Speeches

The presidency of the Council of European Union is held by the Member States that rotate the presidency every six months and determine long-term objectives of the European Union. Slovenia took over the rotating presidency in July and strive to facilitate the EU’s recovery and reinforce its resilience, reflect on the future of Europe, strengthen the rule of law and European values, and increase security and stability in the European neighbourhood. Together, we are still facing the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we should be prepared to leave the pandemic behind and achieve our long-term objectives. Next Generation EU will help us achieve digital and environmental transformation and ensure economic recovery. For the transformations to be successful and our systems resilient, we also need to invest into training and education. Apart from the recovery, we should not ignore the challenges related to international stability and see Slovenian presidency as the opportunity to strengthen our relationships in Western Balkans. It is in our interest to strengthen the rule of law and ensure democratic development in the European neighbourhood.

For years, the people of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia have consistently shown unwavering support for their countries’ European path and embraced European principles and values. I am therefore pleased that the European Parliament has accepted the membership applications of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia as an expression of the European aspirations of the people and their desire to live in peace and security in free, democratic and prosperous countries that maintain good neighbourly relations with all European countries and cooperate ever more closely with the EU Member States.

Mr President, the amendment is as follows: ‘Highlights that SMEs make up 99 % of European businesses in the EU and that the setup of the SME Envoy post is key in providing a strong voice to hundreds of thousands of SMEs across the EU; underlines that a high level of expertise and specialisation are needed for an SME Envoy and that this was the case in the selection of the successful candidate; welcomes that the Commission has followed a formal, fair and multi-step recruitment process in the hiring of the SME Envoy and stresses that the multiple assessment criteria were followed during the recruitment process; highlights that at the moment of the announcement of the recruitment of the SME Envoy no objections were made by any of the Commissioners and that questions were raised only after one-sided information were leaked to the media, therefore transforming this issue into a political one; notes that double standards should not be applied by the Greens Group in the European Parliament particularly since, in certain cases, Greens Ministers from EU Member States hired several staff members without a formal recruitment process; underlines that the assessment procedures for posts such as the SME Envoy should not be used for party or personal campaigning goals;’

Madam President, the proposal for political domination of public radio and television in Bratislava would have been envied by the government by the communists before 1989. It is crying out that this is happening at the very time when we approved the Media Freedom Act in this House, based on the protection of freedom of speech, pluralism of opinion and of the media, and on their better transparency. Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of democracy and attacks on it are attacks on the essence of democratic functioning. Fico's proposals are only a copy of the Hungarian path, which led to the restriction of freedom of speech and the preference for only one opinion, that of the government. It is no coincidence that Orbán and Fico understand each other. After witnessing Hungarian interference in the Slovak parliamentary elections six months ago, this situation was repeated in the presidential elections, when the Hungarian public television commissioned one candidate at the time of the Slovak moratorium with the aim of influencing voters of Hungarian nationality in Slovakia. This is a dangerous precedent and this aspect must also be taken into account in the implementation of the Media Freedom Act. I thank all those who care about freedom of speech and protect democracy.

Thank you for this question. My answer is ‘no, I’m afraid not’. We are not simplifying the regulatory environment. We are not cutting our legislative, regulatory burden; we are just achieving the opposite. We are putting more and more additional regulatory burdens. Unfortunately, you are right that in some countries we have already such rules, but in many, many countries we do not have them, and we create more administrative burdens in more Member States. I am absolutely sure that we have to minimise the regulatory burden, and we cannot fight for human rights. I think we can agree that we have to fight for human rights, but we cannot fight for human rights with additional bureaucracy. I think this is not the right approach, and we have to fight for bureaucracy not to put an additional regulatory burden.

Madam President, our way of life is based on its protection, respect for human dignity and respect for and enforcement of the law. Based on these principles, we have also built a democratic society in Europe, achieved economic growth that can be a model for the rest of the world. I'm sure he's an inspiration today. It is also essential that, despite growing global competition, we regain our leadership in innovation and not only maintain but also create new jobs in our regions. And today, the main barrier to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe, mentioned in almost every survey, is excessive bureaucracy. Our goal is less bureaucracy. We need to reduce the regulatory burden by at least a third, introduce and respect honestly the “no” rule.one in, one out’, but “one in, two out’ and strictly follow the competitiveness test for any new European policy. This is the way we can really help our entrepreneurs to innovate freely and responsibly and create new jobs. Let's not regulate while our competitors innovate. Let us focus on achieving our goals, trust our entrepreneurs, consumers and comply with current legislation in the field of labour law. If necessary, make it simpler and clearer, but do not create a new, complicated and unnecessary one. Let us put pressure on those who choose to do business dishonestly or act against the rules on which our society is based, but let us not burden ourselves with the new bureaucracy of our entrepreneurs. Respect for human rights will not be solved by a new bureaucracy, but only by respecting and adhering to the current legislation in force. (The speaker agrees to answer the question raised by raising the "blue card")

Mr President, thanks to European cooperation, we are experiencing almost eighty years of peaceful coexistence and half a century of economic prosperity on our continent. We must realise that this is mainly due to the development of small businesses, which make up half of the European product and create 100 million jobs. The development of a small business is directly proportional to the development of our competitiveness. And here I want to draw attention to one fundamental thing that small entrepreneurs are struggling with, and that is bureaucracy. The fight against bureaucracy can fundamentally improve our position in global competitiveness. I appreciate, on the one hand, the Commission's actions in terms of a 25% reduction in regulatory burdens or a "one in, two out" activity, but for each new regulatory burden we have to look at whether this simplifies the environment or whether it worsens the position of entrepreneurs. If we successfully fight red tape, together with the diversification of energy sources, the development of education and the development of digital skills, we will be able to regain our competitive advantage. So I believe we can do it.

Mr President, social networks are the primary source of information, especially for young people, who have seen an overall increase in media coverage of 11% in the last year alone. It is therefore essential that, as there are control mechanisms and penalties for spreading hate and fake news in the physical and public space, this is also the case online. It is good that after large platforms, the Digital Services Act will finally enter into force for all platforms. It will affect many areas of the online world, such as online marketplaces, web hosting services, cloud services, search engines and social media platforms. In particular, this will give citizens and internet users more control over the content they watch or protect children from illegal content online. Companies benefit from legal certainty, a single set of rules across the Union and easier start-ups and scale-ups in Europe. This will give our society greater protection of democracy by mitigating systemic risks such as manipulation or disinformation. Let us not allow undemocratic elements to infest the free decision-making of citizens in the upcoming elections. Fighting disinformation will become increasingly important for democracy.

Mr President, dear colleagues, the European Union has been created on the basis of close cooperation between countries, with the goal of lasting peace on our continent. For this reason, we share common values of prosperity, democracy and peace. Our shared values are now being defended by the blood of the Ukrainian people, who have chosen their path for democracy. With this in mind, allow me to appreciate the opening of the accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. However, we must not let ourselves lose focus and stop the work on crucial topics such as the continuous support for Ukraine and the revision of the current Multiannual Financial Framework. I do believe it is extremely clear that the absolute majority of Member States are also clear about this topic. Now, more than ever before, every European citizen can see and can understand who is committed to find common solutions to our shared challenges, and who is not. I do support the European Commission in this work, and I do believe in an early effective solution.

Madam President, our European area will be as safe as our countries in our neighbourhood. With a package of more than €50 billion a year, the European Union is today the largest financial promoter of stability and democracy in the world. We are also active in humanitarian and diplomatic assistance. It is important that we remain on this path at a time of increasing tension. However, it is essential to strengthen control and carefully analyse the efficient use of these resources and their impact on change in individual countries. It is often the case that, despite our investments, the influence of undemocratic powers prevails in these countries. I believe that one way to prevent conflicts in the world is through interreligious dialogue. I am pleased that it is the European People's Party that is active in this area. He has held regular inter-religious meetings for 25 years. Mutual dialogue and understanding will play an increasingly important role in preventing conflicts in the world. Our Parliament also has a special role in conflict prevention in countries with which we do not have official diplomatic ties, such as Taiwan. There is still a great prospect of mutual development. Last but not least, it is important to use the economic dimension and trade agreements to prevent conflicts, because an economy and trade without morality do not work. All these actions, humanitarian aid, interreligious dialogue, but also trade agreements, are important and can make a European contribution to conflict prevention and to stability and peace in the world.

Mr President, dear colleagues, the deal reached on the new F-Gas Regulation sets us on the path towards the ambitious goal of reducing emissions by the equivalent of 40 million tonnes CO2 in the next six years, and achieving a full phase-out by 2050. Standing here on behalf of Sara Skyttedal, rapporteur for the ITRE opinion, I have to say that this path is not only ambitious, but also realistic. Thanks to the balanced phase-down in the first decade, in a way that will not jeopardise neither the repair of existing equipment nor the REPowerEU goals of a much-needed heat-pump deployment. The groups to the left in this House tend to view climate legislation in an astonishingly naive and short-sighted way, where the highest bidder has the most climate-friendly policy. I'm really happy that the new F-Gas Regulation instead follows the long-term balanced prescription of the centre-right: a climate policy that sets ambitious targets, but also delivers on them on account of securing the competitiveness of European industry. I'd like to thank Sara for her great work.

Madam President, let me make three remarks on this important subject. Firstly, the Russian criminal invasion of Ukraine shows us that the Union must do much more for the defence industry than before and must do so in a more coordinated manner with the Member States. Secondly, it is clear that our defence depends on a viable defence industry, which must be able to respond to our changing immediate but also long-term needs to defend our values and our prosperity. Thirdly, financial support to the defence sector has long been undersized in Europe, including access to public but also private capital for businesses. Small and medium-sized enterprises in particular suffer the most from this. I therefore place emphasis on publishing, as quickly as possible, the proposals for a regulation on the European Defence Investment Programme, as well as the European defence industrial strategy, in such a way that small and medium-sized enterprises are at the centre of both initiatives. Since the defence industry has long been built on the basis of mainly large firms, I consider the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the defence strategy and in the defence industry to be crucial not only in terms of meeting our defence needs faster, but above all in view of the innovativeness and competitiveness of the entire defence industry.

Mr President, justice and equality before the law are under threat in Slovakia today. Prime Minister Fico began his exercise of power by attacking independent media, as well as independent institutions and anti-corruption bodies. The government is proposing to abolish the Special Prosecutor's Office, which is a key institution in both the fight against corruption and the protection of European financial interests. The government is proposing to substantially reduce punishments for corruption, and government officials are intimidating investigators. Who would be affected by the closure of the Special Prosecutor's Office? Here are just a few defendants: police ex-president Tibor Gašpar, ex-ministers Žiga and Kažimír, Martin Kvietik, oligarch of the defendant for bribes in the redistribution of European resources, Marian Kočner, former neighbor of Prime Minister Fico accused of ordering the murder of Ján Kuciak, and many others. It is clear that this abrogation effort is instrumental in helping ‘their people’. This term has become popular in Slovakia and represents a symbol of inequality before the law. Let me remind you that in the European Parliament we have acted after the murder of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnierová, and we have also acted on corruption suspicions with European agricultural resources. In both cases, the Special Prosecutor’s Office played a key role. Therefore, we will not remain silent if we are to lose an important ally in the anti-corruption fight, which is the Special Prosecutor's Office. Allow me to thank all the citizens of Slovakia from this place, who also spoke on the topic yesterday with protests in many cities of my homeland. None of us want Slovakia to take the Hungarian route. We are saying clearly not the abolition of a key anti-corruption institution, not the system of ‘their people’, and not Prime Minister Fico’s arbitrariness. Yes, he is in favour of maintaining a special prosecutor's office, yes, he is in favour of supporting real brave people, and yes, he is in favour of justice and equality before the law. The parents of the murdered Ján Kuciak wrote to me: “Please do everything you can.” My yes belongs not only to the brave Kuciaks, but also to all citizens of Slovakia. You're not alone. Thanks to everyone who cares about Slovakia.

Mr President, dear colleagues, our European Union is, as a matter of fact, the largest investor in Taiwan with current amount of more than EUR 40 billion in foreign direct investment, representing 28% of all foreign investments in Taiwan. As it is our strategic partner, not only in economic terms, definitely we need to send a positive signal to our investors that we take it seriously. We need to improve our trade relations, because Taiwan is a key partner of our industry when it comes to semiconductors, artificial intelligence and competitiveness general, particularly in the digital field. We need to set conditions for our new EU-Taiwan free trade agreement, which will create preconditions for further development of our cooperation. Taiwan is significant partner also in terms of protection of democratic principles, in terms of fighting against misinformation and propaganda. Also, I learned personally a lot visiting Taiwan recently. Also, nowadays we are facing a global fight between totalitarian and democratic regimes, and therefore democracies should stand together, I do believe. Taiwan deserves more than ever to be part of WHA and other international organisations, where they should play inevitable role on paths to strengthen global democratic trends. I do believe this topic should be also among our priorities of the upcoming EU-China summit.

Madam President, dear colleagues, the current Iranian Government has not only ignored the voices of change but has intensified its crackdown, detaining numerous activists and exerting oppressive force against peaceful dissent. The tragic case of Armita, a schoolgirl of only 16 years old who has been in a coma since 1 October, following a confrontation with metro officers over mandatory hijab regulations, is a really horrible reminder of the grim reality in Iran nowadays. Such incidents are intolerable in the 21st century and must not go unaddressed. Therefore, I really urge the European Commission to intervene without delay, calling also on President Raisi to cease the suppression of protesters and release political prisoners. Failure to do so may lead to the imposition of targeted punitive measures on those responsible. Together, let us stand in solidarity with the Iranian people and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom, dignity and human rights.

Madam President, I am pleased that we can talk about reducing the regulatory burden, because this is an important topic for improving the business environment and for improving our competitiveness on a global scale. First of all, from my point of view, we need to talk about using the resources we have. And the main means is our common market. We not only need to use it, we need to complete it, and we need to remove those barriers that we still have in the common market to make it even more profitable for businesses and, above all, for citizens. Next, it is important to talk about law enforcement and better access to financial resources. From this point of view, I very much welcome the Commission's initiative with regard to the Late Payment Directive, because we need to improve discipline and we need to improve it, especially to help small entrepreneurs. Hand-in-hand with the reduction of regulatory burdens is also the use of digital technologies. It is important that we not only apply the legal framework that we have created here, but also develop digital skills and, above all, improve access to the internet. This is also related to regulatory burdens. I very much support our common goal of reducing administrative burdens by 25%, but it is important that not only new regulations are not created, but goldplating is avoided, so that they are not further regulated in individual states. So I believe that together we will innovate more than regulate.

Mr President, legislation on packaging and packaging waste is an important milestone towards a sustainable packaging economy in Europe. It affects almost every producer, every distributor and therefore every consumer. What is key, however, is to emphasise a level playing field and a level playing field. This legislation extends the obligations for producers of beverages, especially non-alcoholic beverages, but it is crucial that it does not discriminate against one at the expense of the other. Packaging is packaging, no matter what is in it, and it is important that there is a level playing field. The target of 10% renewable packaging or reusable packaging by 2030, 25% by 2040 is achievable and all bottlenecks can be exploited during this period. I therefore believe that we should respect a level playing field, especially at this stage, and I thank all those who share such a vision and support such a proposal.

Mr President, as President of SME Europe, a support organisation for small and medium-sized enterprises, I am following very closely the development of the situation regarding the new European Innovation Agenda. I am particularly interested in how the €10 billion package from Horizon Europe will be used to stimulate the innovation potential of European small businesses. Innovation is a prerequisite for maintaining global competitiveness and employment in the European Union market. I welcome the information that 20 countries have already joined this project with more than 169 successful projects. I hope to see a Slovak candidate among them soon. I would like to ask the Commissioner on this occasion how the regional perspective of applicants is taken into account when assessing applications for project funding, as we know that sometimes investors have a problem precisely because they are located in regions where they need more support because of less developed infrastructure, which makes it difficult to access capital.

Mr President, only recently have new rules for the online space come into force that bring better protection to consumers and their fundamental rights online through better transparency and a clear liability framework for online platforms. In addition, the Digital Services Act also creates space for innovation, growth and competitiveness within the common market. Based on my own experience, even recently from last week at the Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, Japan, I know that this legal framework is being followed and to some extent envied by the whole developed world. Regulating the online environment is a necessity at all for preserving democracy. Especially at a time when a critical mass of the population is exposed to narratives of propaganda and disinformation from various professional channels. Freedom of speech is limited by responsibility. Other reports I am working on, such as the report on addictive content by online platforms, have also allowed me to draw on this fact and to build on it with further recommendations, particularly in the area of the necessary protection of children online. I appreciate the action taken by the Commission against the social network X, where the dissemination of violent content and hate speech is suspected. What is illegal offline must also be illegal online. Otherwise, we will increasingly witness events such as this week's terrorist attack in Brussels, but also the one whose first anniversary we commemorated a few days ago in Bratislava.

Mr President, sanctions against the Russian aggressor not only make sense, but also have a significant impact. The figures show that bilateral trade with Russia has fallen below 2 percent. Imports decreased from 9,6 % to 1,7 % and exports to less than half. If anyone claims that Russia has not been harmed by the sanctions, we should ask why they are buying weapons from a country like North Korea. If anyone claims that there is no end to the country, we can all answer that the defense operations of the Ukrainians, even with our help, have already liberated almost half of their territory from the Russian occupiers. If we want to help weaken the Russian aggressor as effectively as possible, we must not only rigorously implement the sanctions, but also extend them, especially to gas, nuclear fuel and diamonds. The task is also to monitor compliance with these sanctions and to find tools for early detection of possible circumvention. Let us not forget that the money sent to Russia ends up in the hands of the Kremlin aggressor, who has the blood of innocent people on his hands.

Mr President, with the growing trend towards the use of digital technologies, the proportion of financial contracts that our citizens conclude online is also growing significantly. Whether it's car insurance, pension insurance, or just opening a current account with a bank. This also opens the way for the development of new and innovative services and projects. However, due to the rapid development of modern digital technologies, we can observe a certain information asymmetry in the conclusion of distance contracts, precisely to the detriment of the consumer. New technologies are paving the way for new unfair practices that can also negatively affect consumer decision-making. I therefore welcome the update of this directive, which contains important tools to strengthen consumer protection and limits the use of unfair marketing practices, through which consumers often commit to various services that they are not even interested in. I consider it equally important to introduce a right of withdrawal, which must also be visible and accessible when the contract is concluded. Often, seniors, who may not have enough trust or experience chatbots when concluding a distance contract, will certainly appreciate the introduction of the right to consult a contract with a person, also for a better understanding of this product. I also particularly appreciate the simplification of the legislative burden, which is particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises in the financial sector, and will certainly support the development of innovation and digitalisation.

Madam President, after the fail – on 22 November, when the Council denied agreement on an updated text – of the Energy Charter Treaty to become more compatible with the Paris Agreement and Green Deal, it’s final time for Europe to coordinate its withdrawal from this treaty. Now we should concentrate on building a new, much more efficient and competitive energy system that prioritises and protects renewable energy investments. However, the Commission should bear in mind the ‘sunset clause’ with 20 years of protection of existing investments as well as fossil fuel projects. Breaking the contracts can lead to the situation that EU—based companies should start filing claims against Member States in case of harm. In terms of money, according to the last study by Investigate Europe, the value of fossil fuel infrastructure protected by the treaty is estimated to be worth EUR 344 billion across the EU, the UK and Switzerland. Therefore, it is really important that the Commission and the Spanish Presidency find the adequate way very soon, with a proposal that will protect companies as well as Member States and not slow down transition to sustainable energy mix within the EU market. As we know, the energy transition is key also for our economic growth.

Madam President, Commissioner, several Member States have long faced problems in the education of Roma children. It has been several years since the European Commission launched a breach of the Racial Equality Directive against several Member States, including Slovakia, as the Commissioner mentioned. The fact that segregation of Roma children was indeed taking place has also been confirmed by decisions of national courts. Our common goal must be to do more to address persistent discrimination, including antigypsyism, and to improve the inclusion of Roma in education. However, Roma children are often placed in special schools for pupils with mild mental disabilities. Member States are also inconsistent in the implementation of pre-primary education for five-year-olds, which will provide children across social strata with the same starting line in primary school. Children's school clubs full of diverse activities and school leisure centres are also an excellent tool in the educational process. Children will be given the chance to develop even more and prepare well for the next school day. At the same time, the theme of desegregation in education is part of the recovery plan, as mentioned above, which also contains the first-ever methodological material providing concrete solutions without segregating schools. This material has also been developed with representatives of the European Commission and it is important that every child is given an equal chance of success in school and in life. It is important that these objectives are indeed met from this plan. Digitalisation is a new way for pupils from marginalised Roma communities, opening their doors to the future. Working with digital technologies is a necessity nowadays, and it also offers an opportunity to exploit or discover the potential of young people, regardless of their social circumstances. If the digital transformation is to succeed, it must also be fair and its benefits must be equally accessible to all. Our future depends on the quality of education, which must be based on equal opportunities without exception. Thank you all for supporting solutions on this topic, and especially my colleague Peter Pollák for the initiative that we can talk about it here.

Madam President, dear colleagues. I do believe it’s time to express our deep concerns about current developments in the area of human rights and its violation in Bangladesh. The mass arrests of more than a thousand opposition representatives, the excessive use of force against protesters and persecution of human rights defenders, union workers and journalists, it is the current reality in this large South Asian country. Dear colleagues, current situation there resulted in the reduction of trust of citizens in democracy and less respect and partnership on the international level. The Government of Bangladesh should restore a safe environment for NGOs, human rights defenders, activists, religious minorities and uphold the country’s international commitments, notably under the ICCPR. Particularly the Odhikar case is a regrettable step backwards. Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan, two leaders of Odhikar, have been faced for more than 10 years with various legal cases against them. Government should investigate allegations of forced disappearances with permission to international observers to attend court hearings. All of this can be achieved only when the ruling government will initiate a dialogue with all major political parties to find out a sustainable and democratic solution to the ongoing crisis. Basis of these equal conditions should be represented as well by guarantee access to the best possible medical treatment for the former prime minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia. Especially in the light of the upcoming 12 general elections in the country in the beginning of 2024 you must bear in mind that the right of the people to choose their representatives is yet to be determined, as no mechanism is in place for acceptable elections. This is a problem as riggings, manipulations and non-attendance of the voters marred the 10th and also the 11th parliamentary elections. Independent internal and international observations mission from EU, UN and other institutions should be ready to help achieving this goal. Dear colleagues, we believe that EU has strong reasons to stand with the people of Bangladesh as the country is our long-time partner in the trade and development cooperation. Therefore, I consider this resolution as an important call for improvement in the above-mentioned areas. Thank you very much for supporting this resolution, thank you for defending human rights and democracy, and thank you for supporting people in Bangladesh.

Mr President, we are all aware that small and medium-sized enterprises are key to success in terms of economic growth, employment or the transition to innovative and sustainable solutions in an increasingly challenging competitive environment. As President of SME Europe, which brings together small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe, I am also very sensitive to the need for a number of reforms that are necessary. After the pandemic period, business chains are disrupted today, we are not sure about energy prices, Russia's aggression is raging east of us. Small and medium-sized enterprises must be at the heart of European policies, and the impact of individual legislative proposals must be particularly sensitive to their functioning. Access to capital is a top priority. The Late Payments Directive is a very good start, but it is also important to continue by stimulating the banking sector to facilitate access to business credit. The aid package must also not lack measures to address the urgent need for affordable and secure energy supplies. Less administrative burden or reporting obligations are also a matter of course. I also very much appreciate today's initiative by the President of the Commission to reduce the administrative burden by a quarter. Equally important is the topic of skills, as many entrepreneurs face a shortage of skilled labour. By focusing on education, new skills, improving access to finance and reducing administrative burdens, we can improve the environment for small entrepreneurs, the most important job creators, and this will certainly translate into living standards.