Speeches

Mr. President, please. Recent years have shown that Europe cannot find solutions to the challenges, rather than to the leaders of African countries. African leaders must give their own citizens security and vision. That's their responsibility. We can help, we can't help, we can't take responsibility. Today, there are about 1.5 billion people living in Africa, only 25 years from now, and by 2050 this will be 2.5 billion. It must be recognised that, despite all the contradictions, this is one of Africa's greatest opportunities. But if it is mismanaged, conflicts will intensify, poverty will remain and migration will be more severe than ever before. As an MEP, I have been travelling to Africa for more than ten years as a permanent rapporteur on education. In addition to the many differences, one question is common everywhere: What will be the fate of the 900 million children under the age of 18 and the generation to be born on the continent? What kind of education do they receive and how do they get to work later? Honourable Members, there is nowhere to go without education! Today we can talk about investment, geopolitical competition and raw materials in the debate, but until there is adequate education and vocational training, the workforce must also be imported into Africa. A continent where the average age is 19 and one in three young people is unemployed. Hundreds of millions of young people in Africa live without a predictable future. For them, quality education can be an opportunity to build a safe future. There is simply no other way. Namibia, Botswana and Rwanda spend around 15-20% of their respective annual budgets. First and foremost, we need to work with countries that are ready to mobilise resources to support education. This is where Europe can be a partner, this is where we have to take responsibility, this is where we have to take joint responsibility. Without this, however, let us be prepared for the drastic increase in the number of conflicts of war and for the unprecedented emigration. Let's hope it doesn't.

Dear Madam President, 9.5 million people. This is the number of people in need of the humanitarian assistance mentioned here in South Sudan. Two million internally displaced, seven million starving people. Credible European action depends on defining our engagement in line with our real capabilities. At a time when farmers are unable to farm their land due to a renewed armed conflict in the middle of the agricultural season, the most pressing challenge is to alleviate the famine. However, we alone do not have the means to do so. That is why we need action to alleviate hunger as soon as possible with other humanitarian partners, and in particular with our transatlantic partners, no matter how difficult. Opportunities for cooperation must be found. This is what we expect from the Commission. My fellow Members! An additional $1.4 billion would be needed to meet the humanitarian needs in South Sudan. However, the EU cannot raise this resource. As mediators, however, we can be credible in promoting dialogue and promoting reconciliation. This is how we can stop the humanitarian crisis from deepening. This is where the External Action Service has to make a difference. This is what can really give credibility to the Union's action, not only there, but also in front of our own citizens.

Dear Madam President, How many more victims are needed? The February 13 bestial massacre was no longer the first attack by an Islamist organization calling itself the Allied Defense Force. Already five years ago, ISIS news channels reported that this is the organization that shot Christians in a pile. Since then, more than 300 people have been killed. What have you done against the Congolese or international leadership? For decades, the Kinshasa government has simply been unable to control its own territory, unable to guarantee the safety of its own citizens. What can we do then, Europeans? The brutality of this massacre, which has claimed the lives of seventy Christians, will not tolerate any further helplessness. There is a legitimate expectation that the Congolese Government will also make visible efforts that can be interpreted by its own citizens. How else can we help reduce Islamist extremism? We are waiting for a clear answer, a decisive step. Let us support Congo in this endeavor. Let's not let Congo fall to the Sahel.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Dear fellow Members, The return of Syrian refugees is a priority for Europe. Despite all the contradictions in the situation, for the first time in ten years it is realistically possible to do something about it. The EU's humanitarian aid of €235 million and the Council's decision to suspend sanctions are positive developments. However, the tragic events of the past few days indicate that what is at stake is keeping Syria together. It is therefore important that the de facto government – and it is not worth classifying it as having a tie or not – has formed a committee of inquiry involving all stakeholders. This is also a positive fact. The agreement with the Kurdish leaders, without which there is no unified Syria, is to be welcomed. Discrimination between different religious and ethnic groups must begin. It's not just about minority rights, as local Christian church leaders have said. All communities in Syria should enjoy equal freedoms, including religious freedom. This is where Europe must provide lasting strategic support. Next week's conference in Syria will be an opportunity for EU Member States to ensure a credible EU humanitarian engagement and to work for reconstruction. That is, to allow the return of the 14 million Syrians who have emigrated and to really keep the country together. They need to see jobs, health care, and education for their children. Today, 3.7 million children simply do not attend school in Syria. These are the facts.

Dear Mr President, Just a few hours ago, my fellow factions and I had the opportunity to speak online with Bishop William Ngumbi of Goma, here in the House. The bishop, who is responsible for 800,000 people, said there is a shortage of food, medicine, drinking water, health care and electricity. According to the most conservative estimates, more than 3,600 people have died since January. It was necessary for the international community to finally reach the threshold of the decades-long conflict. It's a scandal. 2.7 million people are now facing starvation in the Goma region. There must be a clear end to the bloodshed caused by M23. We need a ceasefire and peace in the Congo. However, there are a few things we should consider about the role of the East Congo mining companies registered in Toronto, London. What are Ugandan and Burundian soldiers doing in this region of Congo? Under security and peace, the so-called Samoa Agreement negotiated by the Commission refers to mediation and peacekeeping. While the EU never hesitates to teach its partner country a human rights lesson, it is now unable to enforce its international legal obligation. What will happen, fellow Members, to our credibility?

Dear Madam President, We have moved away from the deadlock in the Middle East. That's the good news. Developments in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon are simply creating a chance to stabilise the region. Since 2011, 14 million Syrian refugees have been displaced or 6 million Syrian refugees in the Middle East are waiting to return home. There are also 7 million internally displaced people in Syria. 90% of the population depends on humanitarian supplies for their livelihoods. You may say that we have been discussing Syria for three weeks, but "repetito est mater studiorum", we must repeat once again: One of the most important goals is to allow Syrian refugees to return home permanently as soon as possible. This requires the government to guarantee respect for fundamental rights and to create basic conditions for return. Without it, there is no return home. You have to answer the questions: Where will the children live, work and go to school? There are no answers today. It is high time that the Union stood up for the local, disappearing Christian communities in the Middle East. It's not a religious question. This is simply a moral and cultural issue for us Europeans. This means supporting Syrian Christian educational institutions in Lebanon as well as supporting Christians' freedom of religion.

Mr President, dear High Representative, dear colleagues, something great has happened in Syria. However, many experiences, personal meetings on the spot with Syrians warn me: caution. What is next? We must have a clear picture. Any decision influences millions – whether they return or leave the country. No room for false promises. Return of Syrians to their homeland is essential for all. But the country is in ruins and the leadership – we will say – is more than uncertain. The EU needs to be aware what is its own capacity to do and what not to do. Concrete. It is essential to have a dedicated summit to take a general overview of realistic possibilities. Currently, we have pressing humanitarian appeals to answer. The EU sanctions on Syria cannot any more be the barrier of delivering aid. Guarantees are needed for the Christians as well as Kurds, and others will enjoy the full freedom of existence. Dear colleagues, we have to stand up for the rights of Christians, Kurds and other minorities. It is not a religious but a humanitarian rights question. Respect of the rights of all parts of the Syrian society is absolutely key. As soon as the conditions are there, dialogue is needed together with the regional actors for reconstruction. There is no return otherwise.

Mr President, dear colleagues, as a member of the European Parliament's election observation delegation, I had the opportunity to see elections in Mozambique were forward‑looking, with a new generation entering into power. However, the discrepancies in voting registration and tabulation have led to severe demonstrations with really tragic consequences. The current developments are the result of the lack of security, weak institutions and mistrust. This happens when the country contains only traces of statehood. In a country where near half a century the same party is ruling, this certainly calls for strengthening the democratic transition. The newly elected political leadership has a responsibility to restore the trust, security and strengthen the institutions. Mozambique has a huge potential for development, with the third largest natural gas resource in Africa. However, without security, the people of the country will not ever benefit from it. The political instability favours only extremists, as we see in Cabo Delgado. Here, the Islamist extremists attacked 27 villages in February. The EU can and must be a partner of finding the solution but cannot lead instead of the Mozambicans.

Dear Mr President, Let me share with you a decade of experience. Unfortunately, ideological bias makes some European decision-makers completely insensitive to human suffering when it comes to Christians. Even the persecutors of Christians do not understand this European position. The consequence of this, however, is that in the absence of the protection of the West, Christians become even more vulnerable. The raids scheduled for Pentecost, Christmas Eve, the brutal killings, the attacks on churches cannot be interpreted in any other way. This is about the persecution of Christians. Let's be able to say it. It is regrettable that we have not seen any meaningful reaction from the External Action Service. According to Open Doors, more than 4,000 of the more than 5,000 victims of jihadism in Nigeria last year alone were Christians. We Europeans cannot turn a blind eye to violence against Christians. In December, President Tinubu said the military would ensure Nigeria's security. Let's wait, let's wait for words to be followed by deeds.

Of course, there have always been and always will be disputes. I know that in the group, but of course that is not the case. It's about whether someone in your country, for example, can take your interests into account or not. You can take into account the interests of ten million people. Manfred Weber and I may have a lot of criticism in person, but it's definitely a balancing act, isn't it? But when a man has tried to do it exclusively against his own country, and to do it against his own citizens, there is no other way of judging it than by a very bad policy, which obviously has its consequences.

Dear Mr President, Dear fellow Members, The election campaign has started. Right here, the left is throwing a political circus, because it simply did not succeed in blackmailing the Commission to its liking. Let's get the facts straight. You have rightly left the allocation of EU funds to the wise decision of the Commission. Then, in long, difficult and strenuous negotiations, a single issue was agreed with a Commission that could not be accused of bias in any way. Negotiating with Commissioners is not a tea afternoon, but the Commission has said that the justice reform package meets expectations. €10 billion can be legitimately disbursed to Hungary. Nothing is too expensive for you leftists. They are attacking the Commission, threatening it with lawsuits to build their political careers out of Hungarian hatred. In their vigorous campaign, they are trying to prevent further work between the Commission and the Hungarian government, even though there is still a lot of work to be done. You're attacking the interests of ten million people. The situation is clear: this is the message of the European left to the Hungarian electorate at today's campaign event. No doubt, you have made this a campaign event. This is not what Parliament deserves, and this is not what the Commission deserves. (The speaker is willing to answer a blue card question)

Madam President, dear colleagues, only in Africa this report on education affects more than half a billion children. The text we are about to vote is based on wide consultation with different kinds of African stakeholders, as well as on a wide consensus of political groups. This constitutes a strong message to the Commission and Member States. Young people in our partner countries deserve the opportunity to have quality education, decent work and life in their homeland. To meet Agenda 2030, an additional 70 million teachers will need to be recruited. For that, there is a need for adequate financing and stronger engagement with the local partners. The Commission has rightly recognised the urgency of this issue of education in developing countries. The increase in the budgetary commitment of the last years is a good step, but widely not enough. We also need enhanced efficiency and strategic implementation. We need to move beyond the practice of aiding, and build cooperation, partnership and trust. Dear colleagues, let me express my gratitude to the shadow rapporteurs for the good and really efficient cooperation, and I also thank Commissioner Urpilainen, who is a committed supporter of the EU’s engagement for education. I hope that the Commission will continue and strengthen this cooperation and increase financing for education in developing countries. Finally, dear colleagues, this report is a result of intense negotiations. We managed to deliver a text which reflects the reality of our development partner countries. The message can be understood by our partners as well as within the Union. Now I invite you to support the report with your vote.

Dear Madam President, Once again, millions of people can be amazed, primarily in Hungary, of course, but also in other countries of Europe, that once again and still, of course, it can be said that indirectly, but making Hungarian citizens impossible is on the agenda in the European Parliament. We need to make it clear that today's debate is nothing more than the left's forced, we have seen, precisely, its campaign event. Above all, those who can make a political career out of ideologically based Hungarian hatred are competing for better places on the left-wing electoral lists. Make no mistake, it is not that Hungary or other Member States cannot be criticised for a specific situation. However, this has not been the case for a long time. The increasingly radicalised left is blackmailing the European Commission and the Council with desperate but not underestimated efforts. All this in order to permanently prevent Hungary from accessing the EU funds due to it. Unfortunately, I have no doubts, an objective debate, as we have seen here today, there is no chance. I hope, however, that after next year's elections, the potential for democracy and dialogue in the European Parliament will be strengthened.

Mr. President, please. I am glad that we have finally moved a bit away from the military aspects, although these are obviously decisive. Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger are all partner countries in which democratic attempts have completely failed. This has also reduced the EU's influence on foreign policy. The Sahel region has been mentioned many times. The problem is that the potential for migration is increasing. It's not just Niger, it's very clear. The restoration of constitutional order in the region now seems almost unattainable. Across the region, there are countries that, as advertising says, include traces of a state. But only in traces. Even more alarmingly, the coupists – and this is what is very important to me – simply refer to those with whom they cooperate with Europeans as European collaborators. Let's face it, we are facing a trend that the Union has so far not been able to really cooperate to curb. My question is very short: Europe is interested in a stable, responsible Africa. Cooperation between equals is the future of African relations, and that is why we are always working wherever we are. Will the External Action Service be able to make a difference in the future, regardless of what it has done so far?

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, the general experience of the scientific reports show that we live in a time of unprecedented religious intolerance globally. Unfortunately, in 2021, as many as 40 countries of the world people have been killed, abducted for their faith. At the same time, since 2019, the Commission unfortunately hesitated for three years with the appointment of the EU Special Envoy for the promotion of the freedom of religion outside the EU. This undermined, clearly – this is my own experience – the EU’s international credibility. Dear colleagues, around 84% of the global population identifies with a different kind of religious group, according to the Pew Research Center. The basic human right of the freedom of religion is still not fully integrated into EU diplomacy. We’ll still need to set milestones in dialogue with the churches, religious communities and their organisations active in this field in the EU and the third countries. According to Article 17 of the EU Treaty, the EU institution conducts substantial and transparent dialogue with the religious communities, either. In reality – we know it very well, however – it is not structured dialogue as such prior to any substantive EU decision-making. It is not a legal framework that is missing. Rather, the EU leadership refuses knowledge of the decisive impact of religion in individual society. Without this, decision-makers are unable to understand the importance of religious freedom. A visible result, today, is that we hold this debate in the very end of the plenary session, on Thursday afternoon. We need the presence of the colleagues, of course. Thanks for everybody who is present. I think it is really a simple shame. Let me recall the free expression of religion is not a matter of religion, but it is a human right. In fact, it is even deeper – it is one of the anthropological question.

Thank you for your reply, Commissioner, and I absolutely agree with him, and in these endeavours I believe that the Commission has always been supported by my group. I would like to stress that Africa has all the opportunities - and we must underline this here - that make the continent the 21st. It can make it the leading region of the century, Europe's number one strategic ally. But one thing that needs to be emphasized is that an extremely young and fast growing population is an opportunity that needs to be taken advantage of. This requires that young people in Africa receive adequate education and vocational training. It will be up to the next generation to make the strategic decisions that will make Africa a true winner in the 21st century.

Mr. President, please. More than three years have passed since the Commission published the EU Strategy for Africa. It promised a partnership for the green transition in Africa, digitalisation, job creation, peace and migration management. The question rightly arises: Have we fulfilled our promises? Is Africa a safer place? Have we been effective in tackling the root causes of migration? Today, 15 of the world's 20 most unstable countries are in Africa. Since 2020, our strategic partners such as Ethiopia, Sudan and Nigeria have been stranded in or on the brink of civil war. Madam Commissioner, what can we do to bring the work of the last five years to a truly tangible conclusion next year? What can we do to ensure that young Africans can contribute locally to the development of their communities instead of emigrating?

Mr. President, please. As Head of the 2022 EU Electoral Mission, I have been able to follow political developments in Lebanon closely to this day. Allow me to make two statements about my experience: It is a false promise that the European Union will be able to solve Lebanon's problems. Lebanon does not need a European education, but it needs a great deal of cooperation, but it needs to happen on both sides. For this to happen, however, the Lebanese political elite elected last year must finally complete their task. The first step is the presidential election, after a year's delay. Those who block this process and stand in the way of much-needed vital reforms must have the means – and the constitution – to prevent it. Dear fellow Members, The resolution of the situation of Syrian refugees is an issue that cannot be postponed for a long time, as it appeared here in the conversation. The European Union must help refugees to return home, but today neither the political nor the humanitarian situation in Syria is suitable for this. But we must be clear that Turkey and Lebanon will take action on this issue sooner rather than later. It is therefore better for us Europeans to sit at the table and not on the menu. Let's get thematic, let's not let them get thematic.

Mr. President, please. Disabling an entire country and ten million EU citizens simply cannot be a political goal in any way. This motion for a resolution attempts to do so, albeit indirectly. It radically interferes in the negotiation process between the Hungarian government and the European Commission, thus rejecting constructive dialogue and compromises reached. The real unscrupulous political cynicism is that, despite the progress made, they demand that Hungary should not receive EU funds under any circumstances. It is a particular tragedy, of course, that in this political depression Hungarian companions were found. They also question Hungary's ability to hold the presidency in 2024, thus attacking the Council's institutional system. It is fortunate that this is not decided by the European Parliament because of its lack of competence. The plan makes any kind of confidence building even more difficult, almost impossible. It seems that there are always politicians who use Hungary to increase their political recognition, and here we can say that they are making false statements. How much sobriety is there in this House in the face of an increasingly excluded, dissociative madness? Because it's crazy. Actually, that's the question today. We need to find a solution, ladies and gentlemen. Hungary has endured a lot of things so far, and it will endure this too!

Mr. President, please. The ever-increasing tensions undermine trust between the countries of the Great Lakes region and undermine much-needed cooperation. We Europeans know exactly what the bloody consequences of wars over raw materials are. The founding fathers created the European Union to put an end to these conflicts. This is a lesson that we need to share with our African partners. We must see that the conflict that is unfolding on the border between Congo and Rwanda is the result of a decade-long security vacuum in the Eastern Congo region, unaddressed by the international community. The Kinshasa government is simply unable to secure a state presence throughout the country. This is especially true in conflict-affected areas. This allows armed militias to fight for the rights to extract essential metals such as cobalt, lithium and tantalum with a wide variety of uncontrollable foreign subsidies. The establishment of regional peace and stability is also hampered by hate speech and violence against the Tutsis in the Congo. We have seen with the neighbouring country exactly what the consequences of such incitement may be. We must not go down this road again. The European Union, in cooperation with the Member States, should provide technical assistance to Congo and Rwanda, as mentioned by the Commissioner, including strengthening state institutions, fighting corruption and, in short, establishing stable governance. In addition, all diplomatic means should be used to help resolve the situation. Reconciliation policy and economic opportunities need to be explored at regional level, with the involvement of regional leaders, but above all it needs to be assessed whether the European Union can really be a factor in reconciliation. We have to face this honestly. The European Union must decide whether to promote reconciliation or to fight an ideological struggle in Africa.

Mr. President, please. Now, a week after the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, we must first of all thank those who have been fighting for those in distress, at the risk of their physical integrity, over the past week and at these moments. Respect to them! It is our job to support your work in every way. Allow me to highlight in particular the humanitarian situation in Syria. Here assistance began in an extremely difficult security and political situation. However, much more comprehensive engagement is needed to ensure that local humanitarian actors can effectively carry out their tasks. After the disaster, I contacted one of the country's largest aid agencies, the St. Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee, as well as the Italian humanitarian agency AVSI and other non-governmental partners in Syria. The internationally recognised organisation, which works closely with the EU, says that sanctions on banking transactions, electronic equipment and machinery for cleaning up rubble are severely hampering humanitarian action. We must therefore find a way to remove the obstacles to reconstruction after a period of saving lives, without abandoning the political objective of sanctions. This can only be done to help the Syrian people directly. It's time! Dear Commissioner, On this issue, you can count on my personal support and the support of my group, the European People's Party.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The European Parliament has the authority to be at the forefront of human rights. Thank you for the rapporteur's work. It is therefore to be welcomed that the report stands up for the rights of national, ethnic and linguistic minorities. Equally forward-looking is the recognition that the root causes of migration need to be tackled locally. However, the report now threatens the credibility of the European Parliament. It contrasts the free exercise of religion with the interpretation of human rights for political purposes. It simply, let's say, comicly calls on thousands of years old religious communities to recognize the right to atheism, abortion or sexual orientation. Instead of religious freedom, restrictions on religious freedom come to the fore. This is no less than a violation of various denominations and ecclesiastical autonomy throughout the world. My fellow Members, it is not our job to reinterpret human rights, let us not let the idea of freedoms rooted in natural law lose its meaning.

Dear Mr President, First of all, I would like to thank my colleague, fellow Member Charles Goerens, for the very complex work he has done on this report. The European Union spends EUR 70 billion a year on international development, but we are facing increasing difficulties. Nearly 700 million people live in extreme poverty, 350 million are starving, 31 million are war refugees in Africa in a single year. We need to see that the lack of security and education in Africa undermines a good part of EU investment, strengthens the migration impact, and has ultimately hampered sustainable development. Together with EU development banks and private investment, the European Union is mobilising €500 billion for development projects. However, meaningful results require more effective coordination between the European Investment Bank and international development actors in the Member States. The Investment Bank should engage in a direct, genuine dialogue with its African partners. In addition, clear objectives are needed: safety, education and the workplace.

Dear Madam President, We are finally able to conclude a long and difficult negotiation. The Hungarian Government and the European Commission are approaching the end of a constructive dialogue. Now, on the threshold of an agreement, the left of the European Parliament is launching yet another attack. From the outset and consistently, the Commission's expectation was to improve the use of EU funds. As expected, the Hungarian government has made 17 comprehensive commitments and created the legal environment for them. Reforms have begun and institutional changes have been made. I would like to nullify the results so far. There is nothing less at stake than that ten million European, European Hungarian citizens should receive the billions due to them. Dear fellow Members, You are now in a decision-making position: do they support the results achieved, or do they put their perceived individual and party political interests at odds with the interests of Hungarian citizens? This isn't the time to mess around. Yes or no? Leftist denial only helps extremists by rejecting dialogue in Europe. It is useless to say that they attack a government, and by their decisions they put a country, its nearly ten million inhabitants, in an impossible situation. Yet why and how should the otherwise pro-European Hungarians and, subsequently, the millions of European citizens trust the European Parliament? Many of you are still singing at various party events today that this fight will be the final one. Now, that's what I'd like to hope for.

Dear Madam President, Commissioner, The Horn of Africa is a region of strategic importance for Europe. Not only from a commercial and economic point of view, but also from the point of view of the security of our continent. EU action in the region must therefore be effective, targeted and respond to real local challenges. In the current situation, in the midst of the food and energy crises, clear priorities are needed, not vague referrals. It is a mistake to assume that economic growth in the region, curbing migration and strengthening democratic processes can be achieved without security. Security is a prerequisite for sustainable development. We have to accept this principle quite simply. Despite economic investment, the fight against climate change, the lack of security undermines state government, creates an unpredictable economic environment and ultimately frustrates the expected development. As the Commissioner will undoubtedly agree with this, in addition to safety, there is an urgent need to lay the foundations for quality education and vocational training. In addition to quality education, the existence of qualified teachers is also a key issue. The sub-Saharan region will need 15 million new teachers by 2030, and we need to see multiple returns on EU investment in education, and teacher training in particular. Building on this, we can create real opportunities for young people to overcome poverty by investing in local jobs. Placing migration as a real solution is simply false. We need to recognise the links between security, education and job creation, and emigration. Ignoring all this is worrying not only for European security, but also to mislead young Africans with false promises.