Speeches

Dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, The EU is a very strong trade power globally. We have a lot of trade agreements with many countries, world-wide. Trump is arrogant and unpredictable, and it is his weakness, but you, commissioner, are reliable and experienced, and that is your strength. We trust you. A deal is possible, the EU goal is to reintroduce tariff levels, explore commercial opportunities, but we can‘t accept any negotiations on our legislation, on our high food safety standards and on our issues related to digital technologies. Our strength is „reciprocal“ tariffs, WTO rules and our trade agreements, with new global partners.

Mr President, Commissioner. I believe that everyone will agree that the Global Gateway initiative is a truly enormous example of the implementation of European Union projects. But I would like to point out that it should focus much more on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular on those Sustainable Development Goals such as SDG 3, health, etc., education, local community development. We really have a lot to do to strengthen the Global South in particular: in primary health care, in primary universal education, to strengthen skills development among these people, because job creation without skills, without strong health services will be difficult to understand. Therefore, I propose to draw attention to dimension 3 of the SDG in this Global Gateway project.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear Valdis, we all know about what we are just speaking. Of course recent United States behaviour and events have only added carelessness and uncertainty. The threat to invade Greenland, coercion against Spain, the Supreme Court ruling declaring the reciprocal tariffs illegal immediately followed by new tariffs, threats towards European legislation and so on. Of course we all know very well that we now need to have a predictable answer, and the European Parliament proposal, Bernd Langer's report, is an excellent example to protect us and to improve those six 'S's – it means a very important toolkit which should be used by the Commission also. And please keep in mind, Commissioner, we are not all speaking about steel and aluminium – it's about biotech, about medicines, about pharma, about our research and possibilities to invest. This is a very important time now to defend our sovereignty. Not only keeping in mind steel, but research and investment also.

Madam president, Madam Commissioner, colleagues, this debate is a political choice. Let us name it clearly: once again, the conservatives have joined forces with the far-right to amplify an industry narrative before we even have independently verified evidence. That is not responsible law-making; that is political theatre on behalf of industry interests. So this debate is about who should pay for the environmental harm: polluters or taxpayers? Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are responsible for most of the micropollutants that require wastewater treatment. Yes, we must examine carefully any real risk to medicine supply, especially for the generics. I am calling on the Commission to carefully assess those claims and present updated, independent data. After, we can talk about improving the implementation where needed, but the 'polluter pays' principle must remain intact. Clean water is a public good and public money should not be used to clean up private pollution. It is absolutely clear for all of us. That is the situation. Let's see. Let's go into deep analysis and then, after, discuss what should be improved, how can we change and where we have real data. It is not about supply-chain shortages. It's about an absolutely necessary situation to defend people's health. Because 'One Health' requires one approach to people, to the environment, to water, to all of us.

Madam President, Commissioner, of course, we know very well how dangerous it is. Don't call it conversion therapy. It has nothing to do with therapy – nothing. Only in eight of 27 EU Member States have they implemented nationwide bans on conversion practices. But there is significant variation in what the legislation covers. It is very important to know that even where banned, enforcement varies between Member States. A very, very difficult question: why? Because many practices occur in private or religious settings, making tracking very difficult. We need, first of all, to say very clearly: it's about fundamental human rights. The EU can introduce a ban in all European Union space because it is defending fundamental human rights. I am very, very much with those who argue for a ban.

Madam President, Commissioner, it is time to recognise obesity as a chronic, relapsing and separate non-communicable disease within the European Union Health Policy Framework and as a gateway disease to many other NCDs. Addressing obesity at the centre of NCDs as an integral part of the European Union cardiovascular health plan will reduce the overall NCD burden and will improve outcomes for people living with obesity. Action on obesity must address the entire disease spectrum and life course. Addressing obesity throughout the life course is key to improving population health and reducing related chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and others. Prevention of obesity and care for people living with obesity must go hand in hand.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, The European Union's eastern border region, countries bordering Russia and Belarus face persisting security threats, heightened pressure, economic strain and declining investments. At the same time, these regions are expected to strengthen their security, maintain social cohesion and keep economic development. These countries have already committed substantial national resources to reinforce external borders and strengthen their defence While necessary, these changes inevitably limit investment in long-term regional development and competitiveness. The Commission has proposed initiatives to help, but the scale of the challenge, especially today, is above what national budgets or current instruments can provide. That is why the next MFF must provide for increased and targeted EU-level support to ensure that strong eastern border regions continue to support a safe and resilient Europe.

Mr President, Commissioner. It is indeed necessary to have a directive and to provide for liability issues from the first contractor to the subcontractor. And that issue of responsibility must be clearly qualified, so that those who have started subcontracting do not ‘wash off’ the responsibility by transferring it. And in that chain of seventeen contractors, it is quite clear that this is a model in which much is interlinked, i.e. the shadow economy is the best example for us. This is all the more so because it also distorts the social market and creates problems for exploitation and exploitation. And it is also especially bad when we do not have any registers of mediators to see what is. The need for a directive is therefore obvious, the issue of responsibility must be very clear and, above all, responsibility in that chain for those who start that chain and then in a proportionate way... then those who hire will know that they are primarily responsible.

Madam President, colleagues, the first far-right claim: 'This endangers the Schengen Area'. Those who are granted a residence permit are authorised to travel to other Schengen countries only for a short days. They do not have the right to live or work in other EU Member States without meeting that specific country's immigration requirements. The second far-right claim: 'This will be a pull factor'. There is no pull factor, because the measures are retrospective. The third claim: 'This legalises criminals'. A clean criminal record is a prerequisite. Any applicant with a criminal history is not eligible for regularisation. Commissioner Brunner, you can see the impressive neo-fascistic spectacle from the far right. Adolf Hitler would be proud – many followers. It's shame to listen to those speeches.

Mr President, thank you, colleagues, four in ten new cancer cases are linked to preventable causes. Prevention is therefore crucial and the most effective way of addressing such serious illnesses. Nearly half of preventable cancer cases are accounted for by lung, stomach and cervical cancer. Cancer is not just a problem for one country – it is a European problem, so action must be taken at European level to prevent and cure it in a much more energetic way. There are still huge disparities among national cancer beating plans, and especially keeping in mind issues of screening – a very big issue. I am asking Commissioner Várhelyi to assist Member States in keeping this issue high on the political agenda of the Council and in analysing and eliminating the root causes of these disparities. The cross-border cooperation of Member States is crucial, and I ask Commissioner Várhelyi to be very smart and strong in this field.

Dear colleague, I would like to ask you briefly. Would you agree with the practice that out of 578 procurements, 516 were implemented through unannounced surveys? And would you support the practice of exceptionally recruiting 38% of your staff without a competition, without criteria? Would you support this practice personally, as a former minister and parliamentarian defending transparency? Yes or no?

I will ask you to take a look at the conclusions of the National Audit Office and there you will find the words about the fundamental and systemic violations. Try to read them and then you can interpret them. Second point: your party appears to have been in the ruling majority since September 2024. Am I wrong? I'm probably not wrong. Now that you have left the coalition, you obviously have a chance to politicise, but that politicisation does not solve the problem of freedom and the application of Article 5 of European media freedom, because it applies not to the Administrative Director, but to the Council and the President of the Council, because they are the guarantors of a free press. Lawyers can help you explain this.

Colleagues, you asked about the corrections made by the ruling majority in July 2024. At the end of the full term, it was the voting procedures in the Radio and Television Council of Lithuania that were amended and it was there that the open vote was introduced. As was previously the case in the Regulation, it is up to the Council to decide whether to vote freely or by secret ballot or by open ballot. In this House, in the European Parliament, we approve personnel by secret ballot. I have never seen anyone doubt that a secret ballot in the European Parliament is against democracy. Or do you want to propose amendments to the Statute in the European Parliament in order to be able to vote openly when approving staff? You'll probably agree. As a result, even one of the leaders of the LRT Council was threatened when he asked for conclusions from the administration that they would be approved.

Dear Chairman of the meeting. This debate is very timely. I think, of course, it is intended for the internal situation of Lithuania, because it is nice that everyone who has spoken the Lithuanian language so far. I will say very clearly that the discussion here is not about the violation of freedom of speech at all, nor about the constitutional violation, respected Dainiau, and other things. We will certainly be able to say that there are many legal analyses, not just those carried out by one expert group. There are many of them. Now the facts are such that would force everyone to listen to the fact that Lithuania consistently occupies high positions in the world rankings of press freedom. 2025 Reporters without Borders Lithuania ranks 14th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, and the overall score has increased. Next: Freedom House Lithuania is also classified as a free country with a vibrant media protected from government pressure. These are facts. You can read them just now. I recently visited... The Venice Commission visited Lithuania this week. Its findings will also be available to you. So I answer that the fact that the National Audit Office carried out an audit and revealed huge cases of corruption, bribery, violation of the law makes it necessary to talk about administrative problems that the government has to solve. Freedom of the press is a cornerstone that we have defended and will defend throughout our lives.

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, colleagues. First of all, let me thank Denmark and Iceland on behalf of Lithuania, especially Uffe Ellemann-Jensen and Icelander Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson. They were the first to recognize the three Baltic states and their independence. Then the Baltic people stood unarmed, although the Soviet troops of the Soviet Union were around hundreds of thousands, but the force of the people showed that there is something to be said today: 450 million Europeans are a huge force! And we need to send a clear signal to the American Republicans, because there are also like-minded people there. Because our strength is trade bazooka, and I call on the Commission to take action as soon as possible, because the introduction of a tariff against eight means against us all. The response must be as strong and rigorous as possible.

Mr President, colleagues, the current clinical trial rules in our 27 Member States make it extremely difficult to implement multi-country clinical trials. They are costly in both time and resources and impede the growth of medical innovation. Today we had discussions on the Critical Medicines Act and the 28th Regime for innovative companies, and I would like to advocate for each to be created, as well as for multi-country clinical trials. This framework would unify a currently diverse regulatory landscape that exists among our Member States by streamlining the approval process for new therapies and technologies for all patients. We could reduce bureaucratic hurdles that stifle innovation. A cohesive ecosystem would not only enhance the efficiency of multi-country clinical trials, but also improve patient access to groundbreaking treatment, and also restore EU leadership in global health innovation without encroaching on the Member States' rights to set up their own requirements. At the heart of this regime is the need for a robust digital infrastructure that facilitates real-time data sharing and communication among all stakeholders by leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, which can enhance critical design and patient monitoring, and significantly reduce such loss of time and effectiveness.