Speeches

Mr President, it looks like Mr De Masi's only concern is that we stop helping Ukraine. You cannot make up your mind whether Putin is strong or whether he is weak. The only thing that you care is that we stop helping Ukraine, which is, in fact, exactly what Mr Putin wants. This is exactly why we should continue to support Ukraine, because that is in the fundamental interest of European citizens. And whoever says we should stop helping Ukraine betrays the interest of European citizens and acts against the security of Europe. If we are weak, we are a target. If we are strong, we are safe. This is the principle that needs to guide us. This is why I say invest more in defence, to keep our citizens safe and invest more in common European projects in defence. Commissioner Kubilius, we very much welcome the work that you're doing, and we're very much looking forward to the white paper that you're going to propose. Our expectation is to see projects in there which we at European level can do better that than Member States can do alone. And then we should also find the funds, the resources, to support the projects which the European Commission puts forward. We should show to the people of Europe that spending money at European level on defence is worth it, and that it is better spent than at national level.

Madam President, President of the European Council, dear colleagues, unfortunately, our long standing partner the United States of America is disengaging from Europe. It is disengaging in terms of security and defence, it is disengaging in terms of trade and economy, and it is disengaging in terms of defending democracy, rule of law and human rights. We do not want this to happen. We regret this. We will never turn our backs on the United States of America. But we need to recognise the new reality where the United States administration has other priorities. When Russia is challenging us from the East, and the current Trump administration is questioning the defence of Europe from the West. The conclusion for us, Europe, is simple we have to defend ourselves. What matters most now is what we are going to do ourselves at European level. And I believe we have to do two things. Firstly, continuing to support Ukraine. Stopping military support to Ukraine is not a way to peace, it is a way to help Russia. We should not do that. Keeping Ukraine safe means keeping Europe safe. Secondly, we have to invest in defence. And I believe the EUR 150 billion common European project put forward by the European Commission is correct. But we have to do it right. When we spend European money, we have to support European projects. What projects we are going to finance matters a lot. We should use this European fund to do projects which none of the Member States can do alone, so that the citizens of Europe see the added value of Europe. We should do the Common European Air Defence Shield and other European projects, invest in European research, produce more oil in bigger quantities and at smaller unit prices. Same equipment for the militaries of all EU Member States. Europe can do a lot to make sure that our militaries are well equipped with this European project. And of course, if European money is spent, the European Parliament has to be involved. Let me say, in the end, that investing in investing in our defence means keeping Europe safe. If we are weak, we are a target. If we are strong, we are safe.

Madam President, dear colleagues, thank you for this debate in which we showed clearly all here in the House almost, that we understand the importance that the Republic of Moldova has for the European Union, for our safety, for our stability, for our prosperity. We have worked together. I would like to first and foremost thank my co-rapporteur Sven Mikser on behalf of the AFET Committee, but also the shadow rapporteurs that have worked closely with us. We have managed to reach a common agreement with the Council, which includes the top priorities of the European Parliament. As a result of our work, the support for Moldova will come fast and will come in a more comprehensive form. I would like to thank Commissioner Kos and all colleagues from the Commission for acting really and truly as an honest broker. And I would also like to thank the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, who understood the strategic importance of this file. In these difficult times, when we are seeing that our common European values, that human rights, the democracy, that the rule of law are challenged by autocrats all around the world, we are giving a strong signal of unity. 27 Member States of the European Union stand by the side of a candidate country, understanding that supporting a candidate country, making it stronger, makes us stronger as well. Thank you everyone following this positive debate, we are encouraged that tomorrow the planning of the European Parliament will give its final and positive vote by a large majority to this Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Commissioner, today we are sending a very strong signal. We are sending a very strong signal to citizens of the European Union, but also to citizens in our immediate neighbourhood in candidate countries: Europe is delivering! Tomorrow, we are going to have the final vote here in the plenary of the European Parliament on the EUR 1.9 billion growth facility for the Republic of Moldova. We believe in this project. The way in which it was agreed by the European Parliament and the Council, with the support of the European Commission, will allow the Republic of Moldova to become economically, socially, institutionally even stronger. It will be closer to European standards after the implementation of this growth and reform facility: EUR 1.9 billion to support the economy, to support private sector, to support citizens over the next three years. Money for investments in parallel with reforms that will strengthen the public administration, that will improve the competitiveness of the country. We are doing this because the Republic of Moldova is a country deeply rooted in European values. We still vividly remember the first weeks of the illegal and illegitimate invasion of Russian armed forces into Ukraine. The people of Moldova opened their houses for refugees in Ukraine. For people coming from Ukraine and looking for security, they found it in the Republic of Moldova, with some Moldovan authorities and some Moldovan citizens acting in line with European values. We saw people of Moldova expressing themselves in elections, in a referendum, in this direction. They share our values. They want to become members of the Union. So it is our obligation to support. And we know this is good for Moldova, but it will also be good for Europe, because the Republic of Moldova is a direct neighbour. It is not only an EU candidate country, but it is neighbouring the European Union, and we know that Moldova's security is Europe's security. We can only be secure and safe inside the borders of the Union if our neighbours are safe. This is why strengthening Moldova, supporting Moldova is also in the fundamental interest of the European Union, even more so now when we are seeing our long-standing partner across the Atlantic unfortunately disengaging from Europe – in terms of trade, in terms of economy, in terms of security and defence, in terms of defending, unfortunately, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We are seeing the threat in the East. We are seeing the uncertainties across the Atlantic. So the reaction for us and the answer for us is clear: we stick together as EU Member States, we support each other and we also support the candidate countries. These were the principles on the basis of which here, in the European Parliament, we worked throughout the process of adopting this growth and reform facility for the Republic of Moldova. Sven Mikser, my co-rapporteur on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and myself were lucky enough to work closely with the shadow rapporteurs from the other groups. And last week we had a vote with a large majority in a joint meeting of the two committees that were decisive here. We had a vote with a large majority because the key objectives of Parliament for this process were fulfilled. We said we want to adopt this facility fast, and we want to adopt it in a way in which it is good for Europe and good for Moldova. We set two primary objectives. Firstly, as soon as the Moldovan authorities put forward a reform and growth plan and the European Commission adopts it, we want the pre-financing paid to the Republic of Moldova to be more comprehensive. The European Commission proposed 7 %. The Council agreed to 7 %. We demanded a fundamental increase and, due to the unity of the European Parliament, we managed to agree, together with the Council and Commission, on an increase to 18 %. That is EUR 200 million more for the people of Moldova due to the work that we have done together here in the European institutions, at European Union level. The second objective was to increase the grant component, to make more grants available for the people of Moldova. We have achieved all this. The mandate is achieved. This is why tomorrow, with a large majority, we are going to give a positive vote to this facility – a clear signal to the people of Moldova that Moldova is Europe, and Europe is Moldova.

Madam President, I welcome Prime Minister Tusk back to the European Parliament. It is our common task to provide certainty to the people of Europe. It is our first and common obligation to provide safety, security and prosperity to the people of Europe. This is what they expect from us. My main message to you today is that security and prosperity in Europe are connected. These have to be our priorities and we have to work on it together. We can only prosper if we are safe. We can only be safe and secure in Europe if our economy is strong, and if we are safe, we can generate investments, we can generate jobs, we can transition to the digital economy, we can protect the environment, farmers, industries, and we will have security. Without safety, we have none of these. This is why safety and security have to be one of the top priorities of the Union. As someone responsible for the budget of the European Union, I say they should be a priority for our budget in the future. My second point is the following: autocrats around Europe want to weaken Europe, they want us to believe ourselves as weak. We are not. We shall not believe what autocrats want us to believe about Europe. We should have our own beliefs, and we should tell the people of Europe that autocracy means hate, division, poverty and Europe means democracy, freedom, prosperity.

Mr President, dear colleagues, for many decades, the United States of America has been by far our most important partner: our most important political partner in defending the multilateral world order and our most important economic partner – together, we represent more than 30 % of global trade and our economies represent more than 40 % of the global economy. The United States of America has been for many decades our most important partner in security and defence – together, we have launched NATO, which is by far the strongest military alliance in history – and together we have defended human rights, together we have defended democracy. We have defended freedom of speech, freedom of the press. Because of the importance of the partnership with the United States of America to us, let me say clearly that we will never turn our back on our American friends and our American allies. Let us monitor closely what is happening in the United States of America. Let us be in dialogue with this administration. There are opinions reaching from very good to very bad, but let us monitor what happens, let us see what decisions are being made and be in dialogue with the new administration, defending the values that we stand for, and trying to make sure that we will be stronger on security, on defence and on the economy as a European Union, also through partnerships with the United States.

Madam President, security will be the main topic for our discussions and our decisions in the next months. Security is the main concern of the people, providing security is the main duty of national and European institutions, and security is essentially linked to prosperity and jobs in Europe. We have to be aware that Russia and other autocracies are challenging our security and our democracy. They are challenging democracy and security around the world, they are challenging it in candidate countries and also in EU Member States. Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela are united, and we also have to be united and strong in defending our democracy and defending our security. Russia and other autocracies are challenging our security when they are interfering in elections, when they are instrumentalising migration from Africa via Russia and Belarus to the Polish and European border. They are challenging our security when they are spreading disinformation, when they are breaking electoral laws, when they are illegally funding candidates, politicians and campaigns and are trying to bribe voters. Denying this will not help us. It will just weaken our response. This is why the question is what shall we do? My answer, our answer, needs to be: firstly, we have to be aware of the Russian and autocratic interference in our democratic order. Secondly, we have to inform people about the dangers. Thirdly, we have to increase the resilience of our institutions and defend our values. Fourthly, we have to protect our borders clearly. Number five, we have to make defence a priority for our spending over the course of the next years and we have to apply European legislation online to protect our media and online landscape and evaluate if our legislation is strong enough, or if we have to further strengthen it to protect our citizens and our democracies and I believe we have to do this together as pro-European parties.

Madam President, Executive Vice-President of the Commission, dear colleagues, the reality is simple, clear and we have to recognise it: Russia and other autocracies are attacking the rule of law, they are attacking human rights and they are attacking democracies around the world but they are also attacking democracies in EU candidate countries and also in EU Member States. We may not like it, but it is happening. Not recognising it does not mean that we are stronger, it means that we are weaker, and it would mean that we are not well prepared to tackle it. So denying it does not help. We have to recognise it. They want to weaken democracies also in EU Member States. They want to weaken our institutions at national level and they want to weaken European institutions. This is a challenge to us and we have to tackle it. We have to understand what happens. We saw electoral interference in elections in Moldova and in Georgia. The Republic of Moldova resisted because we have a committed pro-European government there, which was resilient, which strengthened the institutions and applied the law. In Georgia, the situation is worse because the government pretended to be pro-European, but in fact it allowed for Russian interference. And we saw that interference in Romania – an EU Member State – in recent presidential elections. What have we seen there? We saw thousands of accounts linked to Russia, linked to Russian media, linked to Russian financing being created – artificial accounts. We saw electoral legislation broken. We saw illegal and illicit funding. All to help a candidate who is anti-European, who is pro-Russian, anti-Ukraine, who is an admirer of Vladimir Putin, and he is anti-NATO. In order to weaken realities there, what do we have to do? Firstly, apply legislation. We very much welcome the decision of the European Commission to start the investigation. Secondly, inform citizens about the dangers. Thirdly, think about needed legislative changes. We have to evaluate if our laws are strong enough. The profiling which platforms are doing for political purposes is a danger. While citizens believe they are informed, in fact they are disinformed and misinformed. They are manipulated and that is used to weaken democracies. We have to think about toughening legislation. We have to be aware. We have to be alert. We have to inform citizens. We have to defend our values and institutions. We have to cooperate as politicians of the central committee to the rule of law. And we have to change, strengthen and improve our rules and adapt them to this new threat which exists around us.

Madam President, President von der Leyen, welcome back to the European Parliament. We have 26 members of the European Commission who have successfully passed the hearings in the European Parliament with large majorities. Today we are giving – with a large pro-European majority of democratic forces – the support and the vote to this European Commission. We are going to work together as the European Parliament with the new members of the European Commission. We will bring Europe forward. We will deliver. We will construct. We heard what the people have expressed at the European elections. We heard people on the 9 June saying they want Europe to protect them; they want a Europe that protects, a Europe that concentrates on security, on defence, on protecting our borders. We will build a Europe which will be more competitive with a stronger economy, because competitiveness means safe jobs and this is essential to safeguard our high social standards in Europe. We will accelerate the transition to the digital economy. We will continue the transition to the green economy but with the industry not against, with the farmers not against. And we will strengthen our neighbours, our neighbouring countries, because we can only be safe in Europe if our neighbouring countries, many of them EU candidate countries, can be safe. And one of the best instruments to deliver will be the budget of the European Union. We will have a budget which will be clearly aligned in the next years with the priorities of the Union: safety, security, competitiveness, agriculture and supporting our neighbouring countries. A budget that will be easier, simpler, less bureaucratic, and a budget which will be in line with our values. Whoever wants to receive European funds has to respect European values. The rule of law will matter. This is what we will do: a budget as an essential tool to help citizens in good times, but also in times of crisis. To achieve all this, we are going to give – with a large pro-European majority – the vote to this European Commission now and we will start the work.

Madam President, dear colleagues, during the European election campaign, we have seen clearly that citizens in Europe prioritise security and defence. People of Europe want to feel safe within the borders of the 27 Member States of the Union, and they expect us to do more in the area of security and defence. We are facing many risks: autocrats outside of the European Union are cooperating stronger than we anticipated, irrespective of their ideology. They are also trying to find support inside the borders of the European Union. There are security risks deriving from the Middle East, from Africa and, of course, from the Russian Federation – we need to be better prepared. One of the most essential tools that we have as the European Union is the budget of the European Union. Our budget needs to reflect our political priorities and safety, security and defence has become a political priority. This is why, in line with the proposals put forward by President Sauli Niinistö, we have to adopt the Multiannual Financial Framework of the European Union for the next seven years, where security and defence is a priority, where we allocate significant resources. We have to balance the old traditional priorities, which are still important, with the new priorities, which are, of course, digitisation, tackling climate change, but first and foremost, security and defence. A euro spent on security and defence at European level can produce more results than a euro spent at national level for divergent interests and divergent priorities between Member States. To conclude, in order to also be able to respond better to unforeseen developments, we need a flexible budget of the European Union. The budget is always decided for seven years. That is a long period of time. There are always unexpected developments. We need a budget which is flexible and capable to react.

Vielen Dank, Frau Präsidentin, dear colleagues, the United States of America are our most important partner and ally when it comes to security, to defence, to the economy, but also to politics. The United States of America and the European Union have together defended democracy for many decades. We have together defended the rule of law and we expect to do this together. We expect the United States of America to continue to be a model when it comes to rule of law in the United States of America, but also worldwide. On security and defence, we are aware that we will have to do more ourselves. We will have High Representative Commissioners. We will have to convince the Member States that doing more in the area of security and defence at European level is better than Member States individually doing things nationally. Spending one euro more on security, on defence at European level brings more benefits to Member States than spending many euros separately, than 27 euros by 27 Member States individually. We will never turn our backs to the United States of America but, should the United States of America turn their backs on us, we have to be ready, we have to be stronger. Our answer needs to be continuing the integration at European level and trying to prevent the United States turning their backs on us by identifying areas where we can continue with them, also in the future, in the interest of the US and in the interests of the European Union.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Russia and Belarus are exploiting migrants in an attempt to destabilise the European Union. They are sending people illegally across the border into the European Union, challenging, threatening our security. This is a danger for the security of the European Union. We need to recognise this and we need to act on this. Anything illegal has to be tackled. The European Union needs to stand up for the rule of law. We need to defend the rule of law. Illegal migration is to be tackled. That is why a proposal on returns is to be welcomed. We are now seeing an instrumentalisation of migration against the security of the European Union, with a clear attempt to divide us by the autocracies around the European Union. Russia is trying to instrumentalise migration against us through Belarus towards Poland. They will not hesitate to work with countries that are close to them in the Middle East and in Africa to continue to instrumentalise migration. We need to recognise this. We need to protect our borders properly. We need to protect ourselves from autocrats who are trying to destabilise our democracies, and we need to protect our external border as well, so that the freedom of movement inside the European Union can continue.

Mr President, dear colleagues, we need to say the truth. There is only one responsible for the suffering, for the damage caused to Ukraine and to the people of Ukraine, and that is the aggressor, that is the Russian Federation, and the job of the European Parliament is to be united against this. Today we have the opportunity to prove our commitment to the people of Ukraine. Establishing this loan cooperation mechanism is a win for Ukraine, and it is also a win for Europe. It means that we put to good use Russia's frozen assets. They have to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine. The aggressor needs to pay for the damage that he has created. We, the European Union, have proven that we are a strong supporter of Ukraine. We stand firm financially, militarily, because we understand that helping Ukraine is the right thing to do, but it also means that we are helping and contributing to the security of the European Union. My call to you today is: let's make sure that Ukraine has all it needs to defend itself and to win this war. I am not afraid of Putin losing this war; I'm more afraid of Putin eventually winning this war. By supporting Ukraine, we are investing in our own security. What Russia is doing today in Ukraine is an attack upon the whole free world. We cannot let Russia win. We must continue supporting Ukraine and defending our democracy.

Madam President, Prime Minister, dear colleagues, we are here to discuss the Hungarian Council Presidency, the relations between the European Union and Hungary, and about European values. The truth is, the Council Presidency is always an opportunity for a country to present its people, to present its traditions, to present its regions. Unfortunately, the current Hungarian Government is missing out on this opportunity. A Council Presidency is an opportunity also to deliver, and unfortunately this Council Presidency is not delivering. Thirteen years ago, the Hungarian Council presidency had results, had achievements – today, none. Let me say very clearly, this is the first Council Presidency of an EU Member State with zero achievements. Today, unfortunately, Hungary is weaker and more isolated than ever and this is the consequences of your decisions, Prime Minister – you're limiting and controlling media in Hungary, you're attacking opposition, you're attacking civil society, you're attacking the judiciary, you're attacking the free world and you are defending dictators instead of working for the people of Hungary. This Hungarian Government works for Vladimir Putin, and this is something that concerns us all. Hungary is losing opportunities. While inflation was 6 % in Europe, it was 18 % in Hungary, when it was 10 % in Europe, it was 28 % in Hungary. Deficit is 3 % in Europe, it is 6 % in Hungary. We have European funds available for the people of Hungary and we are sorry to see the people of Hungary missing out on this opportunity due to the actions of this government. The current Hungarian Government is an obstacle to the desire of the European Union to help the people of Hungary. This is why we have to conclude that this government is unfortunately bad for Europe; it is bad for Hungary and bad for the people of Hungary.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, over the course of the last three years, the Republic of Moldova has made remarkable progress on its path towards European integration. The people of Moldova have spoken clearly in previous presidential and parliamentary elections in saying they want the country to reform, to modernise, and they have said clearly they see European integration as the country's guarantor for stability and for a perspective of prosperity. Together with Moldovan authorities, in the past three years we have managed to make sure that the Republic of Moldova becomes an EU candidate country. It has fulfilled all of the recommendations put forward by the European Commission in terms of starting reform processes, particularly fighting against corruption, fighting against money laundering, strengthening the judiciary, strengthening the public administration. Based on these achievements by the side of the Republic of Moldova, we have managed to decide together as the European institutions and the Council has confirmed this unanimously, that the Republic of Moldova is ready to start EU accession negotiations. What happens in the Republic of Moldova matters to us within the European Union, because the Republic of Moldova is a neighbouring state of the European Union, and we can only be safe and stable inside the borders of the European Union if our neighbouring countries like the Republic of Moldova are safe and stable. But we also know that the Russian Federation disagrees with us. We also know that Russia refuses to accept free and democratic neighbours, because democratic neighbours only highlight how closed and undemocratic Russia is. Russia wants weak and dependent neighbours and this is why it is financing disinformation campaigns in the Republic of Moldova, also in view of the presidential elections and the referendum taking place on 20 October. To the citizens of Moldova, we say: the European Union sees your fight against Russian interference and we stand by your side. We want the Republic of Moldova to be strong, independent, to decide on its own future. This is, in fact, the difference between the Russian way of life, which is based on fear, a way of life in which citizens are just tools in the hands of autocratic leaders. The European way of life is a way of life in which citizens are strong, independent, they decide their own future. We want for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova exactly as we want for the citizens of the EU, and we are ready to engage stronger. We are ready to support the Republic of Moldova on its European path.

Mr President, colleagues, look, the priorities of the European citizens are now clearer than ever. People expect safety, security within Europe and people expect prosperity, a perspective that they can prosper here in Europe, that jobs are safe, stable and well-paid. And I believe, Commissioner, Council representatives, I believe these are exactly the topics that the European Council now has to discuss, on this we have to deliver. People want to feel safe within the borders of the European Union. We have to protect our borders well. But for people to be able to feel safe within the borders of the Union, we need to be surrounded by countries which are safe and stable in our immediate neighbourhood. This is why our internal security is very much linked with our external security. We need to work with our neighbouring countries and contribute to strengthening them, to modernising them. Many of them are EU candidate countries. The more they reform, the more they modernise, the better for us, the more stable we can also be within the borders of the European Union. Internal and external security are linked, but a strong competitive economy and security are also linked, because the private sector will only invest in the economy, it will only make the economy stronger, if they feel safe in Europe. And for us to be able to provide safety to the citizens, we will need a stronger economy contributing more to the public budgets because we have to tell people honestly, the security and the defence of Europe will cost more in the in the next years. In the area of defence, we have to invest more at European level in research. We have to integrate our defence capabilities and it is clear that the budget of the European Union in the next years will have to do more in the area of security and defence. If we want more security for the citizens of Europe, we also have to equip the European Union with a budget which is ambitious in the area of security and defence. When it comes to competitiveness, we have to strengthen the private sector. We have to make sure that the private sector trusts our economy, that it can invest. I believe in the Draghi report there are many good elements which pro‑European colleagues here can agree on when it comes to investments in disruptive technologies, when it comes to research, innovation, scaling up. So what I am saying is let us unite, particularly on the economy, on security, defence, on what pro-European forces agree and deliver.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the main message we are sending this morning from the European Parliament is that the European Union is helping. The European Union will help people affected by floods, help businesses, help local authorities. We see the situation in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Poland and the message is as follows: We ask the local authorities to intervene as soon as possible, to help as many people as possible, because all the support they will provide will be partially reimbursed by the European Union, from the European Union Solidarity Fund. And we tell people very clearly, the food that comes, the shelters, the housing costs, the restoration of infrastructure, electricity, telecommunications, roads, all this will be supported by the European Union from the Solidarity Fund, and we, the European Parliament, will make sure that this money comes, will be settled as soon as possible. One in the hand. Two in hand, the European Union budget is always adopted for a period of seven years. For the current seven-year period, we have €7 billion for contingencies at our disposal. It sounds a lot, but in reality it's not enough. Seven years is a long time, there are always unforeseen situations, so I say the following: as the European Parliament's negotiator for the multiannual budget, in the future we need a budget with more flexibility, with more reserves, if unforeseen circumstances arise, so that we can mobilise more and faster support for people. Three in the hand: prevention. Some colleagues have already said it, where local, central or EU-funded authorities have done embankment work, for example, people are better protected. What I mean is this: we must listen to the voice of local and regional authorities who know what is needed in the territory, where funding is needed, to strengthen infrastructure, to protect the population. We need to invest more in prevention, more in resilience. Four in hand, a very important thing, these days we see it – I see it on the spot in Romania, it is the same in the other states: thousands of volunteer firefighters, intervention forces in each state, tens of thousands in total in Europe, people who risk their lives, get into difficult situations and have already saved thousands of lives, people, from critical situations. We say ‘Thank you so much for all your work, for all your effort!’ Finally, together we will help, rebuild and make Europe more resilient to ensure that in similar situations, in the future, people will be better protected and not affected as they are now. We will achieve these things together!

Madam President, President von der Leyen, dear colleagues, the world is looking at us today. This is why I say ‘let us rise to our task today’. Today is a day to put differences aside. Today is a day to be united and aware of our responsibility. Today we need to defend Europe from those who take their orders from Moscow and Beijing. With Ursula von der Leyen, we have a candidate ready to serve Europe, and we have a programme which reflects the priorities of all those who believe in a strong and united European Union. With Ursula von der Leyen, Europe is today safer within its borders than we were five years ago. We do not depend on Russia for our energy any more. We are stronger and more independent. We are greener, more digital and more competitive. We are more modern and we will continue to invest more in research and innovation, as we have heard today. To continue delivering for the citizens of Europe, we need to strengthen our Union and its tools. One of the most important tools that we have is the budget of the European Union. I would like to highlight the strategic importance of the upcoming Commission proposal for the budget of the European Union post-2027. This should preserve the basic architecture and the logic of the budget and take fully into account Parliament’s view. The budget is our main investment tool. It has to be protected and strengthened. To ensure predictability, we need own resources for the Union, and, President von der Leyen, we fully support your approach. Whoever wants European funds has to respect European values. This is why, dear colleagues, I say today that if we ask people to believe in Europe, we need to show as parliamentarians that we believe in Europe, in our democracy, in our rules and values, and to vote for our Commission President.

Madam President, dear colleagues, the European Union is a Union based on rules and it is based on values, and these rules are meant to serve the people in every corner of the European Union. The common rules and the common values that the Union is based on are the freedom of speech, the freedom of expression, the freedom of people to say what they feel, what they want, to support whom they want, to criticise whom they want; the rule of law, fighting against corruption, building strong, independent, resilient institutions, and a strong and independent judiciary serving the citizens. We are seeing that these values are in danger today in Slovakia. And the rules in Europe are also clear: whoever wants to receive European support has to respect European values. We, as the European Union, would like to support the people of Slovakia as they strive for a better life – as the European Union is supporting citizens everywhere in Europe. With NextGenerationEU, we have created the biggest package of economic recovery ever, and we want the people of Slovakia to continue benefiting from this. But let me say very clearly: whoever wants to receive European financial support needs to respect European values. With his current actions, Mr Fico and his government are endangering the financial support from the European Union. If they continue to attack the rule of law, if they continue to attack European rules and European values – which are good for the people of Slovakia – they put at risk the European support for the people of Slovakia. We do not want this to happen. We hope Mr Fico stops being an obstacle to the people of Slovakia’s will to receive European support.

Mr President, dear colleagues, corruption needs to be investigated everywhere, not hidden. And those who are investigating corruption, they need to be protected, they need to be supported, not threatened or intimidated. This should be valid everywhere, in every single corner of the European Union. Now let me say very clearly that the European Parliament is very concerned with the recent developments in Spain and the dangerous direction that the current Spanish Government is taking. Firstly, the amnesty law. The amnesty law is an attack upon the rule of law and it is also a breach of an electoral promise made by the government. And secondly, this new corruption case. Three top government officials very close to the Prime Minister are involved in accusations on misuse of European funds. And let me say very clearly that the European Union has zero tolerance for corruption and zero tolerance for misuse of European funds. To the Spanish people, I say very clearly that the European Union understands that you are disappointed. The European Union understands what is happening, and the European Union is concerned about the recent developments in Spain. The people of Spain should say loud and clear that they do not accept the use of their own money. While the European Union was fighting since the beginning of the pandemic to help Spain, while the people of Spain were making sacrifices, the government was misusing the funds. This needs to be clarified. It is right that the European Commission will be investigating the amnesty law, and it is right that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office will be investigating this corruption case. The misuse of EU funds, the misuse of all taxpayers’ money, is unacceptable and should be investigated.

Madam President, Prime Minister Orpo, welcome to the European Parliament. Thank you for a very pro-European speech, which is confirmed by your daily actions as Prime Minister. Finland is a model for many of us in many aspects. Finland is a model in terms of research and innovation, in terms of education, and Finland is globally a top-five country when it comes to defending the rule of law, fighting against corruption and defending the freedom of the press. And by the way, under the leadership of pro-European centre-right Prime Minister Petteri Orpo Finland is scoring better in defending European values than any country led by a left-wing government in Europe today. We have many things to do together. Let me choose two: security and competitiveness, two topics which the Prime Minister has touched upon. In the area of security, to protect European citizens, we will have to do more than we anticipated initially. We will have to do it faster, earlier and for a longer period of time. We will have to pool our resources together to make sure that our troops are well equipped with the most modern, most effective equipment to be able to protect the people in Europe. Thank you very much, Prime Minister, for your readiness to have more European action in this area. And also thank you for protecting the Finnish border to the weaponised migration from the Russian Federation. Through your actions, you are protecting citizens everywhere in Europe. You are protecting a European border. On competitiveness, we need a strong economy to be able to protect our citizens. We need a strong economy to be able to safeguard our social model in Europe. We all want pensions, minimum wages, all to be safeguarded and secured. In this respect, we will have to invest in research, innovation, digitisation, free trade, complete the single market, create a framework which the private sector feels comfortable to invest in. Today we heard from Prime Minister Orpo that Europe can rely on Finland, and today we are telling to you, Prime Minister, that Finland can rely on the European Union.

Mr President, dear colleagues, I will say a few words on the enlargement in continuation of what President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen just said. Dear colleagues, the last strategic message which the European Union gave to candidate countries was President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014, when he told candidate countries that there will be no enlargement over the course of the next five years. That was then a justified position. It was correct and I think it was also needed. But much has changed since, and we need to come together as institutions of the European Union and to give a new message to all candidate countries. And I believe this message needs to be that we are going to support these candidate countries to fulfil the accession criteria. The message needs to be, ‘as soon as the accession criteria is fulfilled, the countries will become members of the European Union’. Of course, they do not fulfil the accession criteria yet, but the message needs to be, ‘we are going to support them and we are going, as European institutions, to engage more actively to support these countries to modernise and to fulfil the accession criteria’. Accession negotiations with these countries is good for candidate countries, but it is also good for the European Union because the accession negotiations are the most effective tool that we have to modernise those countries, to reform those countries, to bring them closer to European standards. And this is not only in the interest of candidate countries, but it is also in our interest, the same for our neighbouring countries. The candidate countries are the same for we within the borders of the European Union also are. And this is why I say more ambition, more engagement from our side, clear criteria and no rebates on the criteria, but as soon as criteria is fulfilled, of course the door should be open and let’s work together as pro-European forces on this.

–Mr President, colleagues, today is a good day for the European Parliament and for the European Union. We will be voting with a very large majority on the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework, which will make Europe safer, which will allow us to protect our borders, to provide for people in need to tackle migration. We will make EUR 50 billion available for Ukraine so that the European Commission can start implementing this support very fast. Dear Commissioner, thank you for all the work you did. Thanks to the Council Presidencies and thanks to the many rapporteurs. As general rapporteur for the Parliament’s 2024 budget, I stay committed, Commissioner, to inserting the results of this Multiannual Financial Framework revision into the 2024 budget as soon as possible. I am confident that before the end of this term we can vote on this. So the agreement on the MFF revision is a positive one, but we should also work on correcting the mistakes which the Council made in the past. When we decide on the next MFF revision, the repayment of NextGenerationEU should not become a burden for the budget of the Union. We should make sure that the budget remains robust, capable of supporting in the future. It should not become a budget for repayment of debt, and we should also make sure that there is enough money in the budget in the future for the traditional priorities, for the new priorities and reserves for unexpected developments. Unexpected developments always occur. We need a budget which is robust and no additional fund can replace a robust, comprehensive and predictable budget of the European Union.

Madam President, President Iohannis, welcome back to the European Parliament. We very well remember here your speech from 2018 when you stood up for European values and told us that unity and solidarity are the solutions for Europe. Time has proven you right. We have seen that Europe stays united. It provides solutions and helps people in need. We have seen you defending European values, and we have seen you defending a European approach to challenges that we are facing. Romania has chosen the pro-European path and we have seen a European decade in Romania under your leadership. And for this we say thank you today. We are seeing today that Romania believes in Europe, and we are also seeing that Europe believes in Romania. Together, we have managed over recent years to create the biggest package of economic support after the pandemic. You always advocated for strong support for Ukraine. You led the efforts of supporting the Republic of Moldova, and you helped Europe understand that we are only safe if our neighbouring countries are safe. Looking ahead, our common task is to defend Europe. Europe means security. Europe means prosperity, democracy, rule of law, and Europe means stability. As pro-Europeans, we shall continue to provide solutions and tell people that extremism is no solution to any of the difficulties and challenges that we face. As pro-Europeans, we have to speak up to defend Europe and defend European values. This is what we stand for as a clear majority of pro-Europeans here in the European Parliament. This is what we are ready to achieve in the next years together with you.