What Ramona spoke about.

14

Feb

2022

EN Speech

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Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2020 (debate)

Madam President, the European Ombudsman is and should remain our natural ally in the fight for transparency, for high ethical standards and good administration in the EU. I would like to congratulate you, Ms O’Reilly and your office, for the work undertaken in 2020. Under particularly difficult circumstances, you managed to continue working to safeguard our citizens’ fundamental rights. We appreci…

13

Dec

2021

EN Speech

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Combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence (continuation of debate)

Madam President, a study by this House shows that the overall costs of cyber—harassment and cyberstalking are estimated at between EUR 49 and 89.3 billion, with the largest cost category being the loss in terms of quality of life. This is what we’re talking about: quality of life. There’s probably not a single woman in this room who doesn’t have in her email or on WhatsApp or Messenger a very ‘kin…

24

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Fundamental rights and the rule of law in Slovenia, in particular the delayed nomination of EPPO prosecutors (debate)

Mr President, I am a bit confused by Mr Logar’s message. We’re talking, Mr Logar, about six months of delay in nominating the Slovenian delegated prosecutors to the EPPO. We are talking about the Prime Minister’s direct intervention in the process. We are talking about the Minister of Justice resigning in protest. This was an act of obstruction of justice in Slovenia and in the Union, casting a da…

10

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Strengthening democracy, media freedom and pluralism in the EU (debate)

Mr President, politicians, corporations, bankers, lawyers and even bishops have been using SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation) to harass journalists, NGOs and activists engaging in public participation with the sole aim of draining them financially and psychologically in retaliation for exposing wrongdoing and criticism. The worst part is that our European legal systems still …

21

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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

Madam President, Frontex is by far the largest decentralised agency of the Union and has an extremely sensitive mandate: keeping our borders safe. It is therefore vital that the agency implements its mandate with the utmost responsibility. Since April, when we decided to postpone the discharge decision for the agency, Frontex has started to implement the recommendations issued by the discharge aut…

20

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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Increased efforts to fight money laundering (debate)

Mr President, first I would like to welcome the new AML/CTF package proposed by the Commission, the single rulebook, the new AML Authority, the new rules on beneficial ownership transparency. I’m looking forward to working on these proposals. At the same time, please let me remind you that we have 16 AMLD IV infringement procedures launched by the Commission, including Romania, and four AMLD V pro…

19

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The Rule of law crisis in Poland and the primacy of EU law (debate)

Mr President, I’m kindly asking you not to cut my microphone because the gentleman over there had nearly 40 minutes of offending this room with lies and other topics. Mr Morawiecki, do you know what the truth is? The truth is that it is not the judiciary doing this to the Polish people. The Polish judiciary are heroes, fighting for their independence and for their freedom now. It is not the Europe…

15

Sep

2021

EN Speech

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Media freedom and further deterioration of the Rule of law in Poland (debate)

Madam President, I have come from a meeting with journalists from Gazeta Wyborcza and other publications which are literally suffocated by illiberalists, and with judges and civil society who are in mourning for their freedom, their profession and basically all the things they believe in. And I must confess, I had no relevant answers for them. For those people there, rule of law now means hope, an…

14

Sep

2021

EN Speech

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EU Blue Card Directive (debate)

Mr President, I welcome this agreement reached after a number of years with the collective effort of the European Parliament’s negotiating team. Thank you so much, Javier, and all the colleagues, with the efforts of the Portuguese Presidency and obviously with the support of the Commission. Thank you, Commissioner, for all of your effort, I know it wasn’t easy. Yes, the revised Blue Card will brin…

7

Jul

2021

EN Speech

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Breaches of EU law and of the rights of LGBTIQ citizens in Hungary as a result of the adopted legal changes in the Hungarian Parliament - The outcome of 22 June hearings under Article 7(1) of the TEU regarding Poland and Hungary (debate)

Mr President, my thoughts are today with Peter de Vries and his family. And I have had enough of Orbán, Kaczyński, and others like them. I’ve had enough of their lies, of their propaganda, of the way they dismantle media freedom every single day, of the way they disrespect EU law, of the way they target minorities, of the way they attack fundamental freedoms every single day. I’ve had enough of it…