Speeches

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. Civil society is the origin and condition of democracy. That individual people choose to cooperate, organize themselves and start associations and organizations to pursue their cause, influence their environment, or actually just because they share an interest, gives us power, meaning, knowledge and context. A democracy without a democratic civil society is unthinkable. Civil society develops society and exposes shortcomings, meets needs and solves problems where the public sector is unable to do so. Without voluntary aid organisations, aid to Ukraine would not have been delivered so quickly. Without courageous women's organisations, we would not have had the right to free abortion. And when that right is threatened and curtailed today, in Poland, it is the women's movement that mobilizes the protests. Without the women's shelter movement, thousands of women subjected to violence would not have had protection and support even in my home country, Sweden, which is considered one of the most equal countries in Europe. A state that restricts the possibilities and rights of associations and organisations to exist and operate also restricts democracy itself. I would like to thank Mrs Donáth for this report, which strengthens civil society. In conclusion, I would like to express my full support for the courageous civil society that is currently fighting in Ukraine and Belarus.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. Colleagues! EU member states must live up to the democratic values they have signed up to. The principles of the rule of law not only protect the rights of the individual, but are essential to combat corruption and abuse of power. The European Commission must take firm action against countries such as Poland and Hungary that consistently violate the rule of law and where corruption can thrive when institutions are weakened and dismantled. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The EU is a cooperation, not an ATM, and countries that break the rules of the game should be severely punished. Corruption is a threat to democracy and human rights. The EU must sweep its own door and keep a clean house against those who want to use our freedoms, our economy and our institutions for corruption and economic crime. The EU is not a free zone for corrupt villains. They are to be hit by sanctions that sting hard.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr Borrell, ladies and gentlemen. After the wave of freedom that began with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, we have taken democracy for granted, both within and outside the EU. Democracy is under threat all over the world. Today, it is more important than ever that we mobilise for democracy, with democracy as a guiding principle in our foreign, aid and security policy. Democrats need to work together. We have to stand up for each other. A majority of EU member states must be able to quickly take decisions to impose sanctions on countries that violate human rights and are not stopped because a single person crosses the line. The fact that there are political prisoners in Europe today in 2022 is a tragedy. Today, 15 February, 1062 people, including minors, are imprisoned in Belarus for their opinions. The EU should never betray democracy and we should never turn our backs on those imprisoned.

Mr President, Commissioner, Members. ‘From the crowd in the tear gas cloud, the sound of terror and slogans is heard. The strong vocal cords of the demonstrators create synchronized chants. It is the sound of devotion and stubborn proof that Hong Kongers are prepared to die for their freedom.” This is what Swedish liberal and author Simona Mohamsson writes in her book Hong Kong RIP. The battle for Hong Kong is bigger than the fate of a city. It is a settlement of China's influence in the world. The Olympics will be inaugurated in Beijing shortly. EU member states should jointly implement a diplomatic boycott of the Games. It is an opportunity for us, for the free world, to mark in unison our wholehearted support for a free Hong Kong. Nevertheless, I note that, among other things, my own country, Sweden, does not dare to make this obvious decision.

Madam President, thank you very much. Alexei Navalny won this year's Sakharov Prize. He is a very worthy winner, who has paid a high personal price for his courageous struggle to expose corruption and abuse of power in Russia. The struggle for freedom was about to cost him his life. He was attempted murder and is still in prison. The Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament's prize for freedom of expression, is one of the finest awards available. Of course, it annoys Putin that it has gone to a person who has both challenged and exposed him. However, the prize is not only for Navalny, but it is a prize for all those who speak up, individually or together, in the civil society with organisations like Memorial that Putin is so afraid of. The EU can never succumb to Putin's threats. Aggressions will be met with sanctions, reduced gas supplies and a halt to Nord Stream 2. Russia is not the same as Putin. Europe is with Navalny and all those who are fighting for a democratic Russia.

Mr President, thank you very much. The humanitarian breakdown at the border is a conscious move. Lukashenka wants to create a crisis for the EU and divert the eyes of the outside world from the repression he is inflicting on the people of Belarus. Yesterday, opposition leader Sergei Tichanovsky was sentenced to 18 years in prison. He was arrested last year to prevent him from running for president. He is now one of the 929 people detained by the Belarusian regime for saying what they think. To all of you 929 I would like to say: We see and we know what is happening. There are infinitely many of us who are with you. It is not Sergei Tichanovsky, not 20-year-old Artsyom, not toddler mother Palina, not seriously ill Andrei, who will sit behind bars. It is Lukashenka and his minions who are to be sanctioned, prosecuted and sentenced for the crimes they commit.

Mr President, thank you very much. Diamonds are found in troubled areas, but the system for classifying diamonds is focused on and traditionally based on four c's: clarity, colour, carat and cut, but the fifth and perhaps most important c, conflicts, is what the Kimberley Process is all about. The Kimberley Process is a brilliant example of how collaboration between civil society, governments and industry can make a difference. Removing blood diamonds, diamonds that fund rebel groups that threaten lives and human rights, has been extremely important. Now the rules need to be updated. It is time to demand that diamonds be produced sustainably, with respect for human rights, without child labour, throughout the chain – and, of course, also with respect for the local environment. The rules must then be complied with, followed up and the results must be transparent. The EU has and will play an important role in putting an end to blood diamonds.

Madam President, thank you very much. Ukraine is a close neighbour, a trading partner, an important player for Europe's security. Ukrainian citizens have shown courageously that they want to be part of European cooperation. At the moment, when the eyes of the outside world are on Lukashenka's humanitarian breakdown in Belarus and at the country's border with the EU, Putin takes the opportunity to rattle weapons, mobilize, threaten Ukraine again. Let's say once and for all: It is not Putin who will dictate the future of Ukraine. whereas Ukraine has the right to its full political and territorial integrity; We do not accept any Russian threats, either in words or in deeds. On this point, a united Europe must be crystal clear. Russia must accept the integrity and political choices of other countries. Threats and aggression must be met with sanctions. The EU must get rid of dependence on Russian gas, and Nord Stream 2 must be stopped.

Mr President, thank you very much. The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow has just ended, but instead of focusing on disappointments, we must now look to the future. In a few days' time, the world's countries will gather in the WTO to tackle the problems facing world trade. Europe has a key role to play there, and the EU must show that we stand up for free and rules-based trade, that we are a stable trading partner and that we are serious about making trade more sustainable. Trade policy can contribute much more than at present to the crucial climate objectives. It should never be an obstacle to biodiversity. Through sustainable rules, we can stop fossil fuel subsidies, promote free trade for climate-smart goods and let the polluter pay, no matter where the emissions occur. The trade summit must pick up where the Glasgow climate summit ended.

Madam President, thank you very much. The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow has just ended and the world's countries are now meeting in the WTO to address the problems facing the World Trade Organisation. Europe has a key role to play there and the EU must show that we stand up for free, rules-based trade and that we are a stable trading partner to count on in a digital world. Open trade is more important than ever. The pandemic has shown the need to keep trade routes open and not to stop or hamper trade in medicines, vaccines and medical supplies. Trade policy can make a very significant contribution to achieving the crucial climate objectives and must never become a barrier to biodiversity. Through sustainable rules, we can stop fossil fuel subsidies, promote free trade for climate-smart goods and let the polluter pay even for imported emissions. The trade summit must pick up where the climate summit ended. We need more sustainable trade, not green protectionism.

Madam President, if you use human beings, children, as weapons in your political game, if you steal young men and women’s freedom, and when, like the dictator of Belarus, you act as a terrorist, you should end up in court. Lukashenko’s contempt for human rights has no limits, nor does his disrespect for international law, peace and security. To all victims of trafficking, to all of you 884 political prisoners today, I want to say we are with you. To all of you who have someone you love detained, I want to say we stand with you. It’s time for the people of Belarus to decide about their own future. It’s not a matter for Putin or anyone else. It’s time for tougher sanctions and it’s time for my country, Sweden, as well as the European Union, to hoist a white and red flag in solidarity with a free Belarus.

Mr President, thank you very much. Trade is a prerequisite for growth, prosperity, development and innovation, but it is also a tool to ensure peace and security. “Trade needs democracy”, said the US Secretary of Commerce when she visited us this summer. But democracy also needs trade. When we look at the world with trade policy glasses, it becomes clear that democracies need to work together, just as the EU and the US are now doing in areas such as digitalisation and technology. We will have high expectations for this cooperation, that it will increase competitiveness, deliver less hassle and less red tape – to the benefit of both businesses and consumers – and stimulate green technology development that will help us reduce emissions. We expect new common rules to be based on democratic values with respect for human rights and integrity. Every new bond between the EU and the US is important. The world's leading democracies are strong. We are even stronger together.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner. We can't say we don't know, we can't. The responsibility to save the climate is ours. We can if we want. I am proud that the EU has decided to be the world's most ambitious environmental organisation, for Europe to lead by acting. Emissions need to go down globally. Nothing would be as effective as a global carbon price. The polluter has to pay outside the EU as well. Imported emissions can no longer be free. It should simply be expensive to let out. We need to stop sponsoring carbon emissions. All fossil fuel subsidies must be eliminated. With every day that passes when we do not meet the climate targets, the situation becomes increasingly acute. Electrification, new technology, modern nuclear power, stopping fossil fuels are what is needed. We can if we want.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues, Commissioner. Why are we discussing here in the European Parliament what is happening in Texas? you ask. Well, because the right to control one's body should be self-evident here, in the United States, in the world. But that's not the case, for women. whereas the right and access to abortion are being threatened, questioned, curtailed both in the EU and worldwide, most recently in Texas; Having a womb never seems to stop being political. I would like to ask those of you who believe that the European Union goes too far if we have views on the oppression of women in other parts of the world: What is it, in comparison to taking the freedom to decide over another person's life and body? The right to abortion must be won, protected and defended. Small restrictions quickly become a sloping plane. Decisions in one country affect another. That is why we are debating this today. This morning we woke up to the news that the law in Texas is being temporarily stopped. Keep it that way, forever.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues, Commissioner. Once again, I stand here to support the fight for freedom in Belarus. Once again, we must show our disgust at the human rights violations that Lukashenka commits on a daily basis, which are now also a cynical and inhumane way of exploiting migrants in his desperate game of power. Since I stood here last, the list of people deprived of their liberty has become even longer and those deprived of their liberty even younger. Since we debated the situation in Belarus last time, 17-year-old Artiom has had his home searched just because he followed a regime-critical news channel on social media. He is then forced, under threat, to record a new video posted by the regime explaining that he is now a law-abiding citizen. He is not alone in facing the same fate. The EU must impose tougher sanctions on those who feed Lukashenka's reign of terror. The EU must increase support for the opposition and we must raise the red and white flag in solidarity with all freedom fighters. As long as it takes, I'll say it again. The EU can and should do more. Mr Borell, today I would like to ask you, what is your message to Artiom, to Victoria, to Marca, Tatjana and all the other young Belarusians deprived of their youth? How will they get their freedom and their future back?

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the High Representative. Free rules-based trade is a prerequisite for growth, prosperity, development and innovation, but it is also a tool to ensure peace and security. When we see the world map of trade policy, it becomes clear that countries that share democratic values and views of freedom must cooperate, not oppose each other. It is in the common interest of the EU and the US to work together towards a functioning WTO, more sustainable trade integrating carbon pricing, and to shape standards and consensus on technology development and data transfer. Together, we must strengthen human rights in trade policy and extend a hand to other democracies, such as Taiwan. "Trade needs democracy", said the US Secretary of Commerce when she visited us this summer. So true, but I would also like to say that democracy needs trade. Now we expect the United States to live up to our high expectations and those of the rest of the world. Europe, the EU, is ready.