What Petras spoke about.

23 Apr

2024

EN Speech

Attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society (debate)

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Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, let me, on behalf of all of us, welcome present in this House, Nika Gvaramia, one of the opposition leaders in Georgia. Thank you, Nika, for your dedication and your fight for a better future for Georgia. Colleagues, the repeated attempts by the ruling party in Georgia to pass a law on foreign influence are an example of its intent to control ci…

23 Apr

2024

EN Speech

The use of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s victory and reconstruction (debate)

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Madam President, the aggressor must pay and suffer significant financial damage, and the attacked party is entitled to fair compensation. This is a principle of international law that must fully apply to Russia, which brutally attacked Ukraine. So full confiscation of state assets must come. The delay in using Russian state assets to rebuild Ukraine is incomprehensible, unjustified and even risky.…

10 Apr

2024

EN Speech

New allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, in the upcoming EU elections and the impact on the Union (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, for decades, Russia has devoted enormous resources and efforts to weakening Europe, our democracy and our resilience. The time has come to realise that Russkiy Mir, the Kremlin’s ideological concept, is incompatible with our European values. Therefore, according to Kremlin, the latter must be weakened and finally eradicated. All the recent evidence of R…

14 Mar

2024

EN Speech

Promised revision of the EU animal welfare legislation and the animal welfare-related European citizens’ initiatives (debate)

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Madam President, animal welfare-related policy area is the one where Europeans are well ahead of their governments and the European Union in general. The recent European Citizens’ Initiative with 1.4 million signatures is the best example of that, while the European Commission is lagging behind with promised legislation. Colleagues, we need a Schengen-like companion animals free movement area with…

13 Mar

2024

EN Speech

The repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women

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Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the Taliban regime has turned Afghanistan into a closed country that discriminates against women, kills critics in public and prosecutes ethnic and religious minorities. Women’s futures and opportunities are being sacrificed in the name of radicalised Sharia law. We must condemn loudly and clearly every crime committed by the Taliban against Afghan soci…

13 Mar

2024

EN Answer

Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia (debate)

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Thank you very much for your question, we not only can, we must do much more. And we have to oppose the Putin’s regime by all means. For your information, just yesterday, a close associate of Navalny, Leonid Volkov, was attacked in Vilnius, Lithuania. I mean, they have long hands. They try to impose an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty, to shake us, to make us not moving, not being united. This Sund…

13 Mar

2024

EN Speech

Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia (debate)

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Madam President, minister, Commissioner, just minutes ago, we have been reminded that Russian infiltration into this House is real and clear. We have to withstand all those pressures and to fight propaganda and disinformation of Russian lifestyle as much as we can. Otherwise we will fail. We will fail miserably. Colleagues, why do the Russian occupiers separate and deport Ukrainian people? What ar…

12 Mar

2024

EN Speech

Need to impose sanctions on the import of Russian and Belarusian food and agricultural products to the EU and to ensure stability of EU agricultural production (debate)

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Madam President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European Union’s trade with the aggressor state, Russia, and its supporter, Belarus, is immoral and must be stopped. No matter what is traded, or who is trading, the proceeds serve the military objectives of the aggressors, ultimately against Ukrainians and all of us. Russia and Belarus sold more than 1.5 million tonnes of grain to the EU m…

28 Feb

2024

LT Speech

Deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement (debate)

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Mr President, dear colleagues. I am very grateful to you for a very fruitful and constructive discussion, because you have been speaking from your own experience. You know best how much membership of the European Union can change and influence the future and situation of a Member State. I very much hope that you will bring this message to your constituents as well. For example, during the election…

28 Feb

2024

LT Speech

Deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. The European Union, as a project for cooperation, stability and democracy for Europeans, is once again being tested in time, but it is a strong idea that unites the continent. The achievements and ambitions of European Member States inspire other countries to seek and join membership. This is the right choice, which is confirmed by real life and its changes.…

28 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Strengthening European Defence in a volatile geopolitical landscape - Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2023 (joint debate - European security and defence)

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Madam President, Council representative, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the war in Ukraine, Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine require an urgent and strong EU capacity to respond adequately to the situation. Limited defence budgets of Member States, insufficient defence industrial capacities and slow collective EU action are the main reasons for the EU’s insufficient response towards war…

27 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 - Establishing the Ukraine Facility - Establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP’) (joint debate - multiannual financial framework revision)

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Mr President, Council Representative, Commissioner, the important decision on the Ukraine Facility confirms the EU’s commitment to providing long term assistance to war-torn Ukraine. The EU is sending a strong and clear message to the Ukrainians: we are with you and our support will remain with you. The EU’s commitment to a reformed and democratic Ukraine enters a new phase. The Ukraine Facility i…

7 Feb

2024

EN Speech

New wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members

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Madam President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, the Lukashenka regime continues trampling on the basic human rights of Belarusians and selling the country’s sovereignty to the Kremlin. Its anger is directed against critics and free thinkers who aspire a different future for Belarus, a democratic and European future. The arrest of Maryna Adamavich, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich, as well as t…

6 Feb

2024

LT Speech

Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union (debate)

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Mr President, honourable Minister, Commissioner. The hand of authoritarian Russia had reached not only the pockets of Europeans, for a long time influencing energy prices, but also the worldview, imposing fictional narratives and acting from within. The unstoppable Kremlin will never stop, will seek to maintain its influence, accusing others of Russophobia, will continue to spread euro skepticism …

6 Feb

2024

EN Speech

The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, Madam Minister, dear colleagues, a day before I spoke with a colleague in Ukraine who shared the following observations. I quote: ‘Only a strong Europe with strong defence capabilities can stop Russia from continuing on its war path. The war in Ukraine only gives us – Europeans – time to properly prepare. Russian society has been enslaved by Putin’s regime and is part o…

17 Jan

2024

EN Speech

Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media

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– Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues. The persecution and detention of journalists and their legal defenders, the crackdown on independent media and the closure of many media outlets have become a grim reality in Tajikistan. These and other human rights violations and restrictions of civil society activities are completely unacceptable and must be met with the appropriate response from…

16 Jan

2024

EN Speech

Keeping commitments and delivering military assistance to Ukraine (debate)

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Mr President, Madam Minister, Commissioner, the fate of Ukraine as a state and of Ukrainians as a nation is being decided on the battlefield. Our ally Ukraine can only contain and defeat the aggressor if, among other things, it is given the necessary military support. It goes without saying that in order to defeat the terrorist state Russia, the amount of the Western military support must far exce…

14 Dec

2023

EN Speech

Ensuring proper functioning of EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes (debate)

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Madam President, madam Commissioner, Council representatives, dear colleagues, the front line in the east and south of Ukraine stretch over 1200 kilometres. Over the last two years, Ukraine’s western borders have been closed for 38 days. How it is possible that truckers from neighbouring EU countries have declared economic war on Ukraine? This is a knife in Ukraine’s back. Transport policy of the …

13 Dec

2023

EN Speech

The unknown status of Mikalai Statkevich and the recent attacks on Belarusian politicians’ and activists’ family members

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Madam President, Commissioner – no Council – but dear colleagues, I would like to use my minute and read a letter from Marina Statkevich, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich, and ask you for understanding if I overstep some one-minute boundary. I really plead to you. ‘Dear members of the European Parliament. We believe and know that solidarity is not an empty word for you. I ask for solidarity with my …

11 Dec

2023

EN Speech

Order of business

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Madam President, since 6 November, truck drivers in Poland have blocked access roads to four border crossings, creating lines that stretch for more than 30km. Around 3300 Ukrainian trucks are stuck in freezing temperatures. It greatly affected cargo flow from both border sides. The crisis has expanded, with Slovakian hauliers, aided by Hungarian ones, joining the protest to obstruct another main b…

22 Nov

2023

EN Speech

The killing of Tamaz Ginturi, a Georgian citizen, by Russia’s occupying forces in Georgia

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Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the Russian occupation of 20% of the territory of Georgia is direct evidence of war crimes and a violation of the territorial integrity of Georgia. The occupying Russian authorities are pursuing an active policy of provocation, constantly expanding the occupied territories, abducting and terrorising the local population. Tamaz Ginturi, a 58-year-old …

22 Nov

2023

LT Speech

30 years of Copenhagen criteria - giving further impetus to EU enlargement policy (debate)

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Mr President, the European leaders' meeting in June 1993 was an important step towards removing the marks of the Berlin Wall that divided the European continent. It was a wise and well-weighted political decision that opened the door to the process of European unification, a process that strengthened Europe itself. The Copenhagen criteria are still valid today. Naturally, they are being replaced b…

22 Nov

2023

EN Question

30 years of Copenhagen criteria - giving further impetus to EU enlargement policy (debate)

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Colleague, you mentioned many so to say shortcomings of the new Member States. But there are some shortcomings within older Member States. You didn’t speak about the lack of democracy in Hungary. The group, I mean, which accommodates probably some affiliated from Orbán party. You did not mention about opt-outs some countries use to limit their participation within the European Union. And finally, …

21 Nov

2023

EN Speech

Proposals of the European Parliament for the amendment of the Treaties (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, Council representatives, ladies and gentlemen, calls for a united and strong Europe, a Union that meets the expectations of Europeans, are constantly repeated in the European Parliament, and rightly so. I see this as an obligation for all of us to take all the necessary decisions, including amendments to the EU Treaties, to maintain smooth and effective decision-making,…

8 Nov

2023

EN Speech

EU enlargement policy 2023 (debate)

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Madam President, Mr Commissioner, dear colleagues, today is another important historical moment for Ukraine and its brave people who, despite the absolute atrocities committed by the Russian terrorist regime, continue to pursue their dream of European Union membership and to implement a comprehensive programme of political, legal and economic reforms. We are united by our common dream and goal to …