Speeches

Vice-President Schinas, since you have said that this is your last speech, I would like to thank you for all these years of dedication, work and commitment to this institution, to the European Parliament, as European Commissioner. This closes the debate.

The next item is the debate on the basis of the Commission statement condemning the illegal unilateral declaration of independence of the secessionist entity in Cyprus and all efforts to legitimise it and reaffirming the need for European solidarity – 41 years later [2024/2938(RSP)].

Mr President, Commissioner, the world is meeting again at a summit, this time in the climate and this time in Baku. We do so, moreover, at a time when the data coming in from science is terrifying. We have already reached the degree and a half that we set as a goal of temperature growth on Earth in the Paris Agreements. And not only that, but we have not yet reached the peak of global emissions. And we do so when, in Europe, and especially in the Mediterranean, extreme weather events are multiplying, which we know have always existed, but which today are more intense and more frequent due to climate change. I know there is someone here who needs a lot of explanations, but, if the temperature rises in the Mediterranean, more water evaporates and there is more rain. It's as simple as that, although some deny it. What can we do at this CP? We can bet on climate finance, where we have a chapter to work on and Europe has to lead by example, and we have to bet on continuing to decarbonise, especially with decarbonisation targets, emission reduction targets, and, all this, in a very complex international context, with Trump in the White House, and where Europe should lead by example.

The next vote is on the People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan (see minutes, item 9.2.).

The first vote is on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia (see minutes, item 9.1.).

The next meeting will take place tomorrow, Thursday 24 October 2024, at 9 a.m. The agenda has been published and is available on the European Parliament's website.

Mr President, Commissioner, today we are talking about the important role of cities and regions in Europe, with two messages. Firstly, the need to involve and work hand in hand with big cities and big European urban centres. Why? Because they have become bastions of tolerance against extremist ideas, because they concentrate and live the great changes that are taking place – also that we legislate here today, such as the green agenda – and because, in addition, today they are demanding help for some of the problems that are shared throughout Europe, such as access to housing. Major European mayors, such as those in Rome or Barcelona, have called for help in recent weeks and we have to respond in this mandate. And, secondly, the role of the regions. Now that this dangerous and toxic idea that we are going to centralize the management of cohesion funds is circulating, we must send a message of absolute rejection, because it is an inefficient and stupid idea: because it breaks the principle of subsidiarity and because, moreover, it would not make it possible to structure, as must be done, the work that the regions, which are the ones who really structure our economy and our society, have to do. So let's work with the regions, let's not turn our backs on them.

The next item is the debate on the basis of the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon (2024/2850(RSP)).

After this announcement by the President, we would move on to the first item on the agenda of today's sitting. These are the Council and Commission statements and the debate on the preparation of the European Council of 17-18 October 2024 (2024/2782(RSP)).

The next item is the debate on six motions for resolutions concerning the serious situation of political prisoners in Belarus (2024/2804(RSP)).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on seven motions for resolutions concerning the deterioration of the situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice (2024/2803(RSP)).

Madam President, Commissioner, first of all, what we want to do as a political group is to share what the European Commission has said today about what is happening in Venezuela. A support that means an unwavering denunciation of the violations and persecutions that are being experienced in the country, in Venezuela, after elections that have given a non-credible and illegitimate result. Call for an end to repression in the country. To demand respect for the will expressed at the polls by the people of Venezuela. Demand the return of democracy to the country and, at the same time, support all the efforts made by the international community, by the European Union, by the region, to find a peaceful solution that means a democratic transition. We know, at the same time, as international bodies - which have also been monitoring these elections on the ground - have told us, that there are clear indicators of an opposition victory. We know all that and, in fact, we share all that. But unfortunately, every time we talk about Venezuela here, part of the European People's Party decides to instrumentalise this issue to divide this House and use it as a battering ram in pursuit of national political interests. There has been talk before about recognition, an issue that is likely to divide this House on Thursday in the vote. But the truth is that the Sánchez government is criticized for not recognizing Edmundo as president-elect. The People's Party, how many governments does it have in Europe? How many foreign ministries do you have in Europe? But if it turns out that they have the same policy - all - as the Government of Spain. All of them. Why this exercise in cynicism that, at bottom, weakens support for Venezuelan democracy? Why? Why, if we agree on the substance, on democracy, the denunciation of repression and the search for ways out for a country that carries enormous suffering behind it, do you come here to seek the support of the extreme right, which believes little in democracy - some of whom you are going to seek to get a majority on Thursday - for something, a diplomatic practice, which no one has shared? Why? The positions are legitimate, but listen: The spurious use of the pain of the Venezuelan people in the name of partisan interests is an embarrassment.

Madam President, the beginning of this European mandate serves to remind and reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine. Remember the war of aggression that is taking place at Europe's doorstep with a gigantic humanitarian catastrophe and the unprecedented challenge that this is posing to European security and stability. To that end, we must reaffirm our commitment to military assistance to Ukraine, which must go hand in hand with strengthening Europe's defence and security capabilities. Not because we choose between military assistance and peace, but because we know that military assistance is the precondition for peace, a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. And all this with a united Europe that faces and uses the financial instrument of the European Peace Facility that Hungary and Orbán are blocking today, that continues with the accession process and that supports the countries that are hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees on European soil today.

Madam President, during this term that we are now ending, we have experienced the most important health crisis that Europe has experienced in a century. We confined the population and our economies hibernated. It was a dramatic situation, but from which we draw some important lessons. First, that the most precious value of our society is the health of our citizens. Second, that the biggest and most important instrument for designing public policies is science. And third, that, probably, the professional group to which we have to recognize, listen and follow the most are the public health professionals. That is exactly what we are going to do today with the new directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, which will set new limits on pollution and combat pollution, which according to the European Environment Agency is the biggest environmental threat to public health and causes 300 000 direct and indirect deaths per year. In Europe, in the last ten years, we have 6,319 deaths of children under one year of age directly related to pollution. This is an ambitious new law, but, at the same time, it is the result of a balanced agreement with the Council, and will allow flexibilities, better monitor and reflect the reality of the entire territory, and will accompany local administrations in its application and implementation. This new law will protect public health and our citizens, because we know that clean air is not just a luxury; This is, above all, a right that we must guarantee with this new directive. For all these reasons, I call on you to give massive support to this directive for clean air.