What Merja spoke about.

22

Jan

2025

EN Speech

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Case of Jean-Jacques Wondo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Madam President, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, personalities, today we address the urgent and deeply concerning case of Jean-Jacques Wondo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The arrest and possible death sentence of Mr Wondo is repression against those who dare to speak truth to power. This creates an environment of fear and erodes the fundamental freedoms that are the bedrock of any d…

22

Jan

2025

FI Speech

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Uniting Europe against actors hostile to the EU: time to strengthen our security and defence (topical debate)

Mr President, the military threat, hybrid influencing in the Baltic Sea and electoral influencing by tech giants: Europe faces many threats. We must be able to respond to these threats with credibility and determination. The strengthening of security and defence must take into account society as a whole, from civilians to defence. The EU must be able to stand on its own feet without dependencies o…

18

Dec

2024

FI Speech

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Human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan, in particular the case of Temirlan Sultanbekov

Mr President, the human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan is critical. The ruling regime has systematically suppressed the opposition and silenced the voices of the people. In the run-up to the November elections, the Social Democratic Party was silenced and its 26-year-old leader, Temirlan Sultanbekov, was arrested. Now he is on hunger strike and his health is deteriorating day by day. Silencing the…

17

Dec

2024

FI Speech

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Towards a shared vision for European tourism, its sustainable growth and brand Europe (debate)

Mr President, the future of European tourism must be built on sustainability, inclusion and continuous renewal. We are known worldwide as a safe, fascinating and responsible travel destination, but this position is not self-evident. You have to earn it over and over again. Today's tourists look forward to experiences that respect the local nature and culture. They prefer sustainable tourism and ch…

17

Dec

2024

FI Speech

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Use of rape as weapon of war, in particular in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan (debate)

Mr President, the use of rape as a weapon of war is the lowest evil in humanity. In Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and many other places, children and women in particular have been the victims of systematic sexual violence. In war-torn areas, the most vulnerable people are often the most oppressed. This is a cruelty to which the EU must respond decisively. We must ensure that int…

27

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea (debate)

Madam President, the recent cable damage in the Baltic Sea is a concrete reminder of how vulnerable our critical infrastructure really is. The EU must be a united and active actor in order to prevent hybrid influence in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea littoral states, especially Finland, are extremely dependent on functioning connections to the sea. The majority of imports to Finland are brought th…

14

Nov

2024

FI Speech

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Enhancing Europe’s civilian and defence preparedness and readiness (debate)

Mr President, Europe is made up of the Member States and its citizens. Without the trust of our citizens, without our mutual trust, we are quickly on the brink of nothing. It is clear that we need a wide range of solutions, action at many different levels, ranging from strengthening defence capabilities to stronger action on climate change. But strengthening our citizens is the backbone of our pre…

22

Oct

2024

FI Speech

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State sponsored terrorism by the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of the recent attacks in Europe (debate)

Mr President, the cycle of years of vengeance, the constant killing and the search for justification for indiscriminate violence. The tension has a long history for many generations, and unfortunately there is no end. A dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation also threatens to fuel uncontrolled regional escalation that is not in anyone's interest. Bystander victims always pay the highest price …

22

Oct

2024

FI Speech

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People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan (debate)

Mr President, in mid-October China began its fourth large-scale military exercise around Taiwan in two years. According to the Chinese military, the military exercises focus on, among other things, combat readiness at sea and in the air, as well as the blockade of major ports and areas. In addition, the topic of the exercise is attacks on land and sea targets. A spokesman for the military said the…

21

Oct

2024

FI Speech

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Implementation of the Single European Sky (recast) (debate)

Mr President, the Single European Sky has a long history. The objective is to reduce delays, increase safety, mitigate environmental impacts and reduce costs related to the provision of services in the aviation sector. Reducing the fragmentation of European airspace through a more efficient air traffic management system is more than necessary. Although the policy has progressed, the SES has not be…

8

Oct

2024

FI Speech

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Outcome of the Summit of the Future: transforming global governance for building peace, promoting human rights and achieving the sustainable development goals (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, no declaration or agreement becomes a reality other than by doing so. At the heart of it all is peace. In Europe, we have too easily forgotten the roots of peace: The work that previous generations tirelessly did to make it safe for us to live. Peace is not a self-evident thing that just stays without the makers, the mediators, the builders and the solvers. At t…

17

Sep

2024

EN Speech

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Situation in Venezuela (debate)

Madam President, the Venezuelan Government must publish the polling‑ station‑specific results and all the evidence that enables democratic control. As long as the democratic nature of the elections cannot be ensured, the Venezuelan leadership cannot be considered legitimate. When domestic and external observers can be convinced of the honesty of the election result, all the people at home and abro…