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.

Madam President, colleagues, we need to ensure that all patients in Europe – it doesn't matter where they live – can rely on access to a medicine they need when necessary. It is our obligation. This act aims to strengthen our security of supply by reducing dependencies on third countries and supporting resilient, diversified supply chains. We must step up investment in European manufacturing capacity, while ensuring that public funding is used in a responsible, transparent manner, keeping the interests of patients at the core. We must keep not only availability but also affordability as part of joint procurement. Addressing fragmentation in the market is a very challenging issue. I want to stress that attacks from the extremist side of this room on the European environmental and chemical legislation in the area of pharmaceuticals production are unacceptable. Ideological attacks do not strengthen health security. Europe needs medicine that is available, accessible, affordable and sustained to all of us.

Mr President, honourable Commissioner. In fact, it's a very good debate. And the fact that we are discussing the implementation of the rule of law conditionality and regime today, and also when we are applying the infringement procedure, in other words: Rule of Law Conditionality and Infringement procedures, There will be voices and voices like this all the time. Those people who raise questions about the need to enforce the rule of law do not understand the simple fact that the principle of the rule of law is their own principle. The Treaty of Lisbon is part of the legal system of each state. Everybody. And every state and every citizen must understand and master this. Therefore, the procedure needs to be deepened and we need to see even more so that we actually strengthen the mechanisms that are needed.

Mr President, dear colleagues, today I would like to advocate once again for the creation of a pan-European ecosystem for multi-country clinical trials and the establishment of a 28th EU regime for multi-country clinical trials as a vital initiative that could increase medical innovations and access to innovative treatments for patients across Europe. This 28th pan-European regime framework would aim to unify the currently diverse regulatory landscape that exists among our 27 Member States. By streamlining the approval process for new therapies and technologies, we could reduce bureaucratic hurdles that stifle innovation. This cohesive system must not only enhance the efficacy of multi-country clinical trials, but also improve patients' access to groundbreaking treatment, positioning the EU as a leading innovative power. It is really time to act in this case.

Mr President, Commissioner, thanks a lot for your attention last week in our meeting on a possibility to build a pan-European ecosystem based on European Reference Networks addressing issues related to clinical trials, investments and, of course, also possibilities to act much faster in our situation. Of course, we know very well that medicine shortages are affecting a lot of patients. An especially worrying issue is that multi-country clinical trials are decreasing – this is very dangerous. Of course we know that national clinical trials based on 27 Member States have 27 separate regimes. What we need now is to build a pan-European ecosystem and, of course, establish a pan-European, multi-country clinical trials regime such as the 28th Regime for enterprises just proposed in the Commission. It would be good to think about necessity, to build such an ecosystem together with multi-country regimes, competing globally and addressing issues with medical solutions. A pharmaceutical package alone is not enough.

Mr President, honourable Commissioner. Indeed, by simplifying the common agricultural policy, we are certainly seeking to reduce the administrative burden and increase the overall efficiency of the agricultural support system. This initiative is particularly important so that our farmers can focus on practice, innovation, but not get caught up in complicated bureaucracy. However, by simplifying internal problems, we must also address the differences in direct payments between the Member States of the European Union. I'm not talking about it for the first time. External convergence is necessary to create a fairer system that ensures equal, equal and non-discriminatory treatment of all farmers. Achieving a more uniform system of fair direct payments not only strengthens the competitiveness of our agricultural sector, but also strengthens rural development and the economy. In simplifying agricultural policy, let us not forget that the harmonisation of direct payments ensures a sustainable, competitive environment and equal pay for equal work.

Madam President, Commissioner, Trump's shameful 28-point plan is heavily skewed in favour of the Kremlin. A sustainable peace for Ukraine must be based on the following: first, full respect of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty; second, full respect of Ukraine's right to choose its alliances; third, full Russian accountability for the war crimes and crimes of aggression; fourth, non-negotiable Russian payments for the massive damage caused in Ukraine. The ambivalence of President Trump's policy towards Ukraine is shameful and detrimental to the objective of achieving sustainable peace for Ukraine. A pact at the expense of Ukraine and the EU would jeopardise decades-long transatlantic partnerships on common security and prosperity. Now we need to urgently ask EU Member States and international partners to join our efforts in their military support, as well as in their political and diplomatic efforts.

Mr President, Commissioner Virkkunen, dear Henna. Between 2014 and 2024, you were in Parliament. I was in the Commission with Jyrki Katainen at the time. Both the Commission and Parliament, as well as the Council, appear to have both legislated that there is now bureaucracy, there is a need for simplification. It's a story that's really populist. And yet, on the substance, it is very dangerous not to answer the questions that data protection, that the General Data Protection Regulation must be protected in the European Union as a pupil of the eye, with the Omnibus. European Health Data Space Demands extremely high levels of data protection, and it is by no means possible to succumb to pressure from major American corporations, which is quite obvious. Let's say that such a conversation between you and the American Secretary of Commerce was only about the weather, but not about the fact that something can be changed into something.

Mr President, I would like to make it clear from the many speeches, especially from those who want to protect privacy: Protect the privacy of children and adolescents, as it is most vulnerable. And if you come to a family where the child committed suicide, then you will see how that child's privacy was crushed. Therefore, the introduction of age limits – harmonised – is necessary in the same way as we do in the case of tobacco, alcohol, gambling and other addictions. There are many scientific reasons why age should be limited. And sixteen years of harmonized age is a good proposition. A 13-year age limit could also be set for the unavailability of social networks. And certainly legitimising the responsibility of platforms and algorithms.