What Željana spoke about.

9

Jul

2026

HR Speech

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Evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy and follow-up (debate)

Mr. President, Honourable Commissioner Kadis, ten years of the Common Fisheries Policy has clearly shown what our fishermen need today, and you have seen this on the occasion of a tour of Croatia, for which I thank you. Simpler rules, fair market conditions and less administrative burden. As rapporteur for the application of fisheries rules in the Mediterranean, I call once again for more flexibil…

8

Jul

2026

HR Speech

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EU’s response and preparedness to protect people against recurring heatwaves and upcoming wildfires (debate)

Dear Chair, I congratulate the Commissioner for the increase of the EU Rescue Fund by EUR 11 billion. As rapporteur for the opinion of the Committee on Development, I think this is crucial. In 2019, this house had no interest at all in doing anything about it, but we still do not invest what is basic, and that is the firefighters. No one is helping firefighters to acquire equipment, last week in M…

16

Jun

2026

HR Speech

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An EU future for the Western Balkans (joint debate)

16

Jun

2026

EN Speech

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The role of the EU in efforts for peace and stability throughout the Middle East after the announced deal between the US and Iran (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, High‑Representative, on a day when the European Parliament is voting on the final breakthrough for the implementation of the temporary agreement with the United States, we have good news coming from the diplomatic breakthrough in the US and Iran's deal announcement. We look with hope towards the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, restoring the free flow of goods…

15

Jun

2026

EN Speech

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EU-US trade deal (joint debate)

Mr President, for decades, Europe and the United States have stood together as the true brothers in arms, united by shared values, common sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to freedom and democracy. Today, in a world of growing geopolitical uncertainty and economic fragmentation, our transatlantic partnership must remain a source of strength. Strong alliances require trust, reciprocity and a …

18

May

2026

HR Speech

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The impact of the implementation of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive 2014/89/EU on fisheries in selected fishing areas and sea basins (debate)

As a member of the Committee on Fisheries and rapporteur on ocean diplomacy, I work intensively with fishermen, the scientific community and maritime experts on the future of our seas and oceans. That is why I hosted representatives of the Faculty of Maritime Studies of the University of Split at the conference on ocean safety and sustainability in the European Parliament. I consider it extremely …

18

May

2026

EN Speech

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Negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, global overcapacity is expected to reach 721 million tonnes by 2027. When we speak about European steel, we speak about 300 000 jobs across Europe. But we also need precision and proportionality. Not all trading partners contribute to global overcapacity in the same way. We must pay particular attention to candidate countries that are progressively integrated into Europ…

29

Apr

2026

EN Speech

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EU strategy in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis, its implications on energy prices and the availability of fertilizers (joint debate)

Mr President, dear commissioner, recent developments have once again highlighted the high cost of energy dependence. In such a sensitive moment, it is particularly perilous to undermine those partners who have proven to be stable, reliable and fully aligned with our strategic objectives. At a time like this, we must not disadvantage the dependable partners from the EU candidate countries, and we s…

27

Apr

2026

HR Speech

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The role of ocean diplomacy for the competitiveness of EU fisheries and aquaculture (debate)

The European Union has a responsibility to maintain leadership in international fora by fostering multilateralism and cooperating with all relevant partners in the field of sustainable fisheries and ocean governance. This also requires further strengthening the capacity of the European External Action Service to have diplomats who understand ocean governance and can effectively represent our inter…

27

Apr

2026

HR Speech

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The role of ocean diplomacy for the competitiveness of EU fisheries and aquaculture (debate)

The EU's fisheries and aquaculture sector contributes around €5.5 billion a year and directly employs 193,000 people. More than 65% of the EU's territory is marine. The European Union controls the largest common maritime area in the world, more than 25 million square kilometres of purely economic zones and more than 70,000 kilometres of coastline. The sea is the foundation of our economy, connecti…

26

Mar

2026

EN Speech

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EU-US trade deal (joint debate)

Mr President, 'No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main', said John Donne. Sixteen million jobs depend on the transatlantic economy and on our decisions. Every delay costs us EUR 5 billion annually. Businesses on both sides of the Atlantic are calling for clarity and predictability, not uncertainty and delay. Beyond all arguments, the facts ar…

11

Mar

2026

EN Speech

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Multilateral negotiations in view of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, 26 to 29 March 2026 (debate)

Madam President, we are facing a period of profound global trade challenges. In response, the European Union has adopted a clear strategy: diversifying our trade networks with like‑minded partners, strengthening economic cooperation with reliable partners, and reinforcing a rules‑based global trading system. At the same time, we must work with these partners to ensure meaningful reform of the Worl…

11

Mar

2026

EN Speech

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EUCO and situation in the Middle East (joint debate)

Madam President, for many years we have dealt and voted for resolutions against Iranian oppressive regimes, and you all supported it. And just to those of you who are misquoting Albert Camus, he said, 'I believe in justice, but I will defend my mother before justice'. So terrorism cannot be defended, especially the one that killed their youth in thousands for months – the youth that wanted to live…

11

Feb

2026

EN Speech

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Interim report in view of the consent procedure on the Agreement establishing an association between the EU and the Principality of Andorra and the Republic of San Marino (A10-0003/2026 - Željana Zovko) (vote)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the Association Agreement between the European Union and Andorra and San Marino is the most comprehensive agreement the EU has ever concluded with a third country. It reflects our particularly close ties and covers an exceptionally broad range of areas, including foreign affairs, security, migration, health and energy. Andorra and San Marino are close, like-minded…

10

Feb

2026

EN Speech

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Situation in Northeast Syria, the violence against civilians and the need to maintain a sustainable ceasefire (debate)

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, the situation in Syria remains extremely fragile, and once again it is civilians and minorities who are bearing the heaviest burden. From the very beginning of the political transition, I have consistently underlined that the protection of all minorities must be at the core of any credible and sustainable solution for Syria. Safeguarding their rights is a prerequi…

10

Feb

2026

EN Speech

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Building a stronger European defence in light of an increasingly volatile international environment (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner Kubilius, Europe is facing the most challenging security environment since the end of the Cold War. Russia's war against Ukraine is a part of a broader and long-term strategy aimed at destabilising Europe and confronting the West. This reality demands a clear shift in how we think and act on European defence. Building a stronger European defence means moving from decl…

22

Jan

2026

EN Speech

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Drones and new systems of warfare – the EU’s need to adapt to be fit for today’s security challenges (debate)

Mr President, coming back to a previous speech, I read your article of Newsweek many years ago at a secluded military base on Croatia's Adriatic coast, where an unpiloted car plane rolled down the runway, then climbed slowly over tall pine trees and headed into hostile airspace. It was July 1995 and the new conflict was brewing. Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević had conquered Croatia's Krajina bor…

21

Jan

2026

EN Speech

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European Council meeting (joint debate)

Madam President, at a time when the European Union is openly considering a more geopolitical approach to enlargement, credibility and consistency are essential. If the Union chooses to apply differentiated standards based on geopolitical realities, as increasingly discussed in the context of Ukraine, then those same principles must be applied fairly and consistently to other candidate countries fa…

20

Jan

2026

ES Speech

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Situation in Venezuela following the extraction of Maduro and the need to ensure a peaceful democratic transition (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the people of Venezuela have been waiting for this moment to come for more than a decade: the opportunity to leave behind the government of Nicolás Maduro and recover his future. For years, Venezuelans have lived under repression and poverty in a country of vast resources, with its society silenced and its fundamental freedoms eroded. After the last president…

20

Jan

2026

EN Speech

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Brutal repression against protesters in Iran (debate)

Mr President, High Representative, today we cannot remain silent in the face of one of the gravest human rights crises unfolding in the world right now. In Iran, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets, driven by economic despair, political repression and the struggle for dignity and freedom. Protests have spread across the whole country. The Iranian authorities have responded with b…

18

Dec

2025

EN Speech

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30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement (debate)

Mr President, thank you! Commissioner, it is very nice that you, as an Irishman who seems very well what Good Friday Agreement meant, have read this speech. So, I will read in my proper language, Croatian, the official language in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in Croatia. The Dayton Peace Accords were greeted as a news of salvation for a country devastated by a brutal war in which more than 10…

26

Nov

2025

EN Speech

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The situation of Christian communities and religious minorities in Nigeria and the Middle East, and Europe’s responsibility to protect them and guarantee freedom of conscience (topical debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, if you didn't know, more than 38 million Christians suffer a high level of persecution and discrimination. Their homes and churches are destroyed, and believers face enormous pressure. In sub-Saharan Africa, violence is rising sharply. Eight out of the ten deadliest countries for Christians are in this region. This instability allows Christians to be targeted, w…

25

Nov

2025

EN Speech

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Effective use of the EU trade and industrial policy to tackle China’s export restrictions (debate)

Madam President, colleagues, the European Union stands at one of the most challenging geopolitical and economic crossroads in its recent history. China now controls around 60 % of global production and 90 % of the refining capacity for key materials. Its growing use of export controls is a stark reminder that trade can be weaponised and that our dependence on malign actors leaves us vulnerable. Th…

24

Nov

2025

EN Speech

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30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process and the new pact for the Mediterranean (debate)

Madam President, 30 years after the launch of the Barcelona Process, the Mediterranean stands at a crossroads. The profound changes reshaping the region demand a strong coordination response and a firm commitment to security, stability and prosperity. In this regard, the new pact for the Mediterranean represents a key milestone in our relations in a context of rising security challenges and geopol…

22

Oct

2025

HR Speech

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First anniversary of the DANA floods in Spain: improving EU preparedness (debate)

Dear Chairman, Dear Commissioner, first of all my condolences to all those victims of the flood that we are now mentioning, which occurred a year ago in Spain, a beautiful country. And this great tragedy has warned us how important it is to prepare for the crises that await us. When, as rapporteur for the opinion on the new civil protection mechanism and back in 2018, I fought for its budget, whic…