What Tonino spoke about.

23 Apr

2024

EN Speech

Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, first of all, I would like to thank my co-rapporteur, Mr Karlo Ressler, and all the shadow rapporteurs, as well as Secretariat and staff, but also the Council and Commission for an excellent cooperation we had on this important dossier. If I would have to describe the negotiations, I would say they were tough but constructive. We managed to strongly defend Parliament’s po…

10 Apr

2024

EN Speech

Chinese police activity in Europe (debate)

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Mr President, Mr Commissioner, Mr Michel, the presence of Chinese police has been so far registered in many Member States. These cases illustrate very well the increasingly aggressive foreign policy of China in the last ten years. Such a foreign policy of Beijing is also a reflection of the growing repression against its own population. These precincts were allegedly established to help Chinese ci…

28 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement (debate)

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Madam President, this report represents ongoing support for the future EU enlargement, continuing on the ideas of the new enlargement strategy report. Today, I would like to make several key points. Every candidate country should be judged on their own merit. Our fundamental values, such as the rule of law and democratic standards, must be a pillar of our assessment if the country is ready to join…

28 Feb

2024

EN Speech

The murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia (debate)

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Mr President, dear colleagues, the murder of Alexei Navalny is another chapter of Putin’s inhuman, repressive and brutal regime. The Stalinist methods, lack of transparency and circumstances surrounding it show that the ultimate responsibility lies on dictator and the Russian state. The aftermath and the horrendous pressure imposed to his family, friends and lawyers is a sharp reminder of whom we …

28 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Strengthening European Defence in a volatile geopolitical landscape - Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2023 (joint debate - European security and defence)

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Mr President, back in 2016 I had an honour of working on the report of this House on the European defence union. Then, the phrase itself raised many concerns. Unfortunately, time has proven us right. Even though the geopolitical challenges in this mandate led to several positive steps in the field of common defence, the European Union should be more proactive and less reactive. Common foreign secu…

27 Feb

2024

HR Speech

Geographical Indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products (debate)

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Dear Chairman, colleagues, first of all congratulations to the rapporteur - any reform that simplifies rules, shortens procedures and helps manufacturers is welcome. The new regulation is good news for manufacturers of over three and a half thousand already protected products. Among them there are 71 from Croatia. The quality of European agriculture is its main asset on the world market. This qual…

6 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union (debate)

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Mr President, Mr Commissioner, dear colleagues, as we approach the end of our parliamentary term, I believe we learned many lessons while witnessing historical events. Our geopolitical environment is very different than 2019 and naivety should disappear for good. Russia, but not only Russia, is conducting different schemes to exert influence and to interfere in our political processes. European Un…

6 Feb

2024

EN Speech

The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

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Mr President, dear colleagues, our support for Ukraine is as important as it was on the first day of the aggression. Though the situation at the battlefield is a stalemate, the EU has proven that it will be forged in crisis, as Jean Monnet said. Just see the collective defence efforts, energy imports, and sanctions. But we need to do more. The Council’s decision last week is a strong message from …

17 Jan

2024

HR Speech

Situation in Serbia following elections (debate)

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Dear Chairman, the debate of the European Parliament on the elections in Serbia is justified because it is an election in a candidate country for membership of the European Union. International observers have assessed the elections in Serbia as a scathing election with numerous violations of democratic principles and electoral rules. International agreements on the protection of minorities are als…

16 Jan

2024

EN Speech

Humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need to reach a ceasefire and the risks of regional escalation (debate)

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Mr President, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues, and we must keep this urgent topic on our agenda. Along with our strongest condemnation of the events on 7 October, we reiterate our calls to Hamas to realise to release all the remaining hostages. The ongoing conflict has become regional, accompanied with even more significant global implications. These will mostly be to the detriment of…

16 Jan

2024

EN Speech

Keeping commitments and delivering military assistance to Ukraine (debate)

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Mr President, almost two years after the Russian aggression began, Ukraine became a media through which not only our relations with Imperial Russia are reflected, but also our internal relations are shaped. The best example is the possible MFF revisions that are still pending. Therefore, it’s high time to start implementing the conclusions from the Conference on the Future of Europe, to improve ou…

12 Dec

2023

EN Speech

EU-US relations (debate)

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Mr. President, this is a time of great geopolitical peril. It is also true that complex democratic systems often do not cooperate easily or quickly. Our relations are under pressure coming from events on the global scene, but they also feel the influence of growing authoritarian and even more radical options within our own democratic systems. The stakes are simply too high. The importance of our r…

12 Dec

2023

EN Speech

EU-US relations (debate)

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Mr President, High Representative, representatives of institutions, dear colleagues, the idea of this report was to summarise some expectations and recommendations on transatlantic relations as our position ahead of the elections next year on both sides of the Atlantic. Our imperative is to send a clear message on how we see our cooperation, and what it should be in the months and years to come to…

12 Dec

2023

EN Speech

Need to release all hostages, to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and prospect of the two-state solution (debate)

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Mr President, High Representative, dear colleagues, the title of this debate says it all. After two months of military conflicts and thousands of innocent civilian victims, we need to continue investing all our efforts to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and facilitate the release of all hostages. We witnessed that pauses are possible as well as the hostage exchanges, and our aim should be to supp…

22 Nov

2023

EN Speech

30 years of Copenhagen criteria - giving further impetus to EU enlargement policy (debate)

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Mr President, Madam Commissioner, Copenhagen Criteria were a remarkable set of rules and political commitments that set the tone and prepared the European Union for accepting 10 new Member States for following years. The list of priorities was political, economic and then administrative criteria as the last step. Already then, special importance was given to the European Union’s absorption capacit…

22 Nov

2023

EN Speech

Humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need for the release of hostages and for an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire and the prospects for peace and security in the Middle East (debate)

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Mr President, Mr High Representative, Mr Commissioner, first of all I would like to commend your statements and personal efforts since the crisis escalated. The role of the European Union in this crisis could have enormous importance for our global role, our relations with the Middle Eastern countries and other global partners. EU must be more engaged, but the neighbouring countries should also as…

9 Nov

2023

EN Speech

Outcome of the EU-US summit (debate)

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Mr President, Madam Commissioner, representative of the Council, colleagues, the US is the most fundamental partner for the European Union. How we address global challenges and our relations still sets the foundation of the multilateral order. Next month, we will adopt a report on EU-US relations, setting our expectations and goals ahead of the election year on both sides of the Atlantic. We do sh…

8 Nov

2023

HR Speech

EU enlargement policy 2023 (debate)

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In particular, I welcome the Commission’s recommendations to open negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, as well as Georgia’s candidate status. I also support the plan for the growth of the Western Balkans. I welcome the renewal of the enlargement policy and the new proposals on the sectoral inclusion of candidate countries ahead of formal accession. They reflect the recommendations for a new enla…

8 Nov

2023

EN Speech

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 26-27 October 2023 - Humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for a humanitarian pause (joint debate - Conclusions of the European Council and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for a humanitarian pause)

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Mr President, President Michel, Commissioner, colleagues, I reiterate our strong condemnation of the Hamas terrorist attacks on 7 October and repeat the call we made as the European Parliament for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Nothing can justify the deliberate torture, killing, injuring, kidnapping of civilians. Terrorists and their supporters mus…

18 Oct

2023

EN Speech

A true geopolitical Europe now (topical debate)

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Madam President, Mr High Representative, dear colleagues, we are again witnessing severe geopolitical turmoil leading to horrible atrocities with political consequences. There are several reasons why the European Union has to live up to its geopolitical ambitions. The division of power is clear: unlike last week’s statement on the attacks on Israel by the Commission’s representatives, we need poli…

18 Oct

2023

EN Speech

The despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Israel’s right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza (debate)

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Mr President, first of all, I would like to explicitly condemn the brutal attacks of Hamas on Israel 11 days ago. That was the deadliest day for them since the Shoah. Sincerest condolences to the families of the victims and full support for all efforts to release the hostages. Terror must be stopped, but this debate would not be complete without a broader context: an important distinction between …

17 Oct

2023

HR Speech

2022 Report on Montenegro (debate)

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Dear Chairman, a few final sentences. Indeed, as the European Parliament's standing rapporteur for relations with Montenegro, I am indeed satisfied with the very high level of coordination by all political groups represented in the Parliament, of course relevant, pro-European, whose representatives have participated not only in the negotiations on this report, but also in previous years. Thanks ag…

17 Oct

2023

HR Speech

2022 Report on Montenegro (debate)

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Dear President, Dear representatives of the European institutions, colleagues and colleagues, by taking up the position of standing rapporteur for Montenegro four years ago, I expected and hoped that my last speech on the situation in the country during this mandate would start with congratulations to Podgorica on bringing the long, demanding and exhaustive membership negotiations to an end and th…

17 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Effectiveness of the EU sanctions on Russia (debate)

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Mr President, despite the horrible atrocities happening now in the Middle East, we cannot and must not turn our attention from the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, which entered its 601st day. We need to continue pressuring Russia by all means possible. We should also continue with further measures on Belarus – a Kremlin puppet regime whom we must also keep accountable. Sanctions are taking …

3 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, the latest events of 24 September are evidence of pertinent tension always on the verge of escalation. So far, we have witnessed severe incidents with the attack on KFOR forces, the abduction of Kosovo police officers and the latest terrorist attack. With great concern, we monitor news on the location of the Serbian army along the border. Formally, on paper, things look…