Speeches

Mr President, freedom, democracy and social justice are core values of the European Union. We need to stand up for them within our Union, as well as defend them beyond. In recent weeks, we have witnessed the people of Kazakhstan take to the streets to protest against social and economic inequalities, corruption and authoritarian governance. A president that instructs his military to fire live ammunition against his own people does not respect human rights. A president that shuts down the internet in order to limit the voice of his journalists and his citizens does not respect freedom of expression. A president that prohibits mass gatherings to silence his population violates the right to assembly. It is our duty as political leaders to listen to the voice of the Kazakh people, to call for an independent investigation into recent events, and to sanction the authorities behind the actions. Silence may not cost us anything, but for the people of Kazakhstan, it costs everything. Let’s act now.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! We are at a crossroads: a Europe that stands up for the fundamental values of the EU or a Europe that dreams itself back to a time we promised each other never to go back to. We stand here today in a Union that has not seen war and misery for over 70 years, thanks to a handshake to protect ordinary people from history being able to repeat itself. While EU cooperation embodies the struggle for freedom, equality and equality for generations before us, the government-run Law and Justice Party in Poland embodies the exact opposite. In today's Poland, governed by Law and Justice, women and girls seeking freedom are silenced. Among other things, they have taken away women's right to their own bodies and banned abortion in practice. Now there are even proposals to monitor women who are pregnant and who have had a miscarriage. These fascist phenomena have no place in our modern Europe. The persecution of women in Poland is disgusting and frightening. In the shadow of this, the Slovenian Presidency chooses not to hold a hearing under Rule 7, but comes with a small State of Play. Since taking office, the Slovenian Presidency has completely ignored its mission of representing ordinary people. The freedom of women and girls has been left to one side. However, I am not surprised. Right-wing conservatives always have and will always limit our freedom when given the chance. Women's and girls' rights are human rights. In our Union, women and girls are now dying because they do not have access to the most basic things, such as the right to their own bodies.

Madam President, the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. No matter how much I would like to be the author of this sentence, I am not. But the people of our Union are because it is how we have formulated the EU values enriched in Article 2 in our Treaty on the European Union. I do not seriously understand the controversy of the Commission guidelines that ensure that we fully live up to our own EU slogan: ‘United in diversity’. Today’s debate is an echo from another time. Lies do not become true just because they are repeated. No one wants to cancel Christmas – that I can assure you – in here, but one thing is clear. The right and the far-right part of the political spectrum in here once again is showing their real face. It is scary for me to see how far we are from even starting our struggle to ensure all people in our Union are seen as full citizens. No other quote than the one from George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm can summarise today’s discussion: ‘All people are equal, but some are more equal than others’, and I am ashamed.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! The World Bank warns that the number of people in extreme poverty is expected to increase for the first time in decades. whereas COVID-19 and the rapidly escalating climate change are contributing to increased hunger and food insecurity worldwide; Conference Tokyo Nutrition for Growth It has been important for how the international community works together best against food insecurity. Among other things, the conference has mobilised $27 billion to meet the increasing hunger and food crisis in the world. The common resources on which humanity sits are sufficient for each of us on this planet, but so far we have a distribution policy on the global level that makes food a privilege for few, when food should really be a right for all. The tools for an equal world, where not a single child should have to lose his or her life due to famine, we have already created. These include Agenda 2030 and the UN target of 0.7% of GNI for aid. We all know what can be done to save lives. Let us also be brave enough to do so.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! We have to turn over every stone in order to get at organised crime, which is plaguing the lives of ordinary people. This includes the Western Balkans. We must combat the causes of crime, as well as the root causes of crime, otherwise the consequences risk being even worse. Today, people pay the ultimate price – their lives – when organised crime is allowed to operate. Cooperation is the basis for development. The same applies to the fight against organised crime. Today, the EU, its Member States and the Western Balkan countries work together in areas of common interest. However, this cooperation can and should be deepened in the fight against corruption and organised crime. The Western Balkans are a very important region for the EU, and our shared responsibility for safety and security must continue to improve. The EU's calls for reform under the Association Agreements are important tools. It is through continued exchanges of knowledge and dialogue that a safer future is secured. Crime and its causes must be fought together and with full vigour.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! Humanitarian aid saves lives. It helps alleviate distress and uphold the human value of the people who lost everything: in wars, in natural disasters, in the wake of global climate change. In these situations, existing inequalities are amplified, especially for women and girls. More than 70% of those affected by chronic hunger are women and girls. However, humanitarian aid is not only a temporary relief for the most affected. It is also a prerequisite for global development and prosperity. The lack of progress on the 2030 Agenda is therefore worrying. Our humanitarian work and the global goals are closely interlinked. The need for aid has probably never been this great, and we need to act now. This is the case in the EU, but it is also the case that every Member State of our Union assumes its responsibilities by starting to respect the UN's 0.7% target, which we have jointly pledged will be allocated to aid. It is unacceptable that only six Member States are currently living up to it.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues, Commissioner Dalli! whereas men’s violence against women is classified by the EU’s own Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) as one of the most serious human rights violations in recent years; When crises strike, existing problems are amplified and structures are further consolidated. The COVID-19 pandemic is such a splendid example, as men’s violence against women in all its forms has increased throughout our Union. Unfortunately, it is not surprising that when new media are introduced, such as the internet, violence also accompanies it. The link between words and actions is clear. Sure, digital platforms are used for a lot of good, but there is another, darker side too that we have to fight with full force. whereas women and girls are controlled, harassed, humiliated and silenced through social media messages, revenge porn, hatred, threats; grooming It's called NetStalking. It is estimated that seven out of ten women have been victims of online stalking. The Internet should not be a lawless macho country, but an inclusive and feminist place for all of us. The new legislative proposal to make hate crime an EU crime and the directive on men's violence against women, as promised by the Commission, must also include online violence.

Mr President, humanitarian catastrophe: that is what this is about. People are stuck in no man’s land. We have the dictatorship of Lukashenko on one side, and then on the other side we have the authoritarianism of Kaczyński. The tool of dictatorship is the same regardless of if we talk about Lukashenko in Belarus or Erdoğan in Turkey. Using human beings who are already in vulnerable situations is a disgrace. Lukashenko’s dictatorship doesn’t have very long tentacles beyond its own borders, and we should therefore not show any mercy. It’s all about sanctions, sanctions, sanctions. And we also need to continue supporting the democratic opposition of Belarus. It is people’s lives we are talking about. The even sadder part is the action of our own Member State. The Polish national conservative party in government, we already know, knows no borders. And they do not know how to spell rule of law, nor democracy, and nor do they know how to spell human rights. It’s not acceptable that journalists, Frontex and the UNHCR are banned from working in the border area. And finally we need a common migration and asylum policy in place so that no dictators can dictate our way of acting.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! Commissioner, thank you very much. In April this year, this Parliament decided that Frontex did not do what can be expected from what is the EU's largest and best-funded authority, but also one of the most important authorities we have. A large number of very worrying shortcomings were raised and therefore the discharge decision was postponed. The agency, headed by Director Fabrice Leggeri, was given an additional six months to rectify these shortcomings, but unfortunately with too poor results. Since then, the Court of Auditors has confirmed the picture we have had here in Parliament. Since then, too little has happened in a positive direction. That is why the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs concluded that neither Frontex nor Leggeri should now be given discharge. Frontex is an important authority. Without effective external border control, we cannot have free internal movement as it works today. That is precisely why it is so important that Frontex lives up to the great expectations we actually have. It is about treating taxpayers' money with respect. It is about respecting people and their rights and about having the strength and courage to deal with the problems that de facto exists. Director Leggeri has been given a long time, great resources and countless chances to redo and do the right thing. For a few years, Frontex has been burdened by allegations of involvement in operations in which human rights have been violated, with: pushbacks and violence against migrants. Instead of focusing on fully developing effective complaint mechanisms, time and, above all, a lot of money has been spent on chasing citizens in order to pay legal costs related to requests to obtain documents from the authority. In addition, we still lack 20 human rights monitors. They would be 40 and 20 are finished, but another 20 are missing. Where is the responsibility of Director Leggeri? In order to get a discharge, it is necessary to actually take responsibility. I have higher demands than this on the EU, our authorities and their top officials. Colleagues! I wish, like many of you here, that Frontex should be able to get discharge, but not this time either, and on this occasion it is a reasonable answer.

Mr President, regional cooperation and European integration is very important, especially during a time when we see a backlash of our core values. I welcome that the Western Balkans Summit reaffirms the mutual interest and goals of the European Union and its Western Balkan partners. But the actions are absent. Yes, some of the countries, such as Serbia with its authoritarian President Aleksandar Vučić, have a long way to go before the common values are respected. But other countries are making serious efforts towards our common values. Some of the successful examples are Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo. Two of the countries showing that they not only by words but also by deed, want to be a part of the European family had elections last weekend; one is North Macedonia and the other is Kosovo. It is impressive to see the democratisation process of, especially, Kosovo, where I was last weekend during the elections, as well as it’s important for them to continue the reform processes that must continue. But when genuine steps are taken and achieved, processing the cooperation must be made, also from the side of the European Union. The next step in the case of Kosovo must be celebration and for North Macedonia and Albania it must be accession process, to not lose credibility.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! The attacks on 9 October against the trade union CGIL in Italy are an attack on democracy and the fundamental values of the EU. I fear history will repeat itself. The first concentration camps in Germany were intended, among other things, for trade unionists. During Mussolini's time, the fascists waged war against the trade union movement in Italy, and on October 9 this year CGIL was attacked by the same old dark men. When the normalization of right-wing extremism occurs, words quickly lead to action. Fascism, Nazism or whatever we choose to call it is not an opinion. It's a crime! To all those who claim to be Democrats. I hope that you will not normalise these disgusting views by entering into cooperation with these far-right extremists, either in this Parliament or at home at national level. Unfortunately, in my country, Sweden, there is a dangerous development in which traditional conservative parties, including the liberal party, have embraced the far-right Sweden Democrats. Let us protest loudly in both words and deeds, because today it is the trade union movement in Italy and tomorrow it is each of us in here.

Mr President, democracy, human rights and the rule of law are core values of the European Union. Agreements and cooperation are primarily done with the like—minded, or at least with those with the same goals and intentions. Taiwan is a role model in its region. Through deeper cooperation, we will acknowledge the leadership for fundamental rights it takes, including social, economic, political and cultural rights, but also LGBTI rights and the rights of the indigenous population. While we see improvements in Taiwan, we see the total opposite in China. The Chinese oppressive communist regime does not fear to take measures against anyone, in China and beyond. A few months ago, I received a threatening letter from the Chinese Embassy in Sweden, stating, ‘We express strong discontent and firm opposition to your support to the so—called ‘EU—Taiwan political relations and cooperation report’. We hope that you withdraw your support immediately and do not pursue this course of action. Otherwise, you shall be held responsible for all consequences’. My conviction is clear. I will proudly vote in favour of the report today in defence of democracy and freedom, regardless of the threats of consequences by the oppressive communist regime.

Madam President, colleagues, I’m going to focus on one thing today, Peace between Israel and Palestine. In the heart of peace lays the well-being of the people directly affected. UNRWA is a UN agency that I hope we will not need in the future, since I hope we will be able to provide also the Palestinian people with statehood through a two state solution with two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, side by side in peace and security. But today, millions of Palestinians are living under catastrophic conditions, and many are refugees, internally displaced in Palestine, in Syria, in Lebanon and Jordan. UNRWA has been lifesaving for many of them. Every person in this Parliament should want to support UNRWA, but instead I’m shocked to hear that so many, especially from the right wing groups here, believe in lies spread about the Palestinian textbooks and the work of UNRWA. At least trust in the EU funded report by the Georg Eckert Institute, which clearly states that the Palestinian textbooks adhere to UNESCO standards. I hope that all of us contribute to stability, solidarity and peace. I hope you all vote for the amendment tabled by the S&D Group that ensures continued support for UNWRA.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! My body, my choice. How hard can it be to understand? Men's violence against women and girls seems to see no boundaries. The fact that we may not even have our uterus and ovaries in peace is a clear example of how far violence extends in some countries and what conservative forces want to throw us back to when they gain power. Texas lawmakers are shunning any means in their quest for total control over women's and girls' lives and bodies. And now they want the help of the vigilante guards in an alert system. It wants to reward those who are prepared to violate women's and girls' right to their health and punish doctors, taxi drivers and nurses who do their job. I'm pissed off. It is also a class issue. Those with thick enough wallets can go outside the state to get access to abortion care, but working women and everyone else suffer in conservative Texas. But what is happening in the United States is also happening in our Union. The most recent example is Poland. Colleagues, what we don't need right now is more men and men to decide over us women and girls.

Mr President, a country that in previous years had taken important steps towards democracy is once again in the hands of the military junta and facing violence and constant oppression every day. That is what the people of Myanmar are living under. The illegitimate regime of the military junta is committing horrendous crimes against its own population. Continuous violent attacks are being reported against dissidents, civilians, labour unions, journalists, religious representatives, and peaceful democratic protesters. Additionally, the humanitarian crisis is worsening every day. More than 210 000 people have been internally displaced only this year; 3 000 000 people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, and approximately 20 000 000 people risk living below the poverty line. With these deteriorating circumstances, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights now warns the situation in the country is at serious risk of escalating into a widespread civil war. The international community has to step up its demand for an immediate end to the military junta and its violence towards the civilian population, including all ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Rohingya. Colleagues, let us ensure that silence is not an option and action becomes a reality. We must continue to implement targeted sanctions against those who are behind the coup earlier this year, those people, entities and companies behind human rights violations and those responsible for crimes against the Rohingya. EU companies must ensure that they by no means support the military junta to conduct their human rights violations, directly or indirectly. In line with the wishes of the people of Myanmar, we must also support the National Unity Government as the only legitimate representative.

Madam President, thank you very much. Friends, knowledge is power and the power of knowledge must belong to everyone in full-fledged democracies. The new digital tools and social media platforms have enabled access to knowledge in a way never before possible. It is not just the few but the many who have access to information today. But with new opportunities, we also see new challenges. That is why we need to step up our efforts to respect democracy in our society and our integrity as individuals, and to combat lies, hatred, intimidation and violence. For we see today that democracy is in decline in some countries of the European Union, while at the same time we see attempts at more and more foreign interference in the European Union, through manipulation of information and, in a lot of cases, even outright containing lies and fabrications spread through social media. In parallel, we see how hatred and threats and violence spread online without the social media platforms taking their responsibility. Women's and girls' bodies are censored. We also see how our privacy is violated when information is sold to third parties. Everything can be summed up with the economic interests of the owners of the social media platforms. But the people are the ones who suffer the consequences. It is time for Europe to stand with the common people and not let the platforms play the Wild West. Yesterday, when Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were down, it was an indication of how the platforms are in the hands of a few players. This means that a few actors are currently playing the Wild West with our democracy and our life.

Madam President, thank you very much. Friends, I am proud that we are the world's largest donor for a better world, but in an increasingly turbulent world, we need to increase and improve the toolbox for us to become empowered and for people to be able to live a good life where they are. An important tool is humanitarian aid. In recent years, unfortunately, we have gone from improvements globally to seeing a regression and more crises in many places. Crises in the world sometimes come suddenly and therefore our ability to act quickly must also be improved. Trust funds in different countries and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey are important, but they are far from working well to ensure that human rights are effectively respected. The recently adopted Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), Global Europe, is a good instrument and offers to a greater extent the flexibility previously lacked to respond to sudden crises in the world. At the same time, however, we need to ensure transparency in how the Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey are used, to ensure that the purpose is fulfilled and people receive the support they need.

Madam President, Madam Commissioner, colleagues, we see a worsening situation for LGBTIQ+ people in many parts of the world. It is alarming. They are even being deprived of their human rights when seeking refuge. The responsibility to protect vulnerable groups is enriched in the mandate of all humanitarian interventions. In March 2021 Chriton Atuhwera, an activist and refugee from Uganda, was killed in a homophobic attack in the UNHCR Kakuma camp in Kenya. This is and unimaginable and unacceptable failure for the international community. This year, several LGBTIQ+ refugees had to be relocated or forced to flee the Kakuma camp due to threats of being attacked, injured and even killed. Let me stress the absurdity of refugees having to flee a refugee camp where they are already seeking shelter, because their human rights cannot be secured there. As an ally of the LGBTIQ+ community and a firm believer in the humanitarian system, I call on the UNHCR and the Kenyan government to act immediately to ensure sufficient protection in place for those subjected to homophobic violence. I also urge all safe countries around the world, including the EU Member States, to take their share of responsibility and increase their resettlement quotas in order to ensure that international protection of the most vulnerable groups is their shared responsibility.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! There's a pandemic that's been going on longer than anyone else. Men's violence against women. The unwillingness of society to fight it has led to women and girls paying the ultimate price: his life. If we listen carefully enough, we can hear all the women and girls screaming for our help. For too long, society has turned its back on them. Instead of responding to calls for emergency aid, some have been silenced in the hands of the perpetrators. Others have had their freedom restricted by living in hiding, and many live with fear for their lives. In our modern Europe, dictatorships are allowed to thrive, but we women and girls suffer. There is nothing fully democratic in Europe as long as people are murdered because of their gender or gender identity. A democratic Europe presupposes a feminist Europe. Work must start from an early age. Men's violence against women begins with boys' violence against girls. welcomes the fact that the Commission will present a proposal on gender-based violence; It's important. Colleagues, politics is the desire for change and direction. Today, it's a tight spot. Today, we have to take a stand to ensure that the Commission's legislative proposal becomes strong and that it includes not only all women and girls, but also LGBTQ people, who are victims of murder, hatred, intimidation and violence every day.

Mr President, thank you very much. The EU is at a crossroads: to look forward to a modern and democratic future or back to the past, after a time when democracy shines with its absence. The right-wing conservative government in Poland is clear about where it stands: Medieval ideas of misogyny, LGBTQ hostility, lack of media freedom, politicization of the judiciary. These are no longer just dreams for these conservatives, but reality, where they gain power. They are trying by all means to change the Polish institutions, laws and constitution in order to favour their power. One of the first things they do is get an iron grip on the media. That's how dictatorships come about. Now it's time for the EU to tighten its muscles. It will sting in the wallets of rogue governments that refuse to respect fundamental rights. Fined the government of the villain in Poland. Eliminate EU financial support for it. Instead, step up support for the freedom-loving people, journalists and civil society organisations in Poland, who are taking the fight against forces that risk throwing us back decades.

Madam President, thank you very much. Lebanon is currently in one of the world's, one of the, worst economic crises of the century. The lack of policy for ordinary people through socio-economic improvements was evident when I was in Beirut last week, together with my Socialist colleagues. Lack of supplies such as food, clean water and basic medicines is the everyday life of the Lebanese people. The people suffer the consequences of a corrupt political system that has to change from head to toe. The tragic explosion last year further exacerbated the situation. The system in the country turned out from its worst side, and to this day no one has been held accountable. The explosion embodies the current situation: a chaotic situation, where the people fall victim, with hitherto a lack of political will to solve it. It is good that a new government is in place, but it must now also deliver: fight poverty and inequality, eliminate corruption, ensure that free and fair elections can be held according to plan and that those responsible for the Beirut explosion are held accountable. A country that welcomes the most refugees per capita in the world must be supported. That is why it pisses me off to hear how some in this Parliament want to stop support for the UN agency UNRWA. At the same time, I welcome the work of sanctioning those actors who do not take their responsibility for the good of the people. Friends, I believe that it is time for us to join the demands of the Lebanese people for stability, justice and a secure future. And to the people of Lebanon I want to say: (The speaker uses a non-official language.)

Mr President, thank you very much. In a country where human rights are still a dream and arbitrary imprisonment is a reality, the situation for children and young people becomes even more alarming. Saudi Arabia is a country that has clearly shown how signatures on international commitments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child are not enough. With commitments comes the obligation to implement. Today, children and young people are both imprisoned and murdered by the regime. whereas the execution of Mustafa Hashem al-Darwish and the continued imprisonment and death sentence of Abdullah al-Howaiti are vile examples of ancient methods used by the Saudi regime, even against children and young people; Certainly, the promises of the Saudi regime to improve human rights sound good. So far, however, little has been seen in reality. Saudi Arabia must ensure that it immediately starts to respect the commitments it has made itself, to protect children by ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but also to respect human rights. whereas the UN and the EU have an obligation towards all children and young people in the country; The death sentences must be stopped and those behind the executions must not go unpunished.

Mr President, thank you very much. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press has always been and will always be a threat to dictatorship and oppressive regimes. This is where the attacks are most intense, even in Hong Kong. whereas according to Reporters Without Borders’ 2021 Press Freedom Index, the Communist dictatorship in China continues to lead the league in the number of imprisoned press freedom defenders worldwide; Since last year, they also rule Hong Kong with the help of the National Security Law they put in place. Those who do not kneel before the dictatorship and Xi Jinping are imprisoned and many are murdered. The only crime they committed was to thirst for freedom and let the power of the word speak its own language about the repression in Hong Kong by the regime in China. Most recently, the Apple Daily newspaper closed on June 24, and founder Jimmy Lai is imprisoned with hit-and-run allegations that he participated in the 2019 demonstration that would pose a security threat. National security laws must stop at once and political prisoners must be released. For the EU, business as usual cannot continue in trade relations as the situation continues to deteriorate.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues. When fundamentalism and extremism rule, democracy, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, equality and dissidents become the enemy. The Iranian regime has repeatedly demonstrated this. Iran has the highest number of executions per capita in the world. Swedish-Iranian Ahmadreza Djalali and other prisoners of conscience must be released immediately. It is good that the EU has, among other things, extended previous measures such as banning the export of technologies that could be used to intercept and otherwise oppress opposition dissidents. It is also good that the new EU global sanctions mechanism has now been used against eight individuals and three entities. This means that 89 individuals and four entities have now been sanctioned for human rights violations in recent years. But it is not acceptable that, since our last discussion last year on the situation in Iran, no Member State of the European Union has been able to meet its citizens who have been arbitrarily deprived of their freedom. Many of them are even at risk of being deprived of their lives. Unless Ahmadreza Djalali and all other prisoners of conscience are immediately released, not a single representative of the Iranian regime will be able to set foot in our Union.

Mr President, 2019 – a country going towards the right direction. 2020 and still in 2021 – a country with negative development. It is enough. All the people of Ethiopia deserve democracy and equality now. The spiral of war and conflict must end. Tigray and other regions are suffering from violence and human rights violations, regional and ethnic tensions. There needs to be an independent investigation into the war crimes taking place in Tigray, and international organisations must access Tigray to provide the people with emergency needs. The Ethiopian central government needs to facilitate an inclusive national dialogue with minority communities, political parties and wider civil society to try to find a lasting political solution and peace for the country, peace for the people. Genuine and constructive engagement by all actors is the only way to restore peace and stability in Ethiopia. Here the EU can have an important mediating role.