What Vytenis Povilas spoke about.

15 Dec

2025

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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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 …

15 Dec

2025

EN Speech

Impact of the geopolitical situation on European patients and their access to medicines (debate)

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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 especial…

15 Dec

2025

LT Speech

Amending certain CAP Regulations as regards the conditionality system, types of intervention in the form of direct payment, types of intervention in certain sectors and rural development and annual performance reports, data and interoperability governance, suspensions of payments annual performance clearance and controls and penalties (debate)

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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 in…

26 Nov

2025

EN Speech

EU position on the proposed plan and EU engagement towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine (debate)

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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-n…

25 Nov

2025

LT Speech

Digital Package (debate)

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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…

25 Nov

2025

LT Speech

Protection of minors online (debate)

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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 a…

24 Nov

2025

LT Speech

Ensuring faster registration and uptake of biological control agents (short presentation)

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12 Nov

2025

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Mr President, when discussing such an important matter such as the Gender Equality Strategy 2025, we cannot forget about those whose job it is to implement it. I would like to remind you about the European Institute for Gender Equality, which is located in Vilnius. Establishing this agency was a big step forward for gender equality – unfortunately, it is now stagnating, with too few employees, an …

12 Nov

2025

LT Speech

Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation (BEFIT) (short presentation)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner, thank you rapporteur. The topic is old, the situation is very obviously requiring quick solutions. The proposed Multiannual Financial Perspective and the debate on own resources directly reveal the problem that we cannot accept such deep-rooted abuses when companies actually evade taxes so much offshore zones, both through aggressive tax avoidance planning an…

12 Nov

2025

LT Speech

Addressing transnational repression of human rights defenders (short presentation)

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Thank you to both the rapporteur, Mrs Ridel, and the speakers. This is a topic that has been around for a long time. And we have so many examples. Lithuania, which borders Belarus, with Russia and also has experience with other states of the former Soviet Union. We can testify that this is an extremely topical topic. It needs to be addressed urgently, as these are fundamental requirements of both …

12 Nov

2025

LT Speech

Condemning the illegal unilateral declaration of the secessionist entity created by Türkiye in Cyprus and the continued Turkish military occupation (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner. Indeed, today we can clearly agree that the European Union is the Union which can and must demonstrate active action in the resolution of the problems in Cyprus in relation to international law, the decisions of the United Nations and its commitments to peace and the primacy of international law and the integrity of the Member States. So far, there are only words, too l…

12 Nov

2025

LT Speech

The new 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework: architecture and governance (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner. Indeed, I agree with those who say very clearly that this project proposed by the Commission is, in terms of its scope, too unsatisfactory for what awaits us. There are more challenges than we can really face with this budget. Both development funding and the key challenges of ensuring social cohesion, ensuring European health policy priorities, strengthening…

12 Nov

2025

LT Speech

The first European Annual Asylum and Migration report and the setting up of the Annual Solidarity Pool (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Member of the Council, Commissioner. Indeed, after listening to the speeches of some Members of Parliament today, which are really full of hatred, full of ignorance and exploiting the simple national sentiments of some voters in order to cause even greater hatred. And they completely ignore the rationality of the report, which the Commission has presented today. Indeed, on…

23 Oct

2025

EN Speech

Breast cancer: the importance of screening (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, it is a very painful topic. Very painful. Of course, we know very well that regular screening is the most effective way to detect breast cancer early, save lives and reduce the burden on health care systems. However, participation in screening programs varies significantly between Member States, with many falling short of the 70 % target. And this is up to the Commis…

23 Oct

2025

LT Speech

Audiovisual Media Services Directive obligations in the transatlantic dialogue (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner. I am delighted to start with a very good Danish experience. Denmark has approved the Danish canon of culture and is trying to approve it in Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania. Indeed, we must be very clear: it is not just about protecting cultures, protecting languages, protecting Europe's diversity. It is an unspoken great weapon in the world for spreading the ide…

22 Oct

2025

EN Speech

Ending all energy imports from Russia to the EU and closing loopholes through third countries (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, Russia has deliberately exploited our energy dependence as an attack on European security and prosperity. By advancing the full ban on Russian oil to January 2026 and on gas to January 2027, Europe sends a firm message: we will never again be held hostage by Kremlin coercion. We must close all sanctioned loopholes, target the Russian shadow fleet, and ensure that any ga…

22 Oct

2025

EN Speech

Situation in Belarus, five years after the fraudulent presidential elections (debate)

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Madam President, dear colleagues, political prisoners in Belarus are subjected to torture, ill treatment and solitary confinement, like Maria Kalesnikava or Ales Bialiatski. I would like to mention my old friend and social democratic opposition leader, Mikalai Statkevich. After being released, he refused to leave his country and his people, but he went missing. There is a high probability that he …

22 Oct

2025

LT Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 23 October 2025 (debate)

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Mr President, Mrs Bjerre, dear Maroš Šefčovič. In fact, I was stunned when I heard the European Union institutions react to a possible meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest. Donate, the European Union can never be on its knees! It was a shame, but it was a shameful reaction. The war must stop and our efforts to mobilise the European Union and push the aggressor out of Ukraine are essential. …

21 Oct

2025

LT Speech

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 – all sections (debate)

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President, Commissioner. Once again, I must congratulate you on the final, final budget for 2026, which is not, as you say, the last multiannual perspective that you have shaped, while next year you will have to present all aspects of the multiannual financial perspective. I am certainly speaking as a former Commissioner and representing food safety and public health. In fact, public health and th…

21 Oct

2025

LT Speech

Commission Work Programme 2026 (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner. Indeed, it has been observed here that time for European independence is confronting the fact that Trump meets Putin in Budapest – without the European Union and without Ukraine. It's really a moment. Perhaps it is good that we now understand how to consolidate all the European Unions quickly and effectively: energy union, digital union, banking union and oth…

21 Oct

2025

LT Speech

Institutional consequences of the EU enlargement negotiations (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner, honourable rapporteur. Thank you, great report. Timely: We are late - we had to start a debate last year on how we need to prepare the European institutions and the Member States for enlargement and, at the same time, improve... (The Chair interrupted the speaker) I wanted once again to thank the rapporteur and the Commission, to call on the Commission to sta…

21 Oct

2025

LT Speech

Recent peace agreement in the Middle East and the role of the EU (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Commissioner. Indeed, we are fully aware that this is a ceasefire, that the prospect of peace is fragile, difficult and that it is therefore necessary for the European Commission and the European Member States to engage today in a broad diplomatic, humanitarian mission, both in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and in the control of processes on both sides, in order to …

20 Oct

2025

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Madam President, the embarrassing Budapest meeting, where Putin and Trump conspire to divide Ukraine, is a devastating moral blow to the European Union. It contradicts the EU's commitment to international law and holding the aggressor accountable through the International Criminal Court. Despite the European Union's previous stance that peace talks must include both Ukraine and the EU, it now sham…

9 Oct

2025

EN Speech

Public health risks in a Europe affected by global warming: tackling the spread of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases (vote)

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Madam President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, Europe is the continent experiencing the fastest rate of heating. Its rate of heating is twice the global average. It is very important to say this message to those who deny climate change. It's a very good example. Therefore, we are at the forefront of this new dangerous trend. Because of that, Europe is experiencing longer and more intense transmis…

9 Oct

2025

EN Speech

World Mental Health Day - addressing the socio-economic factors (debate)

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Mr President, dear Commissioner, the European Union lacks a coherent and unified mental health strategy that will be implemented on a cross-sectoral basis. There should be better coordination, regulation of harmful practices and better monitoring across Member States. Mental health should not be silent as a health sector issue only, but integrated into jobs, education, digital policy, social inclu…