What Evin spoke about.

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The arrest of Cardinal Zen and the trustees of the 612 relief fund in Hong Kong

–Madam President, the everyday action of the Chinese communist regime speaks its own language: it is ruthless and it is cruel. There are no limits as regards attacks on freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and freedom of religion and belief. The unlawful arrest of Cardinal Joseph Zen, one of the strongest advocates of this city’s pro-democracy movement, and the other …

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The Post-Cotonou Agreement (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, in a time of polarisation globally, and when our multilateral corporations are under tremendous pressure, we need more cooperation, cohesion and trust—building. We have in the last month become fully aware that global threat requires joint actions, but it is also time to understand that global prosperity requires joint actions as well. The post—Cotonou Agreement is essent…

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The relations of the Russian government and diplomatic network with parties of extremist, populist, anti-European and certain other European political parties in the context of the war (debate)

Madam President, colleagues, that the populist movements in the EU are puppets of Putin is unfortunately nothing surprising, but it is horrific. Russia has long been a cash machine for the far—right political forces in our Union – even for the Sweden Democrats who were here just a couple of minutes ago in claiming that they were voting in a certain way, but at the same time they were revealed to h…

8

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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The human rights situation in Xinjiang, including the Xinjiang police files

Madam President, colleagues, it has been almost 75 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and we are witnessing serious human rights backlashes worldwide. The ruling Chinese communist regime is one of the biggest abusers in the world. Uyghurs have been suffering for long through persecution and detention in internment camps. One of the worst despicable acts in wars …

7

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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The EU’s Foreign, Security and Defence Policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, I have myself experienced war and have seen the brutal consequences of its indiscriminate violence against civilians, which has brought me to the EU. In European history there is and always will be a before and after of 24 February 2022. The after is the time when the EU must stand up to preserve peace and international security. Never bow to the imperialist Putin Russia. The afte…

7

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Social Climate Fund - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation - Notification under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) (joint debate – Fit for 55 (part 1))

Mr President, colleagues, what kind of a world we want to leave behind for the future generation through our actions or inactions says a lot about what kind of humanity that exists today. The carbon border adjustment mechanism is one of the most important tools for us in the EU to reduce gas emissions in non-EU countries. The one—billion—dollar question is how to spend the estimated EUR 1 billion …

6

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Turkey (debate)

Madam President, I want to start with thanking the Turkey rapporteur, Nacho Sánchez Amor, for the good work. Dialogue is important, but it must always be based on respect for international law and progress of democracy to ensure a cohesive world and respect for human rights. As the rapporteur clearly stated and rightly stated, we see enormous regression of democracy in Turkey. In the struggle for …

18

May

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Albania (debate)

Mr President, I also want to thank the rapporteur for this very comprehensive and important report. The EU enlargement process is a matter of the future of EU and trust in our Union. We must therefore ensure a clear pathway for those countries aiming to join our Union. When progress is made, appreciation must be shown. Albania is one of those countries that have shown most progress on their commit…

18

May

2022

EN Speech

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EU Association Agreement with the Republic of Moldova (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, at the same time as we see backlash on our fundamental rights in some of our own Member States, we see progress on our European values in countries aspiring for EU membership. Moldova has in recent years taken important steps towards more democracy and respect for the rule of law, even though a lot remains to be done and needs to be intensified as regards judiciary reform…

18

May

2022

EN Speech

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Order of business

Madam President, I hope that we can agree that the latest dark months have taught us that there is never a time for silence when people are suffering. We need to end impunity regardless of where violence and violations of human rights and international law take place. Therefore, I also would like to propose a similar topic, but the topic would rather be ‘on the killing of Palestinian journalist Sh…

5

May

2022

EN Speech

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Building of a wall on the Polish – Belarus border in the Białowieża primeval forest (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, never in history have walls done anything other than separate. Never in history have walls done anything other than discriminate. The Polish Government managed to kill two birds with one stone when building yet another wall that fits best in a medieval society but has no place in our modern EU. Firstly, by environmental degradation through the constructio…

5

May

2022

EN Speech

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The impact of the war against Ukraine on women (debate)

Madam President, I want to start by thanking Commissioner Johansson for her leadership in defence of women and girls in Ukraine through the work presented at the beginning of this debate. Women’s and girls’ bodies have become a battlefield again in a war conducted by a man – Putin – again. With all the modern progresses worldwide, there is one crime we never have been able to consign to the dustbi…

5

May

2022

EN Speech

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State of play of the EU-Moldova cooperation (debate)

Mr President, Putin has thrown the world and Europe back to a time we had hoped never to experience again. A crisis of such dignity shows our true colours – if we are on the right side of history or choose the path of destruction. When I visited the Republic of Moldova last month with a delegation from Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence, it became very clear to me the enormous respo…

4

May

2022

EN Speech

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Threats to stability, security and democracy in Western and Sahelian Africa (debate)

Mr President, my friends in Burkina Faso recently saw their democratically elected president, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, toppled in a military coup – one example of the many recent coups. The urgent security situation needs to be addressed with full power because the people are suffering, killed, and young people are being deprived of their future. Lack of economic development and opportunities m…

4

May

2022

EN Speech

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The continuous crackdown of political opposition in Cambodia

Madam President, thank you very much. I also want to start off with thanking my colleagues for a very productive negotiation, especially the rapporteur. ‘We continue to need your support.’ This was what the Cambodian opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, told me when we met recently to discuss the enormous crackdowns on democracy in Cambodia. Mr Rainsy has been sentenced in his absence to 25 years in jai…

4

May

2022

EN Speech

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The case of Osman Kavala in Turkey

Mr President, Erdoğan is currently using Putin’s barbarian war in Ukraine as a smokescreen to silence Turkish critical human rights activists and the opposition – and even invading other countries. Whilst the world is looking in a different direction, Erdoğan sentenced the human rights activist Osman Kavala to life in prison, despite repeated calls from the EU and the Council of Europe for his imm…

4

May

2022

SV Speech

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Use of the Pegasus Software by EU Member States against individuals including MEPs and the violation of fundamental rights (topical debate)

Mr President, thank you very much. Despite the amazing technological successes that we have seen in recent decades and that have led to developments in our Union, there are a lot of risks and dangers that risk undermining our fundamental rights and freedoms. Innovation and inventions are currently being used by some to curtail our freedom, our democracy. Amnesty International has revealed that the…

3

May

2022

SV Speech

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Strengthening Europol’s mandate: cooperation with private parties, processing of personal data, and support for research and innovation (debate)

Mr President, thank you very much. Organised crime and terrorism risk breaking up our societies. It kills our children and young people. My heart hurts and I am filled with anger every time I read that a young person has been murdered or women have been trafficked. We must therefore do everything we can to crack down on serious crime. 70% of organised gangs are active in more than three countries.…

7

Apr

2022

SV Speech

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The situation of marginalised Roma communities in the EU (debate)

Mr President, thank you very much. I'm embarrassed to be in a parliament with a bunch of racists. They are the reason why we stand here today and the hatred and threat against Roma continues. You are a disgrace in our democratic Europe. Racism against Roma is a disgrace. It doesn't seem to matter how many frameworks or strategies we adopt. The lack of political will to change and to crush the inju…

6

Apr

2022

EN Speech

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Increasing repression in Russia, including the case of Alexey Navalny

Mr President, the further a regime drifts from truth, the more it will punish those who speak it. Since Russia’s illegal war, war crimes and unspeakable horror in Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russian people have been taking to the streets for peaceful protests. As a response, the Russian regime is deploying indiscriminate and illegal force against those protesters. On 22 March, opposition pol…

6

Apr

2022

SV Speech

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Cooperation and similarities between the Putin regime and extreme right and separatist movements in Europe (topical debate)

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! The far-right parties are like a cancer in our Union. Not only do they want to divide from within through hatred and intimidation, they are not afraid to seek help from outside too – from tyrants like Putin. In fact, the far-right parties and their friends are the greatest threat to our modern and democratic Europe. The Swedish Sweden Democrats, th…

10

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Destruction of cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh

Madam President, the recent situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is a systematic attempt by Azerbaijan to erase Armenia’s history and its rich culture. The Armenian cultural heritage dates back to ancient times and needs to be treated with the respect that it deserves. Azerbaijan’s attack on the Armenian cultural heritage is an attack on its people, a country and most importantly, it is an attack on its …

10

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Myanmar, one year after the coup

Madam President, I want to start with thanking my colleagues from the different Groups represented yesterday at the meeting for very fruitful and constructive negotiations, and I hope that we will be able to send a clear message to the horrific military junta in Myanmar today. Over one year has passed now since the bloody military coup in Myanmar. The military junta has erased years of progress an…

10

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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The situation of journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico

Madam President, democracy is in danger all over the world. Journalists are being killed even on open streets and a dangerous culture of impunity is growing. The spike in the murder of journalists in Mexico is a part of the deteriorating situation of journalists in the whole world. 2020 has proved to be a very deadly year for journalists in Mexico, and it is the worst place on this planet in which…

10

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Transparency and administrative standards - the treatment of public access requests based on Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 (debate)

Mr President, at the heart of democracy lies transparency, because without transparency, there is no accountability. Let me quote the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, herself, back in 2019: ‘If Europeans are to have faith in our Union, its institutions should be open and beyond reproach on ethics, transparency and integrity’. Yet in 2020, the words seem to still be just words, be…