Speeches

Mr President, Members, we voted with our abstention group on this report for a very simple reason. There is no one who would not support the support of every single person fleeing war. In this case, we have an aggressive, unprovoked war that causes a lot of suffering on the territory of a sovereign state. We are all helping people fleeing Ukraine. We all help, even in a personal and physical capacity. What prompted me to abstain is the paragraph requiring that children fleeing Ukraine be treated as independent of their social, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, talent, citizenship or status. This is another case that is simply outrageously superfluous and outrageous. These are children who run away, they need to be helped. Why should these reports include propaganda that has no place in them? I therefore abstained.

Mr President, colleagues, the introduction of a right to repair electrical appliances is one of the main legislative initiatives set out in the European Commission's plan for this year. Its purpose is to extend the life of appliances and provide a longer guarantee to protect consumer rights by facilitating longer use of the appliances in question by the people who have to use them. This is a great idea, I support it, but I insist that the same idea be applied in the same way to those who produce, say, solar panels or electric cars. It is not bad to ask the European Commission, to make a question and ask electric car manufacturers, for example Tesla, what is the carbon footprint of the production of their car from the beginning to its implementation or those who make the solar batteries or those who make the fins, because it is good to know if this is as environmentally friendly as it is claimed. Because we think, suspect and are convinced that this is not exactly the case, that someone is lying to us and trying to fool us and trying through our way of life to conduct politics.

Mr President, Members, we voted against this report for a very simple reason. The subject of Schengen is the complete, absolute proof of the hypocrisy, hypocrisy and double standard of the European Commission. For years, the European Parliament, the European Union and the European Commission have known perfectly well that Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia have fulfilled all the criteria for membership in the Schengen area, but they do not allow us there. It's causing transport damage and it's causing damage to our economy. But these reasons are rooted only in the domestic political dramas of the countries of the heart of the European Union, such as the Netherlands. Because of their internal problems and causes, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Croatia have such border problems. Because they are on the border of the Schengen area. This is unacceptable and unacceptable, which is why we voted against.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, this issue and this debate comes well in time after years of panic and hysteria in the media. After years in which citizens of the Member States of the European Union have been placed in a situation of anxiety and tension, it is clear that this will have an impact on their mental and mental health. Therefore, honourable Members, and above all to you, Commissioner, the question is as follows and the comment is as follows. It is clear that we have experienced two years of uncertainty, of panic, of tragedies. Something that hasn't happened within the last 100 years after the Spanish plague. The question is what has the European Commission done for these two years and more? What was her reaction, what were the messages sent by the European Commission, what were the actions taken by the European Commission to preserve, preserve, reassure the citizens of the Member States of the European Union? What were the funds that were spent on the different types of campaigns by those who drove people crazy every day, in every media, whether it was electronic, whether it was a social network, whether it was a print media, which talked constantly about a threat, about fear, about a pandemic, about an end, about something that is extraordinary and that is dangerous. Therefore, Commissioner, it is good to understand how much the European Commission's propaganda has cost during the pandemic and we will understand how this has affected citizens' mental health.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, registration is a two-way process in a society. There must be a demand and desire from every part of society to fit into it. Why isn't this happening in the communities we're talking about? There are at least two reasons for this. The first reason is the reluctance of a number of political forces, including in this Parliament, to lose their electorate in the face of communities that can be easily misled on various topics. But the second, bigger problem, honourable Members, is the ambiguity, incompleteness and overgrowth of this process with a number of so-called non-governmental organizations that have been absorbing European funds for years and these funds do not reach in any case the people for whom they are intended. Can any of you in this room tell me how many tens of hundreds of millions of euros have been spent on the so-called decadences, integrations and inclusions, which are the organizations that have mastered them, what they have achieved besides the various festivals of cobblestones, badurches and I do not know what other crazy things and where this money has gone after all, because they have not gone where they should have been intended. This is the main reason why marginalization continues in these communities. National states have no interest in having marginalised communities on their territory. On the contrary, the interest is where the big corruption is, and the big corruption lies precisely in these otherwise very nice fairy tales, everyone is fighting in a fairy tale, everyone is very active, but in practice they organize fake events, under a false flag. And after all, those for whom the money is directed do not go there. And here we continue to speak hypocritically about this topic.

Madam President, Commissioner, there is nothing more absurd, more Kafkaish and more grotesque than asking this question at a time when hundreds are flocking to both Poland and Hungary, tens of thousands of refugees, and these two countries are doing everything they can and providing first aid. Poland was the first country to provide military assistance, while here we were still wondering what to do. Where are you going, how are you going to get to Kiev, Commissioner? You go through Poland, you stop there. Don't you see how these people work and help and take the first blow? And right now to blame Poland and Hungary, when Putin's influence in this room was growing through the wrong climate policy, through making dependence on Russian gas. Because here, when our energy was banned, Russian gas was being helped, and everyone knows that. And that was the result of that policy. There is another problem, Commissioner, and you know it very well. What annoys you is the policy of Poland and Hungary regarding family, tradition, family values, family planning. These things annoy you, and that's why you do these disgraceful things. They must be stopped and that must end. Long live the nation-states. I won't congratulate you, you know why.

Dear colleague Delly, do I understand correctly that you support that there should be no sanctions against an aggressor who commits war crimes? Do I understand correctly that your recipe for saving Ukrainian children is not to give them a weapon with which to defend themselves? Do I understand correctly that you justify a war crime with other wars that have happened long ago? If that's the case, it's disgraceful. And in conclusion, we are not a NATO instrument. We are NATO and we must protect every Ukrainian citizen.

Mr President, I voted in favour of this report. Strongly, the European Parliament and the European Union must pay attention to the recovery of food production and food chains in the European Union. A topic that has long been underestimated at the expense of imports from third countries. A theme that has been used through European subsidies to target certain sectors, which has struck or destroyed agriculture in a number of European countries, in its spheres as fruit-growing, as growing vegetables, as growing small domestic animals, etc. This thing needs to be addressed now that the Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens the supply of wheat, grain, maize not only to the European Union but to the whole world. The report is therefore timely and particular attention should be paid to this topic. That is why I voted in favour.

(...) I voted for this report because Moldova definitely needs help at this time when hundreds, tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine are entering its border and the territory of this small country. Let me remind you that the territory of Moldova is occupied by Russian troops, the so-called ‘fake Republic of Transnistria’, which also poses a certain threat to the country of Moldova itself and to peace in the region. But in voting for this report, I would like to draw the attention of both you and all my fellow Members, Mr President, that attention must be paid to the Moldovan authorities on how to deal with humanitarian aid going to Ukraine. This Saturday and Sunday, I personally convinced myself by organizing a convoy of humanitarian aid vans travelling from Bulgaria through Romania and through Moldova to Ukraine, in the attempt of Moldovan customs officers, border guards, to create some difficulties when we were transporting food and medical aid through Moldova to Ukraine. So, please, pay attention. This help should go much easier.

Mr President, I voted in favour of the report on refugees in Europe for a very simple reason. We are facing the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II and all countries are obliged to show solidarity and support families forced by the Russian attack to flee Ukraine. So this report is necessary. The European Parliament and the European Commission are indebted to these people. Much more adequate and swifter measures need to be taken at the level of the European Commission and the European Union in order to alleviate both the diligence and the efforts of the Member States, especially those at the border. These are Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria in this case. In order to provide adequate assistance, accommodate Ukrainian refugees and enable them to work, to enable them to benefit from social and health systems. That is why I supported this report. He's reasonable.

Mr President, I ask you to monitor the order in this House and, when there are people who violate it, to take an attitude. This happened when my colleague Yaki was speaking – there was a breach of order in the room and you did not take a stand. Please do it. Now on to the subject. As far as refugees from Ukraine are concerned, we – Bulgarian society, the people of Romania, the people of Moldova – are already doing everything that needs to be done, and all that is being said here is about it. Dozens, hundreds of thousands of families are accommodated in guesthouses, in holiday homes, everywhere where there is something helping without speaking great empty words, without reading declarations and without trying to gain some political fame from this work. So you have to work more and talk less here. But the truth, honourable Members, is that there is hypocrisy again in this House, and that hypocrisy concerns real aid to Ukraine. Ukraine very clearly told you what it wanted already on 6 March 2022 with a letter from its Foreign Minister Kuleba. There are 20 points: a ban on the sale of oil and gas, no fly zone, Supply of weapons and materials. This is what Ukraine really needs in order to defend itself. There's no need for declarations, no need for fairy tales, no need for Eurovision. I don't think a dictator would be too worried about this, my dear. So if you really want to be useful, don't just repeat "glory of Ukraine’which, in principle, you should do with honor and dignity, not as an excuse. And take the real measures, because you can't order cheap oil and gas and be against it. This cannot and cannot happen. We need real solutions, real measures and real protection. Long live Bulgaria, long live Ukraine!

Madam President, colleagues, the Russian military invasion, aggression, war, occupation in Ukraine have shown many things – all of them inhospitable to the European Union and its leaders. We have seen what a leader means in the face of the President of Ukraine, and we have seen how some of the people who claim to be leaders here behaved, but we will talk about this another time. What is important, and what I would like to draw attention to today and now, is the result of the so-called "green deal" on the energy independence of European countries. What is the Green Deal doing now? The intention, desire and requirement to ban, for example, coal, which is our sovereign Bulgarian, Polish, German, makes us more dependent on the aggressor state, makes us more dependent on the Russian Federation, which is waging war in Europe. What we need to do, Madam President and colleagues, is immediately, immediately, to suspend this green deal, to produce our own energy from our own sources such as Maritsa East, to stop the conversation at all about stopping them and to be adequate to the situation. And let me do something at the end of this show. Europe must respond to Ukraine's request for protection. We have to vote for a no-fly zone here. Here we must ask this House to support the legion of volunteers to defend Ukraine. We owe it, it's not just declarations, and it's not just fairy tales. There has to be action. Long live Bulgaria, long live Ukraine!

Member of the Commission. - Madam President, colleagues, this is why I am addressing you. When I have made mistakes in this House and when someone has felt offended, I have always apologized. But that's not the case yesterday. On yesterday's occasion, when I simply congratulated your colleague who was chairing the meeting and showed her by hand that I understood what she was saying to me, it was profoundly misinterpreted, extremely incorrect, and world news was made. World news claiming that I have used banned Nazi symbols in this House. No, Madam President, I'm not. If I wanted to, I'd tell you. I was going to do it from the stand, not coming out of the hall. I do not use such symbols because I am deeply convinced that their place is not in society and in this room. The way this reaction was disseminated was outrageous, extremely rude and extremely offensive. So I will ask an apology from anyone who claims such a thing. Linking a simple wave of consent to a hand, seeing how it was done, and saying it was a Nazi salute, is terribly stupid. Please give me a little more time. I know that time is respected, but this is important. We do not use such symbols for very clear reasons. But I'm telling you again, if I wanted to do it, he'd be here. And today all day I listen and watch news, explanations. This is simply not true, Madam President, I insist that it be recorded. I want an apology. Thank you for your patience.

Mr. President, we are again discussing an issue that is related to new regulation. A regulation that should create new conditions and new tensions for people who work for small and medium businesses. Again, all of you here, above all 10 people in the room, as you can see, want to make a new regulation and make these people spend more money. That's not right. We're in the group where we think there should be less regulation, and we think we should let people work, make money. I think that would be much better. We think it's much fairer that way.

Commissioner, I hope you are awake, and not like your colleague in the morning, to sleep through the alleged Russian attack on Ukraine. My fellow Members, today's judgment of the Court is disgraceful. It is disgraceful because it has nothing to do with the law or the rule of law, and you know it well. We are not talking here about the rule of law, we are talking about your hatred, about your hatred of nation states, about the idea of a nation state and internal order. Both Poland and Hungary have the right to arrange their internal order as they see fit. And you, by the way, know this perfectly well, but you perfectly and constantly try to impute some guilt to them, supporting the minorities that you like. But you forget that your colleague, your “bunny” Trudeau, said that those protesting in Canada were an insignificant minority. Well, which minority is more significant – that in Canada, that in Hungary or that in Poland? No, on the contrary! Both Hungary and Poland, and every nation-state, must put their internal order in order. This is the rule of law, not what you are trying to impute to us. It is not true, you know it well, but for you it is a matter of survival. Because it is your agenda, the agenda of those NGOs that are trying to change, destroy Europe and make it something else, something different. We will never agree to impose your agenda on us, we will never allow you to impose on us how to behave, what to do and what to say. In this regard, I will tell you – I know you will be excited, but so be it. Long live Orban and Fidesz, long live Kaczynski and Law and Justice, long live Bulgaria and our nation-state, long live the Europe of Nations!

Madam President, allow me a quote. I quote: ‘No contract with Russia is worth even the paper on which it is written.’ Don’t hope that once you take advantage of Russia’s weakness, you will receive dividends forever. The Russians will always come back, and when they do, don't expect the signed agreements to acquit you. Therefore, it is worth playing with the Russians either honestly or not playing at all. I leave you for homework to remember who this quote is from. He's from a great European, but half of you will fall for it just by mentioning his name. But he was right anyway. On November 5, 1994, a treaty was signed in Budapest to guarantee the territorial integrity of Ukraine in exchange for the abandonment of nuclear weapons. At that time, Ukraine was the third country in the world by virtue of its nuclear weapons. You can see how much this contract costs, and Russia is also a party to it. Why is this happening? Because European leadership to date is incompetent, toothless, inept and does not know what to do. Because European leaders go to negotiate separately, because European leaders cannot, do not know how to work out a position to defend and defend. Half talk about energy independence, but others pipe because it is profitable for their economy. That's how it won't work and that's how it won't work, dear ones. I say this with all seriousness on this subject. What every one of you should know is that the way politics is being conducted right now is wrong. Mr. Borrell, you're talking about unity right now. What unity, Mr. Borrell? Every European leader goes and negotiates separately – there is no unity. Don't lie, let's not lie. I hear some people here trying to say ‘Glory to Ukraine!’, but quietly so, to put themselves on the list of speakers. Ukraine needs a serious partnership, serious support and an economy, not empty talk, declarations and a game of chic.

Mr President, honourable rapporteur, congratulations on your work. But I strongly disagree with the conclusions you draw. Because, dear colleagues, these are not non-governmental organizations that you are talking about, but these are small groups of people who like you and who have chosen and who are making propaganda. These non-governmental organisations actually only work for the benefit of the individuals of the so-called ‘left-wing liberal Marxist idea’, which aims to change our societies. And for this reason, I cannot accept and will never agree, with the money of European taxpayers, to be paid to some people who are appointed to NGOs to pursue policy. These people, whom you present to us, dear colleagues, choose in one capacity to be NGOs, in the other capacity - to be independent like the media, in the third capacity - to be political parties, and in the fourth - to be think tanks, still independent. This is how we make the notorious judicial reform, which is in the hands of three, four, five oligarchs, famous (so to speak) with a good view, pink cheeks. These people are trying to change our society, and you want us to pay for it. It can't happen. Congratulations, Lagodinsky, you've done your job. However, we do not agree with this work and with these conclusions, we do not want to pay to destroy our family traditional values. We do not want to pay to destroy this Europe in which we believe, so that we can please one, another, a third or a fifth oligarch, which you have liked and you think that because it is very pink, it is very big and very nice. No, thank you.

Madam President, it was with great displeasure that I read and saw the European Commission's wish to have Parliament vote on the extension of the Green Certificate for another year. The certificate that is not effective, that does not work, that does not work in this situation, because both vaccinated and unvaccinated, people get sick, but which certificate is discriminatory and which destroys and shrinks small and medium-sized businesses, and which makes inequality, and which takes away freedoms. And this is not what a conspirator tells you, this is what Klaus Schwab, the man who chairs the World Economic Forum and who, in his book ‘Covid-19: the Great Zeroing’ (Covid-19: The Great Reset predicts the destruction of national governments, nation states, and the middle class. This makes this certificate: It destroys businesses, it destroys the middle class. I therefore call on you – I am making a formal proposal – to reject the Commission's request, to vote against the extension of this certificate and to adopt a document requesting its revocation. Because it is even more shameful the behaviour of your pets, such as Mr Trudeau, who calls the protesters and those fighting for their freedom a ‘minor minority’. Since when did minorities become insignificant? Isn't this room fighting for the right of every green euglena to be green or red or yellow, or don't you know what? This is shame and disgrace, and it must end.

Mr President, I congratulate you on your re-election and wish you a successful mandate. Your wise guidance is always happiness for us. Dear colleagues, do you want to help young people fit in after the pandemic? It's very simple, do not interfere, do not help them. Every single intervention of yours, every single attempt at some new administrative legislation is a hindrance. Allow young people to develop, to have free competition. Stop pushing them your idea of some exceptions, yours that seem very useful to you, stop distorting the idea of a free market, stop pushing your idea that there are some uninterrupted minority themes that you have to defend, and leave the young people, the best thing for them is this. What you can do is not interfere. Ms Jourová, you are Vice-President of the Commission. I am sure that you will find a real job that will be useful, and not to deal with topics that are not in your portfolio. For example, try the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians, this will be a useful topic. Colleagues, to help the young, just do not interfere with them, it's so simple and easy.

Member of the Commission. - Madam President, honourable Members, congratulations, you have again touched on the really important issues. The whole of Europe is shaking with crises, the prices of gas, electricity, all goods are rising because of the lobbying anti-market green deal conducted here. People are wondering how to keep their jobs, and the European Parliament is strikingly and fervently defending and fighting for animal rights in transport. I am sure that your constituents will be inspired by the importance of this debate and its value to European taxpayers. I am also sure, however, that producers will not be satisfied, carriers will not be satisfied, who once again will have to pay for another legislative insanity, lobbying pushed here, which is anti-market, which is new regulation and which makes them spend more and more money again. Now that you've told haulers the game of empty eco-courses, tons of naphtha are ecologically burning to stroll the trucks up and down, you're going to have them remake their machines. This also applies to carriers, this also applies to manufacturers, again lobbying, again regulations, again interference in the free market, again killing competition. Congratulations, colleagues, congratulations. All Mara rises, I apologize to the translators, all Mara rises, but it is important to fight and fight for the rights of animals. These animals don't go for walks, they go to slaughterhouses because they are raised to be made into meat. But I know this is going to open up another, even more insane topic. So, ladies and gentlemen, once again: Well done, congratulations. A great day for democracy and for the European Parliament, and don’t be surprised or surprised when they call this room ‘Mickey Mouse Parliament’ and wonder if they are watching ‘Monty Python’.

Mr President, today's conversation, today's session, is quite entertaining. But the topic is not so funny and funny at all. I fully agree with my fellow Member, Cavazzini, that we must fight against all unnecessary barriers affecting trade within the Union. The free internal market and the unhindered movement of people, goods and capital is, and must remain, the greatest achievement of this Union and this community. To achieve this, however, it is important to start by clearing the regulatory framework, empty regulation, redundant regulation. We cannot talk about how we want to remove internal barriers to trade and, at the same time, have legislation such as the shameful Mobility Package, which – to recall – most of us voted for. A legislative package that brings hauliers from the periphery of the European Union to their knees – this is a sabotage of the internal market. A legislative package that is insane, meaningless and anti-market in nature. The Mobility Package favours the old, ‘right’ Member States. Companies estimate that the Mobility Package affects 17% of the gross domestic product of countries such as Bulgaria. This is a big problem and affects more than 190,000 drivers. So, honourable Members, if we ever want to do an internal market without hindrance, just stop voting for such follies. And I conclude with this: a happy Christmas, a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Commissioner, I don't know if you'd be mad at me if I called you "Mr." According to your rules, I can call you "ma'am", ask you "ma'am", "we", "you", several genera. I hope you're not mad at me. You are today a victim of domestic violence within the European Commission, you have been beaten up and sent here to pick up the shame for others. The shame of those on the left who invented this politically correct madness. Mr. Weber, I'm sorry for you, too, because it's part of your legacy, and it's the wrong legacy. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Europe has its Christian roots. Our continent has its Christian heritage. No one can deny it. No one prevents you, dear colleagues, communists on the left, left, any, to believe in whatever you want. In Mickey Mouse, believe me, it's okay, but don't tell us what to say and what not to say. We know who we are, we have our roots, we know and define ourselves from the private to the common. I can say for myself: I am Bulgarian, I am Eastern Orthodox, I am a citizen of the oldest European country. And if you want to believe in Mickey Mouse, just don't tell us what to say and what not to say. Therefore, dear ones, I greet you all with the Nativity of Christ. Be Alive and Healthy and the Multiple Summers.

Member of the Commission. - Mr President, a fairly decent report. Quite sensible proposals were accepted, with one great weakness, of course. The names of all organisations and of all countries where corruption is taking place in the Western Balkans have been deleted. Why is that? Because, of course, this corruption fuels political projects. Because, of course, this corruption, which is based on aspirations, on the political views of Belgrade, of the Kremlin, of Moscow, directly affects all processes in the Western Balkans. And you should know them. But here you, the politicians of all groups, tried to erase the names of the corrupt and hide them. What does that mean? Are you afraid of being embarrassed? Maybe that someone here is dependent on this job? Maybe that someone here gets some kind of bonus in some form for hiding those names? Yes, gentlemen and ladies, do not offend anyone. It is clear that corruption in the Western Balkans is funding politicians, even in this House. Maybe they're not present right now, but they're certainly being funded. It finances and organises anti-European, anti-Bulgarian propaganda – in Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Serbia if you want. If you want even in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because this is happening from these networks, which are funded and organized under the auspices of Belgrade, the Kremlin, Moscow. And you should feel it, you should know it. But I think you know it. And the fact that you're not saying it, and you're deleting it from the report, clearly shows what those connections are that a lot of people in this room should be ashamed of. This time I will finish without thanking you for your attention, for obvious reasons.

Mr President, violence against women must be prosecuted and punished. This must be done, of course, through the penal codes of each country. This is how the legal system works. The Istanbul Convention has nothing to do with this. This is a propaganda in which an ideology was inserted under the legitimate sign of the fight against violence against women. And you know that very well. An ideology that is part of the triad, along with climate hysteria and the utopian "greenism" of some idea of a new world order that you are trying to impose. An ideology that will be swept away, of course, by your new friends, the poor refugees. This will happen and it is inevitable. If you want to check and see what propaganda the so-called ‘Istanbul Convention’ is, just tell me about the statistics on violence in Islamic communities in France. And then you'll know what we're talking about. You all know about this statistic, but it is not convenient, and therefore you do not talk about it. If you want to propose an effective fight against violence, which must be carried out, of course, this must be done through the penal codes of the respective countries, and not to conduct insane propaganda, nor to make any attempt to change our society through the so-called "gender ideology".

Member of the Commission. - Madam President, I begin this speech by expressing my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the terrible catastrophe that took place tonight. More than 45 people lost their lives – citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia, part of our brotherly people, albeit ethnic Albanians. I express my deepest condolences to their families. I am using this occasion, Madam President, to address you formally and to insist on a minute of silence tomorrow or the day after tomorrow or when you decide according to the Rules, but I think it is right for this House to express its condolences, with a minute of silence, to the memory of these victims of a terrible catastrophe. In saying this, I want to make it very clear that a big difference must be made between these tragic events and the political conversation that is to come between our government and that of the Republic of North Macedonia. These things cannot be connected in any way, cannot be used in any way, and must not be used in any way. I return to Bosnia and Herzegovina, of course, saying that the Dayton Agreement is not perfect. This is clear to everyone. However, we must make it clear that we cannot turn a blind eye to the aggression aimed at destroying the fragile peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This aggression, of course, comes from Belgrade and the Kremlin. If anyone doesn't understand it, let me tell you. You are very politically correct here and you are a little afraid of these things, otherwise on social networks you talk about them. But let me tell you, the problems there come from Belgrade and from Moscow, from the Kremlin. Dodik doesn't play alone. This game of his is a tako and vako, in his language. She's coming from the north. It is not bad to finally understand these things and stop pretending to be politically correct. So speaking of Bosnia, we have to be clear and you have to be clear, above all, you have to be clear that you have to stand up and say to yourself, this Serbia and this Moscow, which supports it, is not a friend of Europe and the European Union. I hope you understand that. Once again, Madam President, in conclusion, I ask tomorrow for a minute's silence - either tomorrow or the day after - to bring it to the attention of the President, Mr Sassoli. A minute of silence for the victims of the crash, citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia, should be done according to the Rules. Eternal memory, God forgive them.