What Dietmar spoke about.

17

Oct

2023

DE Speech

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Effectiveness of the EU sanctions on Russia (debate)

Madam President, The sanctions may have weakened Russia's economy, but they have missed their basic goals, such as Putin finally ending his war. Thus, economic and political stability in Russia is largely preserved. After the export bans of Western countries, Russian imports actually fell by 40 percent at first. However, they recovered quickly and were back at pre-war levels as early as November 2…

4

Oct

2023

DE Speech

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Human rights situation in Afghanistan, in particular the persecution of former government officials

Mr President! Human rights in Afghanistan are severely violated. The Taliban expelled 50% of the population - women - from public life. Afghanistan has become a prison for women. In January 2023, the European Asylum Authority found that Afghan women and girls generally deserved refugee status. At least 800 cases of extrajudicial killing, arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment are known. Ma…

12

Sep

2023

DE Speech

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Combating the normalisation of far-right and far-left discourses including antisemitism (debate)

Madam President, The hostility of the Nazis is easy to prove. The alarming thing, however, is that the normalization of their inhuman ideology has long since found itself in the middle of society. Those who approve of a contemptuous attitude towards refugees, those who accept that women are victims of sexism and misogyny on a daily basis, those who tolerate hate speech against the State of Israel …

12

Sep

2023

DE Speech

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Iran: one year after the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini (debate)

Mr President! Almost a year has passed since the violent death of Jina Mahsa Amini. 361 days in which people who protested against the mullah regime were abducted, tortured and executed. What the regime has failed to do, however, is stifle the feminist revolution. But what has the European Union done so far to support the people of Iran in their struggle? Where is the effort to put the Revolutiona…

11

Jul

2023

EN Speech

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2022 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (debate)

Madam President, the annual report underscores BiH’s momentum on its path to the European Union now that it has been granted candidate status. But there is still much to be done. The biggest obstacle for BiH to become an EU Member State today are the inflammatory rhetoric and sensationalist and anti-democratic laws and policies by the leadership of the Republika Srpska. It’s simply a shame. I woul…

11

Jul

2023

EN Speech

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Commemorating the 28th anniversary of Srebrenica (statement by the President)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the biggest war crime in Europe after the Second World War took place in July 1995. The world simply watched – a disgrace for Europe and the United Nations. The genocide perpetrated by Serbian soldiers is regarded as the country’s deepest wound. This shows how important the legal investigation is. More than 20 people have been charged until today and also convicte…

19

Apr

2023

EN Speech

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The crackdown on the right to education and education rights activists in Afghanistan, including the case of Matiullah Wesa

Mr President, it is 576 days since the Taliban banned teenage girls from education. Half of Afghanistan’s population is denied the right to education and work. Last month’s arbitrary arrest of Matiullah Wesa is a severe blow to the already dire situation, yet girls’ education is a central key to a country’s sustainable social, democratic and economic development. In 2001, almost zero girls attende…

18

Apr

2023

EN Speech

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The need for European solidarity in saving lives in the Mediterranean, in particular in Italy (debate)

Mr President, ‘the current situation in the Mediterranean is not a natural disaster, but the result of Italian and European migration policies’. That’s what the private search and rescue NGO Sea-Watch said a few days ago, and I could not agree more. The situation in the Mediterranean is currently more dramatic than ever before. The Italian Coast Guard is completely overwhelmed. The state of emerge…

1

Feb

2023

DE Speech

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Situation in Afghanistan (debate)

Madam President, The Taliban has issued 35 ordinances against girls and women. They continue to advance the process of their invisibility. Afghan women are no longer allowed to work for international organizations and NGOs. Thousands of women can no longer feed their families. Health care is in danger of collapsing. Women and girls are excluded from health care. Human lives are at stake. The EU As…

17

Jan

2023

DE Speech

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EU response to the protests and executions in Iran (debate)

Madam President, For four months, the people of Iran have been putting their lives at risk in the fight for their rights. It is our task to support the revolution with all available means. There will only be stability and peace in the Middle East if the mullahs' regime is finally overthrown. Security for Israel will only exist if the anti-Semitic regime is replaced by a democracy. The terrorizatio…

5

Oct

2022

DE Speech

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Russia’s escalation of its war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President! Russia's war against Ukraine, in violation of international law, must be ended as soon as possible. The latest measures taken by the Russian regime, such as illegal referendums, renewed annexation and threats to use nuclear weapons, must be strictly rejected. A nuclear war will lead to the complete destruction of all sides. In any case, it must be prevented with all efforts. Therefor…

5

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (debate)

Mr President, Bosnia and Herzegovina need an EU perspective. The Bosnian citizens want to belong to the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina should be granted candidate status to achieve this. BiH has to implement reforms against corruption and strengthen the rule of law. Following the 14 key priorities, BiH needs due functioning of democratic institutions, good governance and fundamental rights. Bosnian le…

6

Apr

2022

DE Speech

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Violations of right to seek asylum and non-refoulement in the EU Member States (debate)

Madam President, Pushbacks at the European external borders by EU Member States are now common and systematic practice. However, the principle of non-refoulement constitutes basic protection for refugees in accordance with international human rights law. Why is the Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, doing nothing about these permanent breaches of law? The prevailing double standards, which w…

8

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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The situation in Bosnia Herzegovina (debate)

Mr President, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serb presidential member Milorad Dodik and his supporting forces are boycotting the State institutions. They are working specifically on the unconstitutional transfer of powers and institutions to the Republika Srpska entity. This will lead to the destruction of the State as a whole. Dodik rejects the condemnation of the Russian war of aggression made by Bo…

16

Feb

2022

DE Speech

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EU-Russia relations, European security and Russia’s military threat against Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, The most important thing now is to preserve peace in Europe. Significant steps towards de-escalation were announced yesterday. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz helped by refusing arms deliveries to Ukraine, thereby keeping channels of conversation open to Moscow. Yes, it is true that the Russian military build-up has led to the current threatening situation. I hope that Moscow will m…

23

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina (debate)

Madam President, Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently in its worst political crisis since the founding of the state. The President of Republika Srpska, Mr Dodik, constantly calls for the independence of the Republika Srpska. He is undermining the central state by his efforts of implementing his own indirect tax system, his own judiciary and even his own army. Actions of such gravity could trigger a…

20

Oct

2021

DE Speech

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The rise of right-wing extremism and racism in Europe (in light of recent events in Rome) (debate)

Madam President, It is easy to prove the misanthropy of Nazis, as happened recently in Rome. But their inhuman ideology has long since reached the so-called social center. This center is anything but peaceful and neutral. For the center also includes who justifies prison-like refugee shelters, who supports a brutal border policy, who justifies people drowning in the Mediterranean every day, or who…