Speeches

Madam President, I strongly commend the intention to speak on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the situation of Bosnia-Herzegovina regarding the recent US approach towards Bosnia, towards multilateral organisation and towards the unresolved situation regarding electoral law reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 30 years after the Dayton Agreement, we still have a High Representative who is receiving EUR 26 000 a month to keep Bosnia and Herzegovina in what? In disarray? We have to address the real issue that is electoral law reform. We have to close our OHR office. We have to bring Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union because America is leaving. The OHR office is staying only with Christian Schmidt and the Peace Implementation Council is highly influenced by Turkey and Russia. This is something that we cannot neglect in this debate. I will join the debate, I'm not speaking against the debate, but this debate and the title should be extended to: 'Urgent need to change electoral law reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina and end with international presence.'

Madam President, dear colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the situation of minorities in Syria. In recent days, multiple sources indicated that both the Alawite population and Syria's shrinking Christian community have been deliberately targeted. Extremist factions associated with militant groups have reportedly executed civilians, including women and children. Christian families have endured brutal killings and violent raids at the hands of armed militants who have stormed homes, seized belongings and claimed innocent lives. The European Union must take decisive action in support of stability and humanitarian relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, including Christians and other affected communities. Christianity in Syria and in some other parts of the Middle East-North Africa region is at a critical crossroads. It will either endure or it will vanish, leaving behind a profound religious, ethnic and cultural void. Europe must not remain indifferent to this existential threat. An External Action Service with its press release - it is shameful that they did not take this into account.

Mr President, dear colleagues, since 2018 the Nicaraguan regime has systematically persecuted human rights defenders, civil society organisations and members of the Catholic Church. The Ortega‑Murillo regime has also confiscated their assets. The regime has not only expelled them from the country, but also stripped them of their nationality and deprived them of their political rights. With this resolution that will be put to the vote tomorrow, we strongly condemn the Nicaraguan regime that repeatedly violates human rights against civil society, students and the Catholic Church. 245 members of the clergy have either been arrested or expelled, and recently the regime has ordered all remaining Poor Clare nuns to leave the country. The Poor Clare nuns are making an issue for the regime. As negotiator of the resolution on Nicaragua. I am satisfied that my negotiators understood that the democratic clause of the Association Agreement must be triggered, and that we must stop sending the money of taxpayers to Nicaragua while there are no independent NGOs. So, please, Commissioner, no more sending money there – because there are no independent NGOs; we are just feeding the regime! The key point of the resolution is to boycott and not engage in any parliamentary dialogue with members of the regime‑controlled Nicaraguan National Assembly – so no more excuses that you 'didn't know'! After this resolution, no one will be able to say that they were not aware of the severity of this regime. This resolution must be the last one, and the External Action Service and the Council must take severe action to punish perpetrators of the totalitarian oppression in Latin America. I call on the European Union to introduce the highest possible sanctions for those who are responsible for this persecution. I also call on the European Parliament to break all ties with bodies like the Nicaraguan regime by breaking all communication channels, including any parliamentary dialogue. Human rights defenders, civil society and the Catholic Church, persecuted by the regime in Nicaragua, must be our next Sakharov Prize winner, not only a candidate, since their courageous fight for freedom needs our support and they must feel that they are not left abandoned.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, the other day I criticised you for the US, the trade deal and the trade war that we are entering. Now, I must say, it's not easy the job you are doing here. While we were sleeping, the Commission was working. That's a good thing and it's a good point, but we could have received the document as well, because we were not sleeping – we were waiting as well to listen and to discuss these issues on how to improve European competitiveness, how to improve European defence, how to improve European security and on what you are going to deliver to us – I mean, obviously, in September – but while we are sleeping, Trump is working, the Trump administration is working hard and delivering in the first days much more than we are going to receive in the first month. So please, I would just want to underline some of the priorities that I would like to see. The White Paper on the future of European defence should be a guiding roadmap for our security and strengthening of the European pillar of NATO, and should and must renew security cooperation with our transatlantic allies and the UK. We must also deepen our ties with partners in the southern neighbourhood, as the protection of their borders – that we never really cared about – is a key to preserve our security as well. The second subject I would like to point to is the New Pact for the Mediterranean that will build comprehensive partnership based on areas of mutual interest and nothing else and nothing more – no financing of NGOs that will live from salon politics. However, the most important topic of the Commission's work is the strengthening of our competitiveness. The last one is AI. The First Amendment of the US Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech is also reflected in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. But freedom of expression does not come without accountability for what is being said. Therefore, I call for the end of anonymity behind the screen.

Madam President, in the Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel García Márquez is speaking about the death that will happen, and this is what we are speaking about for many months here, asking the Commissioner to send someone to speak to the Trump administration, to talk to the people and to see this transactional deal that we can make with this new administration. But what happened? We are listening about a lobbyist firm being hired in order to build the bridges. This is our preventive diplomacy, ladies and gentlemen, that the European Union is doing. We don't have a contact and that's a crucial thing. Last night's wake-up call – while we were sleeping, they were working – calls to strengthen our competitiveness, to invest in research and innovation, to reinforce our resilience in our economy and diplomacy. As European leaders and the tech experts gather in Paris, Europe sends a strong message: with our own investment and expertise, we can lead in research and technology, attracting companies at least from Europe and investment firms from the EU, while we still have time. While we much focus on a trade in goods, the US had a EUR 104 billion trade surplus in services with the EU in 2023. We must leverage this advantage.

Today I will talk about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the context of war, conflict and geopolitical tensions. It is recalled that it occurred precisely in such circumstances, in response to injustice, suffering and the violation of fundamental rights. The aggression against the Republic of Croatia in 91 AD brought unimaginable suffering. Thousands of Croatian defenders and civilians were detained, missing or forcibly taken away. Despite all our efforts and measures, we continue to face the worst consequences of the war. 1,782 people are still missing. Unfortunately, 7,608 people are still wanted in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These questions should not be left open. Justice for the missing cannot be left to oblivion. I call on Serbia-Montenegro to finally take responsibility, open archives, share information and enable the fates of those who have unjustly disappeared to be resolved. The European Union must use its negotiating power to ensure that this issue is put high on the agenda of pre-accession negotiations. Accession to the European Union entails the value of truth, justice and human rights, and there can and must be no compromise. While families with immense pain are still searching for their loved ones, and their homes resound with the loudest silence, we have a responsibility. It is unacceptable that those who have information about the missing remain silent. Open the archives, without this there is no lock in the negotiations.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, even though this year has started with good news, with the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the Gaza ceasefire and the hostage deal, the news from the Eastern Front are still raising major concerns. We spent our Christmas holidays overshadowed by heartbreaking stories of terrorist attacks in Germany. Our security forces do not have any holidays, and they are working 24 hours a day to protect us. If not now, when we will realise that significantly strengthening our defence capabilities is absolutely essential. When we adopted the Strategic Compass in 2022 while facing the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we realised the need to react to this new reality. Likewise, we must today take into account the need to invest in defence and the European pillar of NATO. We must also deepen our defence relationship with key allies such as the UK. This is crucial to address our adversaries that try to challenge our citizens' well-being.

Madam President, yesterday we heard the newly elected president declare his intention to put America first and to end its decline. Very good. That is why people vote for the president. They vote to end the crime and unsafety in the cities. I spent Christmas and New Year travelling through American states. I visited 13 states and 7 000 kilometres. All the people have moved out of cities riddled with crime and drugs that are being imported from Mexico and through unstable borders. These are the facts that American citizens voted on, not on Trump personalities. Europe faces tectonic shifts ahead, and we must act decisively. As we anticipate President Trump's next moves in trade, we must simultaneously strengthen our trade partnerships worldwide and enhance our competitiveness. It is possible to make both Europe and America great, but only if we work together. We need to strengthen our diplomatic channels with the new administration, while advocating for European producers and understanding the American business model. In the past, we failed to fully grasp the reality of the United States of America beyond Washington. Let us ensure we do not repeat that mistake in our engagement with the new administration.

Madam President, it has never been easier to access information, and yet it has never been easier to sell a lie. Is it true that the more smart the phone, the dumber the person using it? We can hear in this debate many concerns about cybercrime and about the DSA. I think that nowadays, when all the authoritarian regimes are using information as the communists, fascists and national socialists once did, we have ourselves a tool that all the democracies in the world can only envy. So, dear Commissioner, I expect you to implement this tool and to help our children and the youth and all of those who don't have such a privilege like us in this House, to prevent manipulation of information and to bring us back in the dark times of democracy.

Mr President, dear colleagues, the agreement is a significant result of a joint effort by outgoing and incoming US administration with Egyptian and Qatari partners. It shows once again that when the United States accepts to play its role fully on the global stage, it bears fruit. We have seen pictures of happy families reunited with their loved ones. However, many more are waiting in a state of unmeasurable fear to find out about the fate of the remaining hostages. The deal must be implemented. Hostages must be returned home, and essential aid to Gaza must go unhindered. As we are preparing to pay for the reconstruction of Gaza, the EU should question itself and think about its role in fostering a permanent peace. The priority is that the Palestinians put the power back in the hands of authorities that must be democratically elected. Palestinians should not be ruled by terrorist group Hamas, who can only bring tears on both sides.

Mr President, Commissioner, as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration on empowering women, it is inconceivable to acknowledge that outside the European Parliament and Commission, women remain largely absent from global decision-making roles. Today, women continue to struggle with the impossible task of balancing their responsibilities as mothers while striving to achieve their professional goals, often feeling they are sacrificing one for the other, and some also fight violence at home. There is a blatant paradox in Europe, where countries claim to defend women's rights and at the same time acknowledge the visible violence that leads to the rape of the body and the killing of the soul, refusing to call this what it is – and it also leads to femicide. We have to put an end to this hypocrisy. Infanticide begins at conception; femicide begins with dehumanising women's bodies. The true heroes of today are the mothers who fight the system unfit to help them thrive.

The EU-Western Balkans Summit is a good signal that Europe wants enlargement as a key geostrategic move to preserve the security of its borders. One country in this mandate from the Western Balkans must join the European Union. Which country is left to the leaders to decide for themselves with their commitment and reform process. I call for a positive race for all those who have received a mandate from the citizens. As the most interesting country for the Republic of Croatia is Bosnia and Herzegovina, which unfortunately suffers in its reforms due to the complexity of the internal organization and imposed decisions years after Dayton. Despite the fact that Croats were voted out in a key law for their energy security in the federal parliament by the majority Bosniak community, without the consent of any Croatian party, yesterday they pushed through key reform laws on border control and personal data protection at the state level. However, we still expect a reform agenda essential for the release of a billion euros that would improve the lives of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is blocked by these same Bosniak parties in the counties. This is a time that history will not forgive those who miss opportunities. In 2005, Croatia, along with North Macedonia, was granted candidate status, and Turkey began accession negotiations that same year. Where are these three countries now? I think the fact says it all, and to the lady from Italy to say that she stops lying to Croatia.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, despite the joy that can be expressed in celebrating the toppling of barbaric and cruel regime, the current situation in Syria gives us no reason to rejoice. Indeed, we should refrain from giving benefits of doubt to the individuals that have overthrown the Assad regime. A lot of them are war criminals and represent a major threat to minorities, especially Christians, Jews and Yazidis. There should be no whitewashing, and we should not suddenly change our stance only because the Assad regime fell. Radicalism will not be solved with radicalism. The current promises made by the rebels towards minorities will not be kept for long. The meeting of the new minister for religious affairs in Syria with Christian leaders to promise them protection should not divert our attention. Many years ago in Bosnia, Ottomans came and gave them the same permit. And then in the meantime, they were burning churches, expelling people. And this is what is happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina with Christians, let alone in Syria. So don't be naive. Finally, appoint somebody in the External Action Service and in the Commission, who will be a fully-fledged Commissioner or a representative who will go and protect Christian minorities wherever they live and not make just some symbolic role in the External Action Service. We have to take care of the religious minorities, or we cannot be fully responsible for what is going on in the Middle East.

Madam President, I consider this as a real provocation because Serbia is not a member of the European Union, and there is no Serbian language here.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Russia thought that its aggression on Ukraine would last three days and that next to the giant Russian bear, little Ukraine would fall quietly. We are entering the third year of this David versus Goliath fight, where the biggest winner is at the moment the Russian highly paid propaganda – the tools communists used for decades to distort the truth. Estimates are that Russia invested one billion into the propaganda war. The fact that North Korea is sending its soldiers to fight against brave Ukrainians proves that we have not finished with totalitarian values and ideology where like-minded dictators unite their forces in order to preserve the autocratic regimes. And Iran is also joining its efforts with the autocratic bloc by chipping in with their drones. You have clear company of thugs on one side. It is up to you to take part in history in the making this is a clear signal for the democratic world. Ukraine must not be left alone as unfinished business, and we have to stand with them as long as it takes as we have promised. Don't get tired against fighting against oppression. History will reward you as it did with little David.

Dear Chairman, ten minutes, every ten minutes in 2023 a woman is killed. These women were mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. Behind every number is a life taken, a family destroyed and a future extinguished. The European Union must act more decisively and urgently. We need a united institutional and legal strategy that allows women to live free from fear and violence. We welcome the decision of Prime Minister Plenkovic's government to put an end to this violence and to protect women. By her decision, she also suppressed domestic violence, introduced stricter punishments for hate-motivated violence. The introduction of femicide as a separate crime is a decisive step in the fight against the most extreme form of gender-based violence. But we can't stop here. It is our duty to protect women and girls beyond the borders of the Union. I urge candidate countries to follow the example of the Republic of Croatia and urgently adopt the necessary legislative changes to show a clear commitment to protecting the fundamental human rights of all women and girls. There is no hesitation about it, there is no discussion about it. This is a political decision to let killers continue to express their masculinity by filming themselves as they kill and commit violence against women, and to make it a regional party for all men full of testosterone. It is time to stop and it is time to start doing what has been done in Croatia. Introduce femicide as soon as possible into your legal regulations.

Madam President, dear High Representative, last week I spent, with few colleagues, time with Republican hospitality in Texas. It was great to see Texas the day after the elections, the patriotism and the joy from the local people. I think that we forget one thing forever, as we are elected by the citizens. Not only Trump was elected, but they had the House of Representatives and the Senate being elected. And America is a democracy. They have checks and balances. We have to work with congressmen, with senators, and we have to come to our senses and to work on the issues, not ideology. And thank you, High Representative, for mentioning the Strategic Compass. We have to work on our defence. We have to work on floods. People were voting Trump because they didn't receive help when they needed it. So, we have to work on issues. Otherwise, we will be past as well in this House. And I'm looking forward to the European Union coming to its senses and coming out of this infantile position, expecting somebody else to save us and to threaten with trade war or the war with the words. Accept reality, start working with those with whom we can build bridges, and I think that we can find common interests and joint interests with Trump, with the House and the Senate, on the same calls and on the same goals that we need in this geopolitically turbulent world.

Madam President, firstly, I would like to say I sympathise with the victims or injured of the attack on the UNIFIL mission. But above all, we have to understand, finally, that securing Lebanon and especially southern border can be only assured if Hezbollah withdraws its forces from the area and in accordance with UN Resolution 1701. The Lebanese have to take responsibilities. They have to elect their president, that is being hijacked by Hezbollah again, the political wing, and we have to support them in order to make their army able to guarantee the security of the borders as it was. Resolution 1701 was never respected. It's dead. It's the end. And I welcome the decision not to renew the mandate of Croatian soldiers that were there, to pull them back, the UN Security Council has to reconsider who is defending and who is observing these borders and this resolution. We have to discuss this issue and not to lose our time here spreading political messages.

Mr President, Russia's aggression and war against Ukraine not only altered the geopolitical landscape, but also compelled us to act swiftly and decisively to support our brave Ukrainian partners. Two and a half years later, the European Union continues to show solidarity and strength against those who seek to undermine our democracies. The Ukrainian people are not only defending their own country, their dear friends; they are defending Europe. Russia has invested 1 billion in propaganda and we can hear it here, all around where the elections were happening. They are investing money in propaganda and this money cannot be invested so much to extinguish the truth. The truth shall set you all free. Democracy cannot be killed. The Ukrainian people are fighting for us. We have to fight until the end to help them. Many years ago, Croatia was fighting like this and we had propaganda against us, trying to stop us from telling the truth. Now we are here, we are standing here. We will stand until the end to help Ukrainians to fight for freedom.

Madam President, yesterday there was discussion on the recent floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where there were lost more than 20 lives, and many, many wounded. People are still searching for the dead people in Herzegovina, and in Bosnia the destruction is incredible. Unfortunately, my colleagues in this room didn't dare to listen and to have a minute of silence. So I invite you all to pay respect to the victims and to hold a minute of silence for all the victims of the recent floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Madam President, Europe has long prided itself on being a beacon of tolerance and diversity, at least the side that was not under communism, where priests and cardinals and other religious leaders were persecuted and put in jail and persecuted for their religion and belief. My great uncle, a bishop of Mostar, was for ten years in prison because he didn't want to separate from Holy See, from Vatican. Christians historically shaped much of Europe's cultural heritage, and they're facing increasing hostility. In 2023, a total of 800 anti-Christian crimes were recorded in Europe. At the same time, antisemitism is emerging its ugly head once more stronger than ever since the terrorist attack on 7 October. Jewish communities, who have already endured centuries of persecution, are targets of violence and discrimination, with hateful rhetoric being on the rise online and public spaces. Europe is not just in a crisis of religious freedom, but under direct threat to the core values of our European identity: respect, tolerance and human dignity. We must stand united against all forms of hatred, whether they are targeting Christians, Jews, Muslims or any other religious group. By fostering dialogue, educating against prejudice, and strengthening legal protections, we can combat this dangerous trend and ensure that Europe remains a place where all faiths can co-exist in peace. The EPP has given me the honour, together with Mr Meimarakis, to chair the only working group in European Parliament dedicated to this issue. The EPP Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue will continue its fight for it. And thank you, Mr Schinas, for helping us in the past to spread this message throughout the world.

Dear Chairman, the unprecedented catastrophic floods that hit Jablanica, Konjic, Kiseljak, Kreševo and Fojnica on October 3rd claimed at least 20 lives, while many are still being sought. The population of these municipalities was urgently evacuated last night due to renewed threats of flooding. As Bosnia and Herzegovina's largest partner, it is our duty to mobilise all available resources to enable the urgent delivery of much-needed assistance. I welcome the European Commission's decision to activate the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism and provide immediate assistance to people on the ground. Twelve Member States have offered assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina through the Civil Protection Mechanism. I also welcome the European Union's assistance through Copernicus to help local authorities assess the damage caused by floods. These efforts of solidarity and assistance are essential to rehabilitate access routes and locate missing persons as soon as possible. I thank the Government of Andrej Plenković who immediately made the decision to donate EUR 10 million and thus proved once again to be truly the greatest friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, Bosnia and Herzegovina still needs our urgent and immediate assistance. I call for the mobilisation of the European Solidarity Fund, which, in addition to Member States, has already been used for candidate countries, and the provision of long-term financial support, together with the redirection of funds from the IPA III fund to provide urgent assistance in repairing the consequences of floods. Bosnia and Herzegovina, as our partner country, must have access to these funds to enable rapid response, reconstruction of infrastructure and assistance to the most vulnerable. And finally, I ask the politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina to show solidarity at all levels of government and to urgently unblock the process of agreeing the necessary decisions to put forward the reform agenda needed by the European Commission to activate the EUR 1 billion growth plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina. How many more victims does it take to show a good will to compromise?

Mr President, Alto Representante, as yesterday marked the sombre anniversary of the 7 October attacks, the past few days have seen an alarming and unprecedented escalation of the ongoing conflict. In this context, Iran's aggression against Israel must be met with firm and unequivocal condemnation. This action threatens to spark widespread conflict across the region. It is imperative that Iran and Hezbollah cease their hostilities immediately. The European Union must continue working towards achieving a ceasefire and ensure the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which mandates Hezbollah's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The intensification of violence also raises important questions about the EU's role in fostering stability in the region and highlights areas where its approach can be improved. While the EU has deployed mechanisms such as election observation missions in the region, including the one conducted in Lebanon in 2022, it must ensure that these tools are used consistently and effectively to support lasting peace. Lebanon, for example, has remained without a president since 2022 despite the electoral observation missions and our involvement, Mr High Representative, raising concerns about the real impact of these initiatives. This situation also affects how local populations view the European Union's commitment. Indeed, some Lebanese, particularly within the Christian community, feel abandoned by the European Union. It is crucial that the people of the Middle East retain faith in the European Union's ability to provide consistent and meaningful support for regional stability. Without such assurance, terrorist organisations like Hezbollah will continue to exploit instability, spreading hatred and chaos throughout the region.

Madam President, until last week, I was in Jordan for the election observation mission. I can tell you that no country is better place to gauge the consequences of the war between Israel and Hamas. Over there, the risk of spill-over into the region is palpable. The refugee situation is a striking example. Jordan is still hosting almost 1.2 million Syrian refugees, and the current displacement of Palestinians could destabilise the country and the region as a whole. Not to mention the fact that the refugees are already facing a funding crisis. Similarly, the growing instability in Lebanon, which hosts 1.5 million of the 6 million Syrian refugees, has led many of these refugees to try to reach Cyprus, raising the risk of further tragedies as they cross the Mediterranean Sea. This comes in addition to the arms smuggling and drug trafficking routes crossing the border between Jordan and Syria, which threatens border security. There is therefore an urgent need to restore stability to the region, which can only be achieved through a peace agreement, including the unconditional release of the hostages. Only in this way, we will be able to build the lasting political solution, that is to say, the two-state solution.

Dear Chairman, enlargement is without a doubt the most successful policy of the European Union that ensures our stability and security. Guided by past successes, I believe there is no need to change the decision-making mechanisms in the European Council as proposed by the Commission Communication on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews. Unanimity as a mechanism that allows less influential Member States to actively participate in shaping the policies and initiatives of the European Union is extremely important for the Republic of Croatia. From our previous experiences in other state communities where we were outvoted, where we were threatened, where we were attacked, we learned in the hard way that we must always insist that our interests and concerns are taken into account. Do not underestimate the importance of the fight for democracy. Croatia will never again allow someone else to decide on her behalf.