What Alex spoke about.

7

May

2025

EN Speech

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The fine against TikTok and the need to strengthen the protection of citizens’ rights on social media platforms (debate)

Madam President, within the European Union, all tech platforms need to respect the rules that we have democratically enacted. When it comes to our privacy and our personal data the GDPR has been the cornerstone of the EU's leading role when it comes to regulating the online world. However, rules are only strong when they are properly enforced, and that is why we are happy to see that the Irish Dat…

7

May

2025

EN Speech

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Malta's Golden Passport scheme circumventing EU sanctions against Russia (debate)

Mr President, can I make a point of order because some misconceptions have been repeated by our colleague here? As already held in 2022, applicants from Belarus and Russia have stopped both pending applications and applications...…

7

May

2025

MT Speech

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Malta's Golden Passport scheme circumventing EU sanctions against Russia (debate)

Mr President, Malta will respect the judgement of the European Court. A ruling that is still strange because it is contrary to the opinion of Irish Attorney General Collins who also said last October that there is no case against Malta. A ruling also contradicting the European Commission's view that in January 2014 the Maltese investor citizenship scheme is not contrary to the Treaties of the Euro…

7

May

2025

MT Speech

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Winning the global tech race: boosting innovation and closing funding gaps (topical debate)

Mr President, our digital future is not a game, this is not a race we can win against China or the United States. We want to build a digital world where our society, our economies flourish, based on European values and respecting privacy laws, towards consumer protection laws. The problems we face are that Europe is too dependent on other continents, on foreign Big Tech, the digital infrastructure…

1

Apr

2025

MT Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 20 March 2025 (debate)

Ms President, today the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic. We have seen, up to the last few hours, a mass grave that included fifteen humanitarian workers killed by the Israeli regime. This is not just a tragedy, but a rampant violation of international law. The International Court of Justice has made it clear that every state around the world must intervene in order to stop genocide and…

12

Mar

2025

MT Speech

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EU Consumers Day: filling the gaps in protecting 440 million consumers in the EU (debate)

Mr President, if we want the European project to remain relevant we must be sure that the European market works fairly in favour of all consumers. In a world where platform shopping continues to grow, there is a need to have rules that give consumers the same rights to shop online as those who shop physically in shops across the same Union. We need to protect our children with strong legislation s…

13

Feb

2025

MT Speech

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Threats to EU sovereignty through strategic dependencies in communication infrastructure (debate)

Mr President, digital infrastructure has become as important as traditional infrastructure such as our bridges and roads. And I come from Malta, a small Member State, an island, I am more aware of the importance of this infrastructure, especially for thecables submarine internet, which are equally crucial for the functioning of the lives of our citizens and critical infrastructure in every Member …

12

Feb

2025

MT Speech

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Silent crisis: the mental health of Europe’s youth (debate)

Mr President, Mental health problems among young people, among our children are a very serious problem. It is a problem that is making suicides the second largest cause of death among young people across the European Union. However, I believe that as a European Union, it is important to focus more on prevention. And today we had a golden opportunity as a European Union, in theCommission Working Pr…

12

Feb

2025

MT Speech

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Competitiveness Compass (debate)

Thank you Mr President, What are the real factors that make the European economy more competitive? Is it the fact that we are the cheapest continent? No, Europe is built on quality products, produced by qualified workers working in the best conditions. We can look at cutting red tape, reducing red tape in order to reduce a number of burdens on companies. It is not a bad thing, but to go in a direc…

12

Feb

2025

EN Speech

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Commission Work Programme 2025 (debate)

Madam President, first of all, I would like to speak about the disrespect shown today in front of this House when we were treated – and it was clearly stated by the Commission – as not ‘high-level’ enough. And I ask the Commission, what is 'high-level' enough for the President of the Commission? Today I would like to talk about the ambition we need as a European Commission and also as a European P…

21

Jan

2025

MT Speech

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Geopolitical and economic implications for the transatlantic relations under the new Trump administration (debate)

Today is the first day of Trump's second presidency. While pledging a golden era for the United States, it must make this achievement by placing America first and foremost, also on the basis that it plagues our rights Europeans. Its approach to negotiations is either to swallow or to swallow. It places the health exhibition on cooperation across the Atlantic. The Commission must be prepared for th…

21

Jan

2025

EN Speech

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Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and biased algorithms (debate)

Madam President, when we saw Musk walking into the Twitter office with a sink two years ago, did we expect things to escalate so quickly? It is sinking in that tech billionaires going rogue pose an existential threat to democracy in Europe. Meta's Zuckerberg has joined in and urged the newly inaugurated Trump to force the EU to roll back European rules. We cannot accept these provocations and inte…

17

Dec

2024

EN Speech

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Misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms, such as TikTok, and related risks to the integrity of elections in Europe (debate)

Madam President, in recent years, TikTok has been transformed from a simple app into the fastest-growing social network in the world, particularly amongst young people. It has become a space where millions of voices are heard. Still, it has also been a breeding ground for anti-democratic and anti-EU narratives – a place to instigate disinformation campaigns and political opinions that undermine th…

16

Dec

2024

MT Speech

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Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2023 (debate)

Mrs President, it seems that as a Parliament we are all on the same line when it comes to the importance of transparency, when it comes to the importance of having more accountability in the European institutions. And in the end, all the groups have delivered a message, today, that they are all looking forward to having tomorrow in the important vote that we will have here in the European Parliame…

16

Dec

2024

EN Speech

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Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2023 (debate)

Madam President, Madam Ombudsman, colleagues, first of all, let me begin by expressing my gratitude to the shadow rapporteurs for their constructive collaboration and also commitment on working together on this very important report. I would also like to commend the remarkable work of Ms Emily O'Reilly and her team. The importance of the European Ombudsman role in protecting citizens' rights and s…

28

Nov

2024

MT Speech

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Strengthening children’s rights in the EU - 35th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (debate)

Ms President, as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on children, let us remember that children are not only the future but our present. Children are active members of our society and are formed according to the world we create around them. The European Union has made giant strides in advancing children's rights, and I congratulate the Maltese Commissioner Glenn Mica…

27

Nov

2024

MT Speech

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Presentation by the President-elect of the Commission of the College of Commissioners and its programme (debate)

I am proud that the next college will have a Maltese Commissioner with a portfolio that reflects our progressive policy priorities, a unique role that will bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. Malta and Europe will have not only the youngest ever Commissioner in charge of the youth portfolio but also the first European Commissioner for intergenerational justice who will speak on behalf o…

27

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Presentation by the President-elect of the Commission of the College of Commissioners and its programme (debate)

Madam President, we must act now, for Europe and also for European people. More than ever, in the current challenging geopolitical context, we need stability, a properly functioning Commission and progressive European agenda and cooperation.…

24

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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Abuse of new technologies to manipulate and radicalise young people through hate speech and antidemocratic discourse (debate)

Madam President, what is illegal offline should be illegal online. Tech firms often use every dirty trick that they can think of to maximise their profits and keep their audience hooked through sensationalist and harmful content. Unfortunately, violent extremists are using the same tricks, and with predatory algorithms, troll farms and bots spewing misinformation and disinformation, catchy memes a…

24

Oct

2024

MT Speech

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Closing the EU skills gap: supporting people in the digital and green transitions to ensure inclusive growth and competitiveness in line with the Draghi report (debate)

Mr President, Europe is suffering from a skills gap in critical sectors. Many workers are not fostered in digital skills and are unprepared to exploit the digitalisation of our works and for the environmental transition of the economy. This failure requires our immediate attention. We have to radically change the way we view the teaching of trades. Otherwise, we risk exacerbating this problem over…

23

Oct

2024

MT Speech

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The important role of cities and regions in the EU – for a green, social and prosperous local development (debate)

Mr President, millions of euros are invested in our cities and regions through the European Social Fund. With these investments we have created thousands of jobs, trained millions of workers, invested in housing and strengthened job creation and even social inclusion. This is evidence of the positive impact and crucial role that the European Social Fund is playing in the development of our society…

23

Oct

2024

MT Question

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Seven years from the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia: lack of progress in restoring the rule of law in Malta (debate)

The colleague of the Popular Group has just insinuated that in Malta there is impunity because all those involved in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia - the principal and even those who committed the crime - are still running out with impunity and are not facing justice. I'll ask you: you used the word "impunity". Do you know that the commander and all the people who were involved in this murde…

23

Oct

2024

MT Speech

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Seven years from the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia: lack of progress in restoring the rule of law in Malta (debate)

Ms President, while I would like to start by greeting the memory of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, today I cannot help but comment on the hypocrisy and double standards of this Parliament. While today we are holding the fifteenth debate on the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, because for the Popular Group they feel that when they are doing so, as we have seen from a Maltese like us…

10

Oct

2024

MT Speech

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World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health (debate)

Mr President, today we are celebrating World Mental Health Day. Awareness of mental health, especially in these times in which we live, is more important than ever. The need for prevention, the need for this European Parliament, on a European basis, to have more horizontal legislation in order to break first and foremost the taboo that still exists when it comes to mental health, but also to take …

8

Oct

2024

MT Speech

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Preparation of the European Council of 17-18 October 2024 (debate)

Mr President, Over the past year we have begun an aggressive Israeli war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Genocide condemned by the United Nations International Court of Justice. Nearly 42,000 people were killed and killed this year alone. The majority of women and children. More than 97,300 people were injured. The numbers continue to grow with each passing day. The entire popula…