What Loucas spoke about.

11 Mar

2025

EL Speech

White paper on the future of European defence (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, Europe can no longer rely on third parties for its security and defence. The forthcoming White Paper on the future of European defence must pave the way for the creation of a European force capable of defending its borders and interests. That's what I've been supporting since the first day of my election. But we cannot start wrong. And I want to be clear. Turkey, a c…

11 Feb

2025

EL Speech

Political crisis in Serbia (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, allow me to welcome the Serbian friends who are in the gallery watching the debate. I want to assure them that, as Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, I am doing everything I can to convince them that Serbia needs Europe and Europe has a lot to gain from Serbia. The country is at a critical crossroads, where…

11 Feb

2025

EL Speech

Preparedness for a new trade era: multilateral cooperation or tariffs (debate)

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Madam President, the United States is and will remain a strategic partner of the European Union. Our historical ties and our trade relationship are vital. However, cooperation cannot be based on weakness. Europe must not be the weak link with anyone. In any partnership, we have to be a strong player. This means that we need to take measures and take meaningful action. To ensure that European busin…

21 Jan

2025

EL Speech

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

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Mr President, Commissioner, the time has come to decide and determine what our common future as Europe is. Developments highlight the need to redefine our geopolitical position. The new Trump administration highlights precisely this need: review our relations with our most important strategic partner. We are partners, we share common values and historical ties. But even the closest partners negoti…

18 Dec

2024

EL Speech

Preparation of the EU-Western Balkans Summit (debate)

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Madam President, it struck me that there is no one from the Commission to listen to what we are saying. The world is changing rapidly and Europe must make itself a strong player and protagonist. Enlargement is not just a geopolitical necessity. It is the only option for a united, secure and prosperous Europe. The preparation of the European Union-Western Balkans Summit is an opportunity to reaffir…

17 Dec

2024

EL Speech

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

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Mr President, Commissioner, as the European Parliament we have a responsibility to safeguard democracy and exercise human rights in a rapidly changing world. Social media is like a knife. Depends on whose hand you find yourself in. If used correctly, they promote democracy. If used for other purposes, they may even destroy it. Fake news, algorithms promoting extreme and directed narratives undermi…

17 Dec

2024

EL Speech

Toppling of the Syrian regime, its geopolitical implications and the humanitarian situation in the region (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, the situation in Syria is not just a matter of geopolitical turmoil, but a humanitarian tragedy with incalculable consequences. Millions of people have been displaced, thousands have lost their lives, and images of refugee camps and executions in the middle of the street are a disgrace to all of us. The Syrian coast is only 100 nautical miles from my country, Cyprus, th…

26 Nov

2024

EL Speech

Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia (debate)

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25 Nov

2024

EL Speech

Condemning the illegal unilateral declaration of independence of the secessionist entity in Cyprus and all efforts to legitimise it and reaffirming the need for European solidarity - 41 years after (debate)

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Mr President, let me be a little keen tonight. 41 years since the illegal proclamation of the pseudo-state, 50 years since the Turkish invasion, and Europe seems incapable of effectively defending Cyprus, but also its own principles and values. How much longer will we allow interests to dominate, sacrificing Cyprus on the altar of Turkish provocation? We're full of words. Let's be clear. When inte…

22 Oct

2024

EL Speech

Situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, in Azerbaijan, the supposedly reliable partner, politicians who oppose the regime are tortured and imprisoned, journalists who dared to criticise it are imprisoned, Armenian prisoners of war are daily humiliated and humiliated in Nagorno-Karabakh, tens of thousands of Armenians are expelled from their homes, everything Christian is destroyed. At the same time, Azerbaija…

8 Oct

2024

EL Speech

Escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon (debate)

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Madam President, Mr Borrell, when human lives are lost and when crimes are committed, we are all accountable, whether by our participation or by our indifference to this tragedy. I have heard a lot since the beginning of the debate, a lot of convictions, a lot of words. I have also heard of the need to hold a humanitarian summit on this issue. So while everyone is talking, the only country that is…

17 Sep

2024

EL Speech

State of the Energy union (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, I have always been in favour of a stronger and more integrated Europe in terms of its foreign policy, security, economy and – certainly – its energy autonomy. We are in the right direction, looking for new sources of energy and detoxification from fossil sources. We even see the problems arising from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The European Union must therefore stand …

17 Jul

2024

EL Speech

Statement by the President

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Madam President, thank you for giving me the floor. Thank you for your reference to Cyprus; It shows that you are not forgetting us. I ask for the floor to remind all colleagues that these days are fifty years since Turkey's invasion of Cyprus. Fifty years of being a refugee and separating my country. Half a century of occupation of European territory. Fifty years we have been refugees in our own …

16 Jan

2024

EL Speech

Humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need to reach a ceasefire and the risks of regional escalation (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East is a tragedy. My homeland, Cyprus, is close to the region and although small in size, it shows the way for initiatives to protect civilians and create a humanitarian corridor, but it requires synergies and collaborations from all. Of course there is a need for a ceasefire as soon as possible. No sane person wants this tragedy t…

12 Dec

2023

EL Speech

European Health Data Space (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, public health is a good to which all European citizens should have equal access. Public health is a good that every Member State has not only an obligation but also a social responsibility to ensure. There must be equal access, equal treatment for European citizens, in whichever Member State they reside. The European Health Data Space is the backbone of the European …

11 Dec

2023

EL Speech

The European Elections 2024 (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, let me talk a little more generally about the upcoming elections. We are going through the last months of this legislature, during which events such as Brexit, the Covid pandemic, wars, a surge in migration occurred. All this raises too many questions about what Europe we want. All of us, therefore, as elected representatives, are sincerely called upon to give answer…

22 Nov

2023

EL Speech

Cyprus Confidential - need to curb enablers of sanctions-evasion and money-laundering rules in the EU (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, what has come to light about the journalistic investigation into Cyprus should be thoroughly investigated, and if violations are detected by anyone, there is one way: The one of justice. There is no discussion of this. Those who stole, if they stole, those who broke the laws, if they broke them, yes, go to jail, no matter how high they are. Dear colleagues, Cyprus is ac…

22 Nov

2023

EL Speech

Humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need for the release of hostages and for an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire and the prospects for peace and security in the Middle East (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner Borrell, the developments in the Gaza region, the temporary ceasefire announced a few hours ago, which includes the return of prisoners, opens a small window of hope. From the very first moment we condemned the terrorist attack by Hamas, which opened the bag of Aeolus. We defended Israel's right to self-defense, while at the same time stating that civilians and the ordin…

20 Nov

2023

EL Speech

Children first - strengthening the Child Guarantee, two years on from its adoption - Reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families (joint debate – International Day of the Rights of the Child)

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Madam President, Commissioner, World Children's Day. Today is just a reminder that this world does not belong to us. We borrowed it from our children. Our children, who are our future, the purest part of society. Children are tomorrow and deserve better days than we do. Children should not be victims of war. Children should not hurt, fight, die from bombings and bullets. Children should not work, …

4 Oct

2023

EL Speech

Decent Housing for All (topical debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, let us just talk. The dream of acquiring a home and living a decent life is for millions of couples an elusive and unrealizable dream. The reasons are very simple. There is neither the financial capacity nor the necessary assistance to implement the self-evident: the right to a home, a home to house their dreams and family. Banks are getting rich, interest rates in s…

4 Oct

2023

EL Speech

Need for a speedy adoption of the asylum and migration package (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, it is finally necessary to define a concrete and comprehensive strategy on migration. Small countries, like mine, have been left alone to deal with a huge problem that should be tackled collectively. That has to change. As we speak, 7% of the population of my semi-occupied country are asylum seekers. Most of them come from Turkey illegally through the occupied territori…

12 Sep

2023

EL Speech

2022 Report on Türkiye (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, we have discussed the issue of Turkey and its relationship with the European Union countless times in this Chamber. Unfortunately, we always come to the same conclusions, which, however, remain mere findings, without being accompanied by actions. So let us come together to recall bitter truths about Turkey, many of which are included in the report. In Turkey there is no…

13 Jun

2023

EL Speech

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and at the Lachin Corridor

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Mr Borrell, because you said that European observers are not authorised to go to the area, I took the trouble and went six hundred kilometres by car to register people without electricity, people without access to basic necessities, people who went to see their families and were asked to come back, to get an Azerbaijani passport, and they remain so far away from their families. So I went to this p…

13 Jun

2023

EL Speech

This is Europe - Debate with the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides (debate)

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Mr President, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Cyprus is a small country on the edge of Europe, where East and West meet, at a crossroads of cultures and history. We survive and survive in this corner of the earth because we serve and believe in principles and values that define us as Europeans: justice, solidarity, freedom. Cyprus, ladies and gentlemen, is the only European country that has…

19 Apr

2023

EL Speech

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel (debate)

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Mr President, I welcome you to the European Parliament. As an MEP coming from a small country, Cyprus, I welcome the leader of another small European country, but with a great contribution to the European process. What unites us in Europe are its principles and values, which we all have to uphold. Coming from a small country, Prime Minister, I want to state emphatically that solidarity is interpre…