What Maria spoke about.

9

Mar

2022

FR Speech

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Batteries and waste batteries (debate)

Madam President, first of all, I would like to congratulate Simona Bonafè on the work that has been done in this report on batteries. As we know, moving away from fossil fuels will inevitably require more batteries, which is why regulation, as proposed today, is necessary. Indeed, more batteries will mean more recycling and more circular economy. As we know, today only 12% of aluminium, 22% of cob…

8

Mar

2022

FR Speech

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The deterioration of the situation of refugees as a consequence of the Russian aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, in the face of the horror of Putin’s war in Ukraine and the millions of Ukrainian refugees, we can only welcome the decision to activate temporary protection. But I cannot help thinking of these Syrian, Afghan and Libyan families, who are also fleeing the horror of the war and for whom temporary protection has not been activated. Why? I cannot help thinking of those countries of entr…

17

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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Political crisis in Burkina Faso

Madam President, Commissioner, the coup d’état of 24 January in Burkina Faso is part of a tense regional context characterised by the continued deterioration of security in the Sahel. Burkina Faso is indeed the country that has suffered the most from the exceptional increase in the number of terrorist attacks. In recent years, the data has been overwhelming. Just think of the 7,000 victims, includ…

17

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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The death penalty in Iran

Mr President, Commissioner, I would first like to recall that our institutions are committed to promoting the abolition of the death penalty worldwide. There is therefore no justification for the use of the death penalty, let alone in Iran, which remains the country with the highest death penalty execution rate in the world: More than 250 people were executed in Iran last year. Iran’s judicial sys…

17

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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The recent human rights developments in the Philippines

Mr President, Commissioner, it has been said that President Duterte, by justifying himself with anti-terrorist, anti-drug or anti-communist laws, has created an environment conducive to attacks on human rights defenders and a climate of total impunity. The approaching elections in the Philippines raise fears of increased efforts to silence the voices of dissent. However, the EU continues to grant …

15

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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Corruption and human rights (continuation of debate)

Mr President, as has been said, corruption is an endemic problem. It can be found on all continents. It is not continent- or culture-specific; It is unique to power and non-transparency. Corruption is a devastating phenomenon for the availability, quality and accessibility of human rights goods and services, and there is a close correlation between corruption and serious human rights violations. Y…

15

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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Human rights and democracy in the world – annual report 2021 (continuation of debate)

Madam President, Mr High Representative, thank you for your willingness to discuss these essential human rights. It should be remembered: the Treaty of the European Union sets out the obligation to respect fundamental rights within the European Union, but also to promote and consolidate human rights in the European Union’s external action. To remain credible, we must be consistent, i.e. we must no…

15

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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EU-Africa relations (debate)

Madam President, Mr High Representative, this week's summit between the EU and Africa is, as you said, a new opportunity to build a new partnership together. But we need to understand the wounds of the past to build a common future, and our goal as the European Union, but also as European leaders, will be above all to convince the African people, people whose wounds are still alive. I will talk ab…

15

Feb

2022

FR Speech

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Strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer(debate)

Madam President, dear Véronique, first of all I would like to commend the work you have done and the content of the report we have produced together. I hope that this week's vote is not an end point, but rather that the priorities and actions we call for feed into the various policies that play a role in the fight against cancer. Among these policies, I will focus on prevention: 40% of cancers are…

19

Jan

2022

FR Speech

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Political crisis in Sudan

Madam President, congratulations on your election. In Sudan, in 2022, 30% of the population will need humanitarian assistance. That's 14 million women, men and children. 3 million men, women and children are internally displaced populations, mainly from Darfur, but also from external conflicts in neighbouring countries. Yet Sudan has been a hope for democracy in the region. A young, educated, enga…

19

Jan

2022

FR Speech

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Situation in Kazakhstan

Mr President, two weeks ago, the protest in Kazakhstan started with the anger of the people following the increase in the price of gas, which more than doubled amid great inequalities. According to several NGOs, the official death toll of 225 is largely underestimated. The government, however, continues to invoke the fight against terrorism to justify the bloody responses to this revolution. But t…

19

Jan

2022

FR Speech

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Violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong

Mr President, Commissioner, it is true, as has been said, that the Chinese crackdown in Hong Kong has been going on for months, I would say for almost more than years. Most of the voices of dissidents are now in prison, so there is terrible oppression. In 2002, Hong Kong ranked 12th in the world in terms of freedom of expression. Today, Hong Kong ranks 80th in the world ranking. We can see how str…

14

Dec

2021

FR Speech

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The situation in Nicaragua (debate)

Mr President, Mr High Representative, I can only share your words on the desperate situation we are seeing today in Nicaragua. This Ortega regime, like all dictatorships, is obviously attacking the opposition, incarcerating the seven potential opposition figures, freedom of the press, and also human rights defenders in general. Of course, we support your approach to sanctions, or even the tighteni…

25

Nov

2021

FR Speech

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The human rights situation in Cameroon

Madam President, in Cameroon, after the 1972 constitutional referendum, the system of the federalist government guaranteeing the representation of 20% of Anglophones was abandoned in favour of a centralised system that gives the advantage to Francophones. Since then, Anglophones in Cameroon have suffered from increased marginalisation, which has only worsened. In 2016, teachers and lawyers in the …

25

Nov

2021

FR Speech

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Situation in Somalia

Madam President, it is true that Somalia is facing a major political crisis, aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic and repeated climate shocks, which are worsening the humanitarian situation and contributing to the country’s economic stagnation. In addition, as my colleague, Mr Maurel, has said, there is the security situation in the country, particularly as a result of fundamentalist groups, suc…

23

Nov

2021

FR Speech

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Situation in Belarus and at its border with the EU and the security and humanitarian consequences (debate)

Madam President, Belarus has orchestrated the arrival of refugee candidates at the borders of the European Union. This is true, it is unacceptable and it justifies stronger sanctions against all those who cooperate with this regime. But these men and women, these children now trapped at the border, do not have to pay the price for this shameful blackmail. Yes, the Belarusian authorities are respon…

21

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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2019 Discharge: European Border and Coast Guard Agency (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, it is true that Frontex is one of the most important agencies in the European Union. This is reflected in her budget, and Ms Bricmont has said it, in an increase from 6 million in 2006 to 343 million in 2021, which does indeed show the importance that the European Union places on an agency such as this, but also reflects an extension of its tasks, today, in the area of …

20

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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The humanitarian situation in Haiti following the recent earthquake (debate)

Madam President, in Haiti, one disaster drives away another. From earthquakes to tropical storms, this country has been ravaged. In this country, where the few existing infrastructures have been ravaged by natural disasters, international NGOs remain the only alternative to a care system and a non-existent social net. The political crisis has been added to the humanitarian crisis. For months, Port…

19

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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The Right to a Healthy Environment (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, it has been said: the right to life, the right to health, the right to safety, these rights already guaranteed at European level are of course partly dependent on the quality of the environment in which we live. How can we guarantee these rights without first guaranteeing the right to a healthy environment? I obviously welcome, as has been done here in this…

19

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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Situation in Tunisia (debate)

Madam President, Mr High Representative, I fully agree with you when you say that Tunisia is an important country for the European Union – geographically, historically, culturally, politically and securely important. In 2011, the peaceful revolution led by thousands of Tunisian citizens put an end to a regime, a dictatorship, that of Mr. Ben Ali. At that time, Europe stood by Tunisia. Maybe not en…

7

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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The state law relating to abortion in Texas, USA

Madam President, so it was said: my body, my choice, my rights. Any evidence? Obviously, not really, when you hear what is happening inside this Chamber. And yet, when I was 20, I never imagined that I would have to be here to defend the obvious. Because, quite simply, I am part of this generation of women who benefited – I mean, benefited – from the struggles that led to being able to freely disp…

7

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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The case of Paul Rusesabagina in Rwanda

Mr President, Commissioner, the conditions of arrest which relate to kidnapping, non-access to a lawyer of his choice, confiscated legal confidential documents, presumption of innocence swept away by President Kagame: We can all agree that Paul Rusesabagina, a European citizen, was not entitled to a fair trial, which resulted in a sentence of 25 years in prison, contrary to what the Rwandan author…

7

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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Human rights situation in Myanmar, including the situation of religious and ethnic groups

Mr President, Commissioner, the crimes committed by the Burmese army since the coup have been described as crimes against humanity by Human Rights Watch, which states that, by their widespread nature, these crimes and repression are not individual actions, but rather actions targeted by the junta. The renewed fighting and subsequent insecurity in ethnic minority areas have also displaced more than…

5

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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Humanitarian situation in Tigray (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, since the beginning of the conflict in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, since November 2020, therefore, almost a year ago, Amnesty International has documented violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, some of which may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. These include massacres in Aksoum, Mai-Kadra, indiscriminate shelling of…

5

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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Implementation report on the EU Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (continuation of debate)

Madam President, first of all, I would still like to say that I am in a rather uncomfortable situation, because it was Mr Várhelyi who started the debate, but it will end with Commissioner Urpilainen, when I had things to say to Mr Várhelyi. But hey, I'll send them to Mr. Várhelyi and you'll get the message to him. What is a problem is not the trust funds, which are an element of flexibility, but …