Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, organised crime networks are abducting the hopes of defenceless immigrants. It is a trade of exploitation and death. Smuggling of migrants on the central and western Mediterranean routes is no longer just a problem of illegal crossings. It is a highly sophisticated operation of migrant smuggling networks that are also involved in the trafficking of drugs, firearms and human beings. These networks not only exploit human suffering, they pose a much broader threat to our security. We need a robust system of intelligence sharing between Member States to track, attack, dismantle these criminal networks at their root. We need to update the legislation and confiscate the assets used by these criminal networks. We all know how difficult this work can be, but progress is possible. It is a matter of political will.

Mr President, without light, without water, without food, this is a country where 94% of the population lives in poverty, where more than seven million people have fled, not out of choice, but out of desperation. A country where the minimum wage does not buy even a kilo of rice, where hospitals without medicines and without electricity are places of despair, not cure. In Venezuela, Maduro does not rule legitimately, but by force, fraud and fear. This regime, ladies and gentlemen, usurps; does not lead, oppresses; Don't talk, lie. Today, there are more than 1 900 political prisoners in Venezuela, men and women who refuse to kneel before tyranny, who have sacrificed everything – freedom, family, future – so that Venezuela can be free again. Maduro will fall because oppressive regimes are condemned by the very force of freedom. And when that day comes, because it will, let history record that we defend without hesitation the right of the Venezuelan people to live in democracy. We democrats reaffirm our commitment to support the people of Venezuela and to ensure that power belongs to those who actually won the elections. We are and will always be on the side of free Venezuela, on the side of the people who do not give up.

Mr President, this is a war that is not declared, but that strikes where we are most vulnerable. The sabotage of submarine cables in the Baltic Sea is not just an incident. These cables carry 99% of international data traffic, form the backbone of global communications and the modern economy. Let's think about what that means. Our economies, our governments, our societies, everything depends on cables resting on the seabed. Russian sabotage, China's growing involvement and the attacks now spreading to Taiwan question whether we are ready to face a new era of hybrid warfare. The answer is obvious. This is not a mere carelessness. Europe needs a strong strategy, to strengthen our alliances, to invest in advanced technology, to create robust rules against increasingly sophisticated threats. In Portugal, the increase in Russian ship traffic in our waters is not a coincidence, it is a sign. We are one of the most important ports for connectivity between continents and that makes us a target. Protecting submarine cables is, above all, ensuring that our sovereignty is not held hostage by a battle at the bottom of the sea and a hybrid war that has already begun.

Señora presidenta, señorías, expreso mis más profundos palabras de solidaridad hacia las víctimas de la mayor catastrophe jamás vivid en España. The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, although he was able and willing to act, was forced not to do so, no one asked him. He is a politician who convenes an extraordinary plenary session, in the midst of tragedy, to discuss the control of Spanish public radio and television, because nothing is more important in his media agenda. A politician who takes advantage of the greatest disaster ever remembered to use the victims as a bargaining chip in a budget negotiation. A politician who refuses, 15 days later, to declare a national emergency and take the reins of a catastrophe only and only for partisan interests. A politician who says he is fine, surrounded by others who say that everything was, after all, a miscalculation. Gentlemen, 223 dead, muddy streets turned into ruins, faces marked by loss, and survivors combing through murky waters for the rest of their lives are a portrait of monumental failure. Ha fallado la prevención, ha fallado la respuesta adecuada, pero, sobre todo, ha fallado la decencia. España deserves mucho más.

Madam President, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, manipulation of public opinion, instrumentalisation of migration crises, disinformation campaigns – we are facing a war of hybrid attacks and foreign interference. This battle is not fought with conventional weaponry, but with disinformation and manipulation. For years, the Kremlin has orchestrated disinformation operations to advance its geopolitical objectives, from the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 to the recent destabilisation of Moldova. The risks associated with hybrid threats to the European Union are increasing, fuelled by a volatile geopolitical context and new technologies that facilitate the spread of lies. The instrumentalisation of migrants provides an opportunity for criminal networks, especially when it comes to human trafficking. Cybercrime groups can disrupt our internal networks, compromising security and stability. We need to send a clear message to everyone who wants to try to sabotage our democracies and erode the foundations of our society. We need to step up European security cooperation, especially information sharing, to identify and neutralise these threats. We need to build a more informed, critical and resilient society. A population able to distinguish between fact and fiction is much less susceptible to manipulation. Where there is interference, sanctions must be strict against those who finance and promote these threats. We are facing an adversary that turns information into a weapon, exploits social and political divisions, and tries to undermine citizens' trust in institutions and democracy. We cannot allow this to happen. The fight for the truth and integrity of our societies is a priority that we cannot postpone.

Madam President, today we remember Daphne Galizia, who was brutally assassinated for exposing corruption and defending the truth. Her legacy lives on, but in Malta the culture of impunity persists. Malta's recent history reminds us of the massive power of citizens and journalists in the fight for justice. Their efforts led to the courts declaring the EUR 4 billion hospital privatisation deal fraudulent. Because of them, former Prime Minister Muscat and his associates are facing criminal charges linked to this web of deceit. Their courage has exposed schemes from the abuse of disability payments to fraudulent ID cards that aim to exploit the most vulnerable. Yet despite these victories, the Maltese State has failed to implement a single recommendation from the public inquiry into Daphne's assassination. Not one conviction has been secured for the corruption she exposed. When institutions are taken captive, justice stumbles and journalists become the last line of defence. This is the reality we face in Malta today and we cannot turn a blind eye. It's on those who believe in justice, fairness and the rule of law to stand up and call for change. We must support the fight for reform and insist that no journalist, no citizen, ever faces the threat that Daphne did. We honour her memory – yes – but more than that, we owe it to every European who believes in truth, accountability and democracy.

Madam President, Commissioner, we are living in times of great progress and, paradoxically, in times of regression. People are persecuted for their beliefs, voices are silenced for the simple act of professing a faith. This is not an isolated phenomenon; He is here, among us, disguised as indifference or false neutrality. But every time we ignore an attack on a church, a mosque or a synagogue, every time we allow religious hatred to manifest itself, we become complicit. If we close our eyes to the resurgence of anti-Semitism, which forces so many Jews to hide their identity, what have we really learned from the darkest times in history? If we allow the persecution of Christians, attacks and vandalism against churches to become a normality, how can we seriously assert that we defend freedom and human dignity? If we are not able to protect religious freedom, what other freedom are we willing to lose? The Europe I want, the Europe we work for every day, is a Europe where differences are celebrated and not feared. The Europe I believe in is the one that has known that, after two world wars, hatred and extremism cannot be tolerated. The Europe in which I grew up is one that does not turn a blind eye to intolerance, and it is in this Europe that the firm response must begin.

Madam President, this year, flames have consumed more than 100 000 hectares in Portugal, turning forests that take generations to grow into ashes. We have seen villages surrounded by fire, people losing their homes and, tragically, lives that we can no longer give back. We have seen our firefighters and armed forces fighting the flames, often in impossible conditions, putting their own lives at risk. And year after year, we face a fire season that starts earlier, lasts longer and becomes more devastating. This is a disaster with a lasting impact on the environment, the economy and the lives of thousands of Portuguese who depend on the land to survive. Acting only in response to disasters is no longer enough. We live in a scenario aggravated by climate change – longer, drier and warmer summers make fires more frequent and more devastating. The truth is that Europe has the means, but we lack coordinated and ambitious action. We must invest heavily in prevention. It means sustainable management of our forests. It means a real commitment to monitoring technologies such as early detection systems. We need to act earlier, faster and more effectively.

Thank you for your speech and your question. I believe that, in fact, here in this plenary, in this Parliament, nobody wants Hungary to be on the wrong side of history. I therefore hope that Hungary will be able to respond clearly and transparently to the questions that have been asked by the European Commission.

Madam President, the Hungarian 'national card' system represents a dangerous breach in the shield protecting Europe, and the consequences are not hypothetical. When we talk about Ukraine, we are talking about a people who have chosen democracy, Europe and the rule of law. When Viktor Orbán devalues this struggle, he ignores that the attack on Ukraine is actually an attack on the values that cement our Union. If we let Ukraine fall, we will weaken our own democracy. As Ukrainians struggle, die and resist the aggression of an imperialist power, Hungary opens its doors to Russian and Belarusian citizens. Every Ukrainian soldier who stands up for his country is a living shield for Europe. Russia's victory in Ukraine would be the ultimate proof that borders in Europe can be redrawn by force. And at the same time as they fight, we cannot allow loopholes to be created for those who want to see us divided. The Schengen area is not a whim, it is a pillar. And the Hungarian ‘national card’ turns Schengen into a vulnerable front, a deception that favours those who want to exploit our flaws and loopholes. The international order is at stake and Hungary cannot be on the wrong side. In this delicate geopolitical context, this scheme facilitates the entry of Russian and Belarusian citizens into the European area by subverting the controls required by Union rules. It is an open door to infiltration by spies and external manipulation, at a time when Russia is clearly committed to destabilising Europe. When we talk about common security, there is no room for compromise. Let's not be naive. We cannot treat our security with the lightness of those who believe that threats will disappear on their own. We cannot allow the Schengen area, which symbolises trust between Member States, to become a tool of political manipulation or a security fallacy.

Madam President, Venezuela is shackled by the iron fist of a dictatorship. Nicolás Maduro is not a leader. He is a dictator who betrays his own people, the symbol of a corrupt and authoritarian government that remains in power at the cost of hunger, violence and fear. The regime of Nicolás Maduro is a contempt for all the principles we stand for: freedom, democracy and human dignity. The suffering of millions of Venezuelans is not only a tragedy, it is a deliberate attack on the fundamental rights of a people who yearn for freedom. Maduro's election was a farce. An orchestrated hoax to continue the misery it has inflicted on your country. There is no legitimacy in an election where the opposition is silenced, votes are manipulated, and the people live in fear of reprisals for daring to demand change. There is no legitimacy when a lie is imposed by force. This is not democracy, it is tyranny disguised as power. Those who still defend this regime, or those who remain silent, are complicit in oppression. History will judge those who choose silence over brutality. In Venezuela, more than 2 000 people were arbitrarily detained after the elections. The leader of the opposition had to flee. Political parties face numerous restrictions on their activity. Seven million Venezuelans have fled their homeland in search of hope and dignity. Recognizing the victory of Edmundo González is a historical, moral and strategic imperative, for the restoration of truth, for coherence. Democracy or Tyranny? Freedom or oppression? Justice or injustice? The choice is ours, and the choice must be clear. The time for ambiguity is over. In the face of dictatorship, fraud and repression in Venezuela, there is no room for hesitation or silence. Just be a Democrat. The whole world is watching us, waiting for Europe to stand up for freedom.

Madam President, beyond our borders, a nation is fighting for its survival. When a nation is invaded by a regime that seeks to rewrite borders by force, it is a direct attack on everything we have built in Europe since the end of World War II. To support Ukraine is to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to freedom. It is to state clearly and firmly that aggression and tyranny have no place in Europe. It is to argue that what is at stake is not just the future of a nation, but the integrity of a global system based on rules and rights. It is time to rethink the restrictions on the use of long-range weapons in the defence of Ukraine. The extended ban on hitting Russian territory grants Russia a license to kill civilians and destroy infrastructure with impunity. We must be prepared to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, because our democracy cannot be crushed under the weight of tanks and our freedom cannot be silenced by missiles. Supporting Ukraine is a moral, strategic and historical obligation. It is a question of justice that defines who we are and what we believe in. Let us show the world that, in the face of tyranny, Europe does not back down.

Madam President, as we begin the work of this plenary session, my country, Portugal, is facing a tragedy. Large-scale fires are affecting several areas of the country, in particular the north, where I am from, and have already forced the evacuation of localities. At this time of anxiety, I would like to take this opportunity to honour in this House the memory of a firefighter who tragically died in the service of my country, expressing – and I believe I will be able to do so on behalf of the entire Portuguese delegation – a sense of gratitude and recognition towards all men and women, firefighters, military personnel and operational teams fighting the flames in a high-risk context.