countries are calling for support in housing, agriculture, energy. Regions want money, households and businesses need support. If this happens,
ELSpeech
Financial activities of the European Investment Bank Group – annual report 2025 (debate)
Madam President, Commissioner, thank you very much. Thank you very much, because the suggestions I made on the budget have been accepted. Mr Ressler clearly said that money must go in real time and place – and it is very right. So what do people want from us? What do households want? What do businesses want? For the money to work – we say it many times in Greece – we need regional funding. They kn
ELSpeech
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, I am aware of your efforts for people who are in great need throughout Europe, but we will have to stick to projects. Social policy is primarily about people. What do people want? What do households want? What does society want? It wants stable income, affordable housing, demographic support, education and health. How are we gonna do that? It ca
ELSpeech
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
Mr President, we must close the gateway to inequality in Europe. How are we gonna do that? We need to develop the regions more. Funding should reach the Greek regions, the European regions. We also need to make the European Fund more flexible and accessible to citizens. To be able to provide support on issues such as demographics, housing, fixed wages, health and education. There are regions that
ELSpeech
EU strategy in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis, its implications on energy prices and the availability of fertilizers (joint debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, you have rightly stressed today that we have mapped out the next steps in economic policy. And of course I have to say that Mr Mureșan has masterfully emphasised border security very clearly. And border security, as Mr Mureșan pointed out, is of particular value, because you know that on a daily basis Turkey threatens Greece. This won't go away. Every day that Turkey th
Mr President, Commissioner, a domino effect of unfavourable developments is currently taking place in the Gulf and you know it very well: The price of natural gas has increased by 70%. I've listened to you carefully. That's nice of you to say, but it's not enough for me. We have been talking for months, years about wiring the whole of Europe to supply electricity. My country, Greece, Cyprus, Italy
ELSpeech
Guidelines for the 2027 budget - Section III (debate)
Commissioner, Mr President, the war is raging, all governments are taking a deep hand in budgets and citizens of all countries are asking for subsidies for electricity, fuel, supermarkets, necessities. So that we do not have budget diversion and so that we do not have new deficits, I asked you in a letter a few days ago to exclude additional war-related expenditure to support societies which are c
ELSpeech
European Central Bank – annual report 2025 (debate)
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Europe will allocate 30.6 billion to migration. Hey, watch out. My country, Greece, has come under extreme pressure due to immigration. You know very well what happened to the Evros fence when Mrs von der Leyen also visited Evros. You realize that this is a very serious matter. The Evros fence must be finished. A few miles left. The second element is the Aegean
ELSpeech
The 28th Regime: a new legal framework for innovative companies (debate)
Madam President, Commissioner, in my own country, Greece, difficult Gordian ties are not being broken, but they are being cut. Come on, we have a unique opportunity. What does a young man want today? Build a business. Get fast funding. It should be able to reach out to services without this labyrinthine legal status, and it should be able to benefit from European funding. Do it, do it. We should h
Madam President, Commissioner, you know this very well from your home country of Ireland. Mr McGrath, Commissioner, there is a huge problem to be solved. They are the different prices from country to country. This is not a single market, nor is it a single market, as my honourable colleague from CONT and the Economic Committee said. Different prices from country to country. The single market is li
ELSpeech
Grids package and tackling raising energy prices through robust infrastructure (debate)
Madam President, Commissioner, I want your attention. You know very well that Greece has made a great fight to keep Turkey out of SAFE. For what? He's threatening my country, Greece. He's asking for half the Aegean. It seeks the islands, and occupies the northern part of Cyprus. You would do the same if he threatened your country. Let's move on. We have the rest of the recovery fund, the unspent a
Mr President, Commissioner, Mr Halicki, congratulations to our worthy colleague on this budget. Thank you very much for covering the equal support of the Greek borders. So we're going to a new frontier, and my thanks are double. From now on, we have to set a very big goal: the electricity interconnection of our countries, because half of Europe is green and the other half is red. My colleagues fro
ELSpeech
The new 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework: architecture and governance (debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, a budget means a better life for our peoples, i.e. a solution to demographics, housing, better wages, better social security and, of course, job security, an increase in wages. Also, Commissioner, you should be aware that thousands of European companies are currently threatened by the Asian offensive, by the platforms. And finally, put an end to Turkey. No funding as lo
ELSpeech
General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 – all sections (debate)
Mr President, philhellene Commissioner, Mr Halicki, last year in the Committee on Budgets you aptly raised the issue of covering European borders from north to south. You know, Mr Serafin, Commissioner for the Budget, that Greece is directly threatened by Turkey. It's unbelievable. On Monday the Turks ask for Lesvos, on Tuesday they ask for Chios, on Wednesday they ask for Samos, on Thursday they
ELSpeech
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
Madam President, Commissioner, we are witnessing a huge imbalance in electricity prices from country to country. In Greece, Cyprus, Italy and other countries, the megawatt hour costs 230 and 250 euros, while in others 80 and 90. It's unfair, it's very unfair, because there's no wiring. The new budget for 2026 must therefore remove these large disparities. In the Committee on Economic and Monetary
ELSpeech
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
Madam President, Commissioner, Europe's southern borders, which are also Greek borders, should be treated on an equal footing with Europe's northern borders. You know very well, coming to Greece, that my country is directly threatened by Turkey. You know it very well, the whole planet knows it. He is threatening the islands and at the same time, Commissioner, he has not lifted the casus belli. You