Speeches

I hope that the technical problem will now be solved and I will start my speech again. I was very keen to thank the rapporteurs for their excellent work and Commissioner Dalli for the important work we are doing together in the FEMM Committee. There is another important dossier concerning violence, the long-awaited directive on which we are working a lot. This debate has a bit of a taste of something that was supposed to happen some time ago and that was not achieved because - as the rapporteurs have said and I want to say it too - it has been six years, almost six years, since the signing of the European Union to the Istanbul Convention and in six years there have really been thousands, thousands of women victims of violence. You have mentioned it, we have mentioned it many times in this House: one in three women in our territory of the Union is a victim of violence every six hours, every six hours in our territory of the Union a woman is a victim of violence. Just as we have recalled so many times in this House that these stories, that these women speak of each of us, because each of us, directly or indirectly, has experienced what violence is and how violence is recognized. Yet in six years, despite everything that has happened, we have not yet managed to reach this ratification and we cling to every quibble, every quibble, legal and not. And as femicides continue, harassment continues and violence continues for all to see. So what I want to say here again is that it's not a flood, it's not a natural tragedy, it's not an earthquake, women don't die because of a natural tragedy, they die because of crimes, because they're killed by criminals and they're bullied by criminals. And then, with respect to all this, we have a duty to react. This House, this Parliament is there, but everyone must play their part and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention is one of the instruments that we can and must have in order to eliminate this ignoble form of abuse.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, thanks to the rapporteurs for the excellent work they have done, thanks also to Commissioner Dalli, because she is working so hard and well on this issue, I am thinking of the work we are also doing on the directive against violence. But today we are here to discuss, once again, let me say colleagues, something that has not happened. Six years have passed, the Commissioner recalled, from the signature of the European Union to the Istanbul Convention. And in six years, we know this because we have talked about it so many times, even in this House, in six years thousands of women have been victims of violence. You said it, the speakers said it. One in three women in our territory, in the European Union, is a victim of violence, every six hours. We do not stop repeating it, we do not stop remembering it, every six hours in our territory a woman is a victim of violence. And these women talk about each of us, because all of us, directly or indirectly, have experienced that violence. Yet, in six years we do not see the end of this ratification and we cling, let me tell you, to every quibble. And while femicides, harassment, violence continue inexorably. And so, once again, for the umpteenth time, we are here to ask aloud, with this resolution, that things move forward, without wasting time, without fear, because there is no more time, because there is no more time. We don't have any more. Women die not because of a natural tragedy, this too I do not stop repeating, it is not an earthquake, it is not a flood, women die because they are killed and are killed by criminals, by criminals who must be stopped, who bully the victims. And then we can use... I don't think translation works. (The President interrupted the speaker due to technical problems)

Thank you to all the speakers for this very interesting debate. The debate is closed. As you know, the vote will take place on Tuesday 14 February 2023. Written declarations (Rule 171)

The next item is the joint debate. – the report by Damian Boeselager, on behalf of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0732 - C9-0021/2022- 2021/0372(CNS) (A9-0297/2022) and – the report by Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections by citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0733 - C9-0022/2022 - 2021/0373(CNS)) (A9-0005/2023).

Thank you to the rapporteur and thank you to all the speakers. The debate is closed. The vote will take place on Tuesday 14 February 2023. Written declarations (Rule 171)

The debate is closed and will conclude with a resolution, which will be put to the vote at the February II part-session. The sitting was suspended for a few minutes and will resume at 11 a.m. with the votes. (The sitting adjourned at 10.23.)

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the situation of former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (2023/2543(RSP))

I have received five motions for resolutions to wind up the debate. The debate is closed. The vote will take place today. Written declarations (Rule 171)

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on an EU strategy to boost industrial competitiveness, trade and quality jobs (2023/2513(RSP)).

The next item is the debate on topical issues (Rule 162) – Tackling the cost of living crisis: raise wages, tax profits, curb speculation (2022/3003(RSP)) I would remind the honourable Members that there is no catch-the-eye procedure for this point and no blue card applications will be accepted.

The minutes and approved texts of yesterday's sitting have been distributed. Are there any comments? (There are no comments in the Chamber) The minutes were approved. Let us now turn to the discussions. Ladies and gentlemen, however, I ask you to be silent, because that is really difficult. Those who are not interested are asked to leave the Chamber and those who are interested are asked to take their seats and to remain silent.

The next item is the one-minute speeches (Rule 172). I would like to inform the honourable Members that for one-minute speeches they can take the floor and remain in their seats.

The next item is the brief presentation of the report by Mr Tardino on the action plan to promote cross-border and long-distance rail passenger transport (2022/2022(INI)) (A9-0242/2022)

The next item is the Commission statement "Addressing persisting challenges in the air transport sector and their impact on passengers, workers, capacity and safety" (2022/2995(RSP))

I would remind Mr Alieva-Veli that he is against Parliament's Rules of Procedure by showing images or objects in the Chamber. For the next time, let's avoid it.

I have received a motion for a resolution1 in accordance with Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure. The debate is closed. The vote will take place today on Thursday 24 November 2022. _____________________ 1 See Minutes. Written declarations (Rule 171)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it has just been mentioned: Every 6 hours in Europe, a woman is a victim of violence. One woman every six hours. These numbers, these stories speak of each of us because each of us, directly or indirectly, has experienced this violence. But what we must remember here is that it is not a natural tragedy, it is not a flood, an earthquake, something that happens regardless of our will: Women die killed and they die killed because there are criminals who kill them. But this crime we must remember, even here, once again, has something special: The victims are all women and the murderers are all men. And then these violent men must be stopped, of course, also with help, and from this House we ask once again for help from men who are not violent. The root of this violence that feeds it and that has a precise name must be stopped: It's called patriarchy. And so the wounds, the tears of our sisters that we have brought here, in this House, through our interventions, through our daily work, must be a warning, they must be a warning not to let down our guard. We will continue to do so all together, all together, because there will be no just and fair Europe until violence is eradicated.