What Vytenis Povilas spoke about.

21

May

2025

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Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism (debate)

President, Commissioner. It is certainly clear that, when it comes to the CBAM mechanism, we need to understand that the European Union has been a leader in forcing and achieving results in the Paris Climate Agreement. And today, those who are trying to scare CBAM here to end the industry and so on, let's turn to one simple thing: Know how many premature deaths are caused by air pollution each year. As regards air pollution, I stress as a medical doctor, as a former expert of the World Health Organisation. If you want to defend the continuation of air pollution and do nothing to prevent us from stopping this, then remember that the shrinking of our workforce will be the biggest challenge for industry. Therefore, CBAM correction is necessary. Orderly, I would agree with those who see the doubt that simplification should not be a reduction in climate goals or a reduction in ambition, but we must remain leaders because it affects the global world in a very strong way.

21

May

2025

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Single Market Strategy (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, I fully agree with your proposal related to the single market strategy. But may I repeat once again: we need to complete the digital union, energy union, banking union, capital market union. Without those unions, we have no chance to move forward, for sure. We also need a railways union, and also – a very important dimension – the social dimension. A social union should be implemented and a social pillar should be implemented in every Member State. We need to have in mind a health union also. Investment in human capital is a main asset in our single market and we need to do more, so completing a European health union – also proposing a research investment and innovation union, as Letta just mentioned, I discussed with you about that. It is a very important asset moving forward.

8

May

2025

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EU action on treating and preventing diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular neurological diseases and measles (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, the rise of certain non‑communicable diseases in the European Union is increasingly concerning. If we fail to act and learn from past experiences, like the COVID‑19 pandemic, we risk facing new outbreaks and epidemics. Twenty years ago, the European Union made a commitment to eliminate measles – to be measles‑free. Yet we are still far from that goal. The situation is further aggravated by growing societal scepticism, fuelled by misinformation and spread of unproven claims. In 2024, measles cases in the EU surged dramatically with over 32 000 reported diagnoses. This sharp increase highlights serious gaps in vaccination coverage, as 86 % of those infected had not been vaccinated. In an age where measles is entirely preventable through vaccination, it is unacceptable that this disease continues to spread, especially knowing that measles is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death. To prevent further outbreaks, it is essential to ensure that at least 95 % of the population is vaccinated. Unfortunately, vaccination rates remain insufficient in many European countries. Governments must prioritise strong vaccination campaigns and actively combat vaccine hesitancy to protect public health. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine remains the most effective tool to prevent measles, and we must also work to harmonise vaccination schedules across Member States to ensure this. This is why it is crucial to foster collaboration among Member States, recognising that in the Schengen zone, where people can move freely across borders, disease can easily spread between countries. Additionally, the shortage of healthcare professionals, especially in regions with insufficient medical staff, particularly nurses, further contributes to lower vaccination rates. The recent outbreaks in Romania, along with nearly 20 preventable deaths, serve as a stark reminder to the urgency of this issue. These tragic losses highlight the need for immediate actions. HERA must also address the state of crisis preparedness and take steps to prevent the situation from escalating further. In a world where vaccines are widely available, measles should no longer be a threat. As cases continue to rise, collective action is urgently needed to protect vulnerable populations.

8

May

2025

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Old challenges and new commercial practices in the internal market (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, you rightly mentioned that we are still 20 years speaking about the same problems. But now the digital union is not completed. The energy union is not completed. I know our railway infrastructure is in difficulties, and when we are speaking about the necessity to do something more, first of all, we need to stress very much that we need to develop pan‑European infrastructures in digital, in energy, in transport. And, of course, also Letta rightly mentioned the 'fifth freedom': freedom for research, investment and innovation. But it requires also infrastructure in our research and innovations. It means the life sciences strategy should be connected with the internal market strategy hand in hand, otherwise we can lose once again competitiveness, investment and progress. Made in Europe requires more integration.

8

May

2025

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80 years after the end of World War II - freedom, democracy and security as the heritage of Europe (debate)

Thank you very much, Mr President of the sitting, honourable Commissioner, colleagues, I will indeed speak as a participant in the struggle for freedom, a dissident who was interrogated seven times by the KGB, who was arrested twice, who signed the Declaration of Independence on 11 March of the 90s, Petra Gražuli. Thus, on the 14th of June of the forty-first year, Hitler occupied Paris. On the same day, Stalin presented an ultimatum to Lithuania and my parents spent 17 years in Stalin's gulags. I am glad that my father was a signatory of the 45th Baltic Memorandum. And thank you to the European Parliament, which on 13 January 1983 adopted a resolution on the freedom of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. I am also pleased that there are two names in this House: Simone Weil and Altero Spinelli. And thus, these two names magnificently remind us of what we have to do. For Free and United Europe, the Altiero Spinelli Manifesto. And today we need to make it clear: History owes me nothing, I owe it to history for peace, democracy and freedom.

7

May

2025

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Democratic legitimacy and the Commission’s continued authorisation of genetically modified organisms despite Parliament’s objections (debate)

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, colleagues. I want to say that I was in these positions as Commissioner responsible for public health and food safety, and I was involved in the authorisation of genetically modified organisms or, in this case, genetically modified seeds and imported feed. I want to say firmly that I am now elected by the Lithuanian electorate and, as I did then, I am now firmly of the opinion that the Commission's steps are legitimate, scientifically sound, legislated and in line with the requirements of the Treaty of Lisbon. Rule of law is common to all Members of the European Parliament, the Commission and the public. Here too, the law does guarantee what the Commission is doing. Therefore, I cannot be hypocritical and I support the Commissioner's statement today.

7

May

2025

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Violations of religious freedom in Tibet

Mr President, dear colleagues. In Lithuania, when the Supreme Council of Lithuania published the March 11 documents, we listened with great attention to the Dalai Lama who visited us. At that time, the adoption of the Dalai Lama by the Supreme Council, or the Lithuanian Parliament, was unspeakably difficult. On the other hand, he risked everything. And in this case, we can say once again that, yes, Lithuania feels a great commitment and a great deal of respect for Tibet. And today, when we are discussing a very sensitive question about the restriction of religious freedom, we, the representatives of a democratic Lithuania, here in the European Parliament, once again stand in solidarity with the Tibetan people, with the Tibetan Buddhist community and, in fact, call for our support, in this case, to actively contribute to the adoption of this resolution.

6

May

2025

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A revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, as in the previous European Parliament Jutta Haug, Alain Lamassoure and Guy Verhofstadt stated, gross national income-based contributions from Member States are complicated, full of various rebates, compensations, exemptions and full of indigestible calculations. Lack of transparency is clear, and I fully agree with this position. Member States conceive of it as transferred from their national treasuries to Brussels. The European Parliament has no say in the decision on European Union resources. This goes against democracy. Fully funding the European Union's policies with independent sources of revenue – this is only one way to put an end to the practice of Member States' so-called 'fair return' approach. We need an autonomous European Union budget composed mainly of EU own resources. The 1 % of gross national income limit is outdated. We need minimum 2 % of GDP, and it is only one way to fulfil our promises about enlargement, policies, defence, health and other issues.

6

May

2025

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A unified EU response to unjustified US trade measures and global trade opportunities for the EU (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear Maroš, I welcome your statement today. The predictable unpredictability of Trump's policies is a challenge, and Trump's brutal tariff war and nationalist protectionism are a real threat. We must stay united and determined in promoting and defending rule‑based global trade and multilateralism, and, of course, we need to intensify trade with other markets like Mercosur, and modernise and capitalise on the benefits of existing free trade agreements, as with Canada and Mexico. But we must also urgently complete our single market, urgently provide EU‑wide targeted support for impacted European industries and our affected regions. State aid to our industries and small and medium-sized enterprises is necessary. We must buy European goods and services and promote Made in Europe products. Our strategic, industrial and autonomy demands it.

5

May

2025

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, we stand at a pivotal moment. The SANT Committee has heard a clear call to forge a competitive, knowledge‑based European Union, and where better to ignite this ambition than the urgent realm of rare diseases? We have about 35 million patients, but only 5 % of identified rare diseases have a therapy. No country can treat those patients alone. Rare diseases can be our pan‑European pilot, a launchpad for Draghi's vision of a cutting‑edge research and innovation union empowered by Letta's 'fifth freedom' for researchers and driven by the transformative paradigm shift Letta envisions. Our current trajectory is not enough. Our policies – fragmented and sometimes overlapping – hinder the crucial leap from pre‑clinical promises to clinical reality. We possess the tools: the multiannual financial framework, the upcoming EU life sciences strategy and the EU Biotech Act. Let us build a pan‑European ecosystem for rare diseases that harnesses technological breakthroughs, invests in pan‑European data‑driven infrastructure for multicentre clinical trials, scales up newborn screening for early detection, and delivers personalised and innovative treatments for our patients. Let's encourage the Commission to act in this direction.

3

Apr

2025

Speeches LT

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Establishment of a European Day of the Righteous (debate)

President of the meeting, honourable Commissioner, colleagues. The initiative to make 6 March the World Day of the Righteous in Europe is of immense value. I was born in 1951 in Stalin's gulags. My parents spent time in Stalin's gulags from 1941 to 1954. They were imprisoned. But I am also educated by the wonderful Jewish savior, Dr. Viktor Kutorga, who testified with a living example what it means to be a savior in tragic circumstances. Today I am observing neo-fascists, all sorts of nationalists who are under the guise of patriotism and who, with one foot, can enter into a new totalitarianism. But let's remember Mussolini's fascists, German Nazis, Stalinists all. They are all enemies to whom the righteous of the world will remind us of what it means to be rights.

3

Apr

2025

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European Action Plan on Rare Diseases (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, of course, we just listened to what was done in the area of the diseases from 2017 when we launched the European reference network, but now we can tell openly it is not enough. We need urgently, we need urgently to introduce not only a European Union action plan on rare diseases, but to keep in mind to have a strategy on real disease, including much more aspects. First of all, we need to provide more systemic and uniform approach, bridging gaps and addressing remaining unmet needs and inequalities. Of course we need to focus on national strategies and include national strategies in such strategic plan on a more comprehensive or more harmonised approach. We need to unite our forces, and we need to think that such European Union strategy would be a second building block of the European health union, because it can help us to make pace with new technologies, new values, new expectations. And of course, we need to also include social aspects of people who are staying with rare diseases – as in cancer survivorship, the same is in the area of rare diseases. We need to include those issues also in our strategy.

2

Apr

2025

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Immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus - threats from the Investigative Committee (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, once again at the European Parliament we discuss the tricks of Lukashenka's regime to further tighten the grip of his power. I totally agree that we should impose sanctions against the individuals running the Investigative Committee. But we should also discuss how we can help each and every political prisoner who is held behind the bars by the regime, especially for those high-profile political prisoners such as Mikalai Statkevich or Maria Kolesnikova. We need to seek a prisoner exchange similar to the one organised with Putin's regime in August 2024. I am not naive – Lukashenka will not stop persecuting political opponents. But I believe that with the right political will, it would be possible to help at least a few of the longest-serving political prisoners. And in no way will it be a concession to the regime, as it was not a concession to Putin during the prisoner exchange with Putin's regime.

2

Apr

2025

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Topical debate (Rule 169) - Social Europe: making life affordable, protecting jobs, wages and health for all

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, I am delighted to actually see and welcome the highlights of your report. They are actually optimistic. However, I want to point out that a social Europe must also include a Europe of health. And universal health coverage, access to health treatment, and the provision of public services to the health sector are a major challenge, especially for poor people. The most vulnerable people live shorter lives and suffer the most. And they face both a medical problem, a shortage of medicines, a shortage of doctors, and a lack of infrastructure. And therefore, we really need to point out that the European Commission's efforts with the Member States must be consistent, and the further development and further development of the European Health Union is also an integral part of poverty reduction. And, of course, to conclude, I regret that the European Health Programme has been cut, which is a very bad sign.

1

Apr

2025

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EU Preparedness Union Strategy (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, a resilient Europe is not built through force. It is built through trust and is based on a long-lasting holistic approach. We must embed civil, military and public health cooperation with the public health workforce as a strategic bridge between institutions, citizens and armed forces. By empowering people, by investing in citizen-led resilience hubs, we will achieve whole-of-society resilience and co-create local responses. Preparedness must start long before the military is called. The goal is civilian deterrence, building such a strong public health system that threats are absorbed, not amplified. We must train law enforcement and the military in public health, so they support, not replace it. And we must stop ignoring noncommunicable diseases and mental health, which silently erode resilience every day. They are not secondary. They are core security threats. Europe must act now by investing in prevention and in the public health system as our first line of defence. I will welcome that strategy.

1

Apr

2025

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 20 March 2025 (debate)

Mr President, Mr Costa, Mr Šefčovič, Commissioner. I would like to thank you for the conclusions, to say that they are indeed heading in the right direction. But can we make a promise that member states will implement the banking union, implement the capital markets union and complete the unification of the single market within two years? Can we say that the Multiannual Financial Perspective will be discussed and the budget of the European Union will be increased by two percent of the current one percent of GDP and we will adopt a larger list of own resources from now on? The European Union budget must be autonomous, strong, able to finance all projects, including defence and all others. And Ukraine's support must also not be zero, as it is now, but at least all countries would equally make efforts to do so.

31

Mar

2025

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, we are now starting discussions on the 2026 budget and upcoming new MFF, the budget of our Union. Unfortunately, the budget for the EU4Health programme, a key component of the European Health Union, was reduced by EUR 1 billion following the last MFF revision. This is completely unacceptable. We are now facing a range of new challenges, including the urgent need to strengthen our security, defence and so on. For this, we need the strongest, most resilient, autonomous and biggest European Union budget based on consistent and stable own resources. Health, security and the European Health Union are priorities that must be adequately funded to prevent premature deaths, create a strong and resilient workforce and society, and invest in human capital. Let us work together to ensure that we have the European Union own resources to achieve those goals.

13

Mar

2025

Speeches LT

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A Vision for Agriculture and Food (debate)

President of the meeting, Commissioner. I would like to draw attention in my vision to these two sectors: to the sector Competitive and resilient sector and to the sector Future-proof sector. The two are infinitely related to one very important aspect. These are things that need to be addressed in a holistic way in the vision, when there are terrible challenges that do not depend on agriculture, on farmers, on the situation of farmers – war, climate change catastrophes, terrible disruptions in chains. And then it is necessary to look for in the vision the complex means of harmonization between these two sectors, so that we can ensure both competence and endurance. And I want to say that when it comes to everything, it is very important to note that the unification of direct payments is simply a necessity for all farmers today.

12

Mar

2025

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Unlawful detention and sham trials of Armenian hostages, including high-ranking political representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijan

President, Commissioner, colleagues. After the military action of Azerbaijan Artsakh Nagorno-Karabakh, which is home to ethnic Armenians, has disappeared. Only a dozen Armenians remained, all others had to retreat to Armenia. In essence, Azerbaijan has carried out ethnic cleansing, a crime that is a serious crime under international law. Azerbaijan has violated its international obligations, including the Geneva Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. Therefore, those Azerbaijani officials who did this deserve sanctions. Azerbaijan imprisoned 23 people of Armenian origin and citizens of the Republic of Armenia. They are held in inhumane conditions. Ruben Vardanian was on hunger strike. His condition is of great concern and the EU and other international organisations must make every diplomatic effort to ensure the protection of the rights of Armenian political prisoners and their immediate and unconditional release. I condemn Azerbaijan's decision to close the offices of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which demonstrates Azerbaijan's unwillingness to end this conflict as soon as possible and to accept the demands of the international community.

13

Feb

2025

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Cross-border recognition of civil status documents of same-sex couples and their children within the territory of the EU (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, of course, no child should be discriminated against because of the way they were born or the type of family they were born into. It is crucial. It is enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty, Article 2. Please read this article. We are all obliged to fulfil the requirements of human rights. All. It's not a question of religion. Those who are mentioning Christianity, please read the Bible. Abraham and his first son and, of course, Saint Mary's story. It would be good to listen and to understand about what you are speaking. Of course, you know that all families, including rainbow families, should have the same rights in the EU. This includes, for instance, the right to maintenance and schooling, education and others. But it is a pity we see that such a trend is growing, especially in those countries where the far right are trying to violate human rights. Of course, the parenthood regulation is still blocked in the Council. It is also a shame that the Council still, until now, has no chance to solve this problem. It is our duty to implement all human rights.

13

Feb

2025

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EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, I heard a lot of misinformation and lies when we were speaking about sanitary and phytosanitary standards. Colleagues, European sanitary and phytosanitary standards are not negotiable! The EU has very stringent standards to protect human, animal and plant health, and any product sold in the EU must comply with the European Union standards. I have been Commissioner for food safety and health, I know very well that it is to remain unrelated and unaltered regardless of a trade agreement. EU animal, plant and health and food safety import controls are very strict, and we can control all third countries. It doesn't matter which agreement it is. I welcome this Mercosur agreement because I was involved in 2019, of course Paris Agreement and trade and sustainable development inclusion is very well done, and we need to go forward and see it.

12

Feb

2025

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US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the World Health Organisation and the suspension of US development and humanitarian aid (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, of course, the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and WHO, and the suspension of US humanitarian aid is a shameful and irresponsible decision. WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world's people, including all of us, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot do. I was in the Ebola crisis and now what does it mean? Pandemics and epidemics. I am a medical doctor. The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948, and has participated in shaping and governing WHO's work ever since. For over seven decades, WHO and the US have saved countless lives, protecting Americans and all people from health threats. Today, Trump's decision is shameful, and 'MAGA' we will call 'MASA': 'make America small again'.

12

Feb

2025

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Commission Work Programme 2025 (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, you know very well, through excellent work, better regulation – not deregulation, not less regulation, but better regulation. We know how it is difficult to achieve, especially keeping in mind that jungles are rooted at Member State level. My first proposal is, yes, it would be good to see, to encourage, Member States, the Council to look into better regulation. Second, we need to have a single market. Now we do not have single market in every area – a lot of tariffs, a lot of barriers between and within Member States. We need to press very much. Third, we speak about investment competitiveness and the Draghi report, but where is our banking union, our capital markets union, which allow us to be much more effective in using investment in our industry? Finally reskilling means thinking about the social pillar for Europeans and this is very important.

11

Feb

2025

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Protecting the system of international justice and its institutions, in particular the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, Council, it is clear that ever since the ICC issued an arrest warrant against PM Netanyahu and a former Israel defence minister, Trump issued an executive order to impose sanctions against ICC staff and their family members. Autocrat Putin in Moscow is very happy with this Trump decision and maybe Salvini and Meloni also. The threat of imminent sanctions is already affecting the work of the ICC. The EU is in a position to at least partially shield the ICC through immediate activation of the EU blocking statute. And of course those attacks against the independence of the ICC and ICJ as a key international justice institution are unacceptable and we need to use all our diplomatic tools, also globally, to act in defending independence. The Rome Statute must remain in real protection of justice, peace and security.

11

Feb

2025

Speeches LT

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Wider comprehensive EU-Middle East Strategy (debate)

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, honourable colleagues. The title of our debate is about the strategic and overarching policy of the European Union in the Middle East. However, I am much more offended by the absence of short-term actions. Trump's statement about the establishment of a riviera in Gaza is an object of cartoonists. But the silence on the part of the Commission and the silence on the part of the Council of the European Union, without saying that this statement is at odds with all the international conventions, is an even more horrible cartoon. As a former Commissioner, I find it difficult to accept this silence. And this is the answer that, right now, we need an extremely strong voice from the European Union against all violations of international law conventions, the Genocide Convention and all violations. I would like to give you the courage to do so.