Speeches

Dear Chair, Commissioner, colleagues, breast cancer remains the most common form of cancer among women in Europe. Regular screening and early diagnosis can reduce mortality by up to 30%, for which Croatia is a positive example. However, too many patients still do not have access to quality screening programmes. This is why prevention and early detection must remain the cornerstone of our public health action. The EU has adopted an ambitious Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Clear funding, investment in health systems and above all equal access to healthcare in all Member States are essential for its further implementation. In some EU countries, 46-48 new oncology medicines are available to patients within a year, and in some Eastern European countries only three new medicines are available. This is unacceptable and that is why it is important that we finally solve this problem by reforming the pharmaceutical legislation. I am pleased to start working on a report on the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan in the Public Health Committee. This is an opportunity to strengthen the monitoring of its application, to identify shortcomings, but also to demand ambitious and protected health funding in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. We must also follow the good example of the Consumer Credit Directive, which, for the first time at European level, codified the right to be forgotten for cancer survivors, which we now need to incorporate into other regulations. No one should be discriminated against simply because they have or have had cancer. Europe must show not only that it has a plan, but also the means, determination and ambition to implement it. Investing in prevention and screening today means saving lives tomorrow.

The tragedy in Novi Sad was not an isolated incident, but a reminder of the moral and political crisis in which Serbia finds itself today, which shows us that it does not belong in the European Union as it is today. Vučić is an autocrat and the main implementer of Greater Serbian ideology together with the Serbian Orthodox Church. If it wants to be credible, the Serbian opposition must clearly distance itself from such a policy. The experience of recent protests, unfortunately, shows that the spirit of Greater Serbia's ideology is still felt in the ranks of those who call themselves change. As long as this is the case, any serious transformation of this country will remain only an empty phrase. Today, Belgrade is, unfortunately, the main source of instability in the region. This is best seen in Montenegro, where patterns are visible in Serbia, such as bringing in satirists who are critical of part of the government. The long-term survival of a sovereign Montenegro is at stake, and this is something that is extremely dangerous for the whole of Southeast Europe. Ladies and gentlemen, until Serbia passes the deep catharsis and renounces the destructive Greater Serbia policy of joining the European Union, it is not considered.

Dear Chair, Commissioners, colleagues, health, biotechnology are key sectors for the European Union. It's not my invention, it's clearly stated in the Draghi report. It is the EU's most competitive, powerful export industry based on advanced technology without which we simply cannot. That is why it is no coincidence that Trump has placed the spotlight on it, and after a unilateral agreement to impose 15% tariffs, he is putting enormous pressure on the relocation of this strategic industry to the United States. What are we doing? The Critical Medicines Act is a step forward, but it is not enough. We need an urgent biotechnology law that will create the conditions for the development of the biotech industry in Europe and make us independent from China, India and the US. Unfortunately, the biotechnology law has been moved to the second half of 2026 by when all major biotech companies will sign agreements on hundreds of billions of dollars of investments in the US. We will see the consequences of this in ten years when we will become completely dependent on the import of drugs from the outside. That is why I ask you that the biotechnology industry and health care on the priority list start to occupy the place at the top that belongs to them. On the other hand, we deal with topics that we do not need to deal with. Thus, the LGBTIQ strategy states on page 15 that the European Commission will support gender recognition based on self-determination without age limits. Does this mean that children will be able to choose their gender on their own without the involvement of their parents? It's absolutely unthinkable to me and I want to believe that I've misunderstood something. That's why I'm asking President von der Leyen for an explanation.

Dear Chairman, enlargement has not been a priority for the European Union for years. Because of this attitude, we allowed foreign powers to increase their influence in the area of Southeast Europe, primarily thanks to the bilingual, destabilizing policy of Vučić's Serbia. The war in Ukraine has made enlargement essential again and that is why we are now discussing it here. In any case, each country must be judged individually and on merit. There is no entry into the European Union through order. As far as the Union itself is concerned, any withdrawal of the Member States’ right of veto in decision-making in the enlargement process is absolutely out of the question. The admission of new members is a strategic issue on which there must be consensus and it is inconceivable that it is decided by a majority vote. Since unanimity will certainly be required at the end of the process, the violent opening and closing of negotiating chapters by outvoting against the will of individual Member States makes no sense. Small countries like Croatia will not be allowed to be forced into the EU because of someone's higher geopolitical interests, countries like Serbia that do not meet the minimum requirements to be part of the European family.

Dear Chair, Commissioners, colleagues. The World Mental Health Day that we celebrate tomorrow is an opportunity to speak out about this plague of the modern age and remove the stigma that still accompanies the conversation on the subject. Statistics clearly show the extent of the problem. It is estimated that almost one in six EU citizens, many of whom are young people, have mental health problems. This information is a call to action. This is why it is time for the EU to finally present a comprehensive plan for brain health. Such a plan must have concrete objectives, a clearly defined timeframe for achieving them, but most importantly, guaranteed funding. Investments in research and development are needed to better understand the causes of mental illness and find new therapies. In addition, systematic social support for patients and accessible medical care are important. And it is particularly important to adopt the necessary regulation to prevent the unintended consequences of young people's exposure to digital content, and especially those who abuse it to cause mental health problems for young people. Behind the statistics are real people and their daily struggles. That's why I want to highlight mothers in particular today. More than 67% of them in the EU say they feel mentally overwhelmed, and half say they are struggling with anxiety, depression or burnout. If we ignore their needs, we fail to take care of the pillar of our families and society. Colleagues, it is time to make mental health a European priority, to stop being a taboo topic and to anchor mental health care in the foundations of our policy, and it is particularly important to adopt the necessary regulation on digital content to protect young people from all those problems and risks that exist online.

In addition to food and medicine production, the digital market and digital sovereignty are of strategic importance for the European Union. Digital technologies shape our economy, security and democracy and it is therefore essential that we set the rules ourselves that will protect our citizens and businesses in the common European market. With the Digital Markets Act, we have achieved an important step in achieving European sovereignty. It does not discriminate against anyone, but allows for free competition, gives consumers more choice and better quality of services, while preventing only a handful of tech giants from dominating the market and dictating the terms and conditions of business to others. In this way, we are strengthening European companies, as they must be the bearers of our digital future and key players in achieving European technological sovereignty. The European Union has the right to regulate its digital market on its own, without pressure or blackmail from anyone, even if they come from the US. This right must not be subject to negotiation or pressure from outside, as the free market for digital services is a cornerstone of European sovereignty and independence.

Last week we witnessed a brutal terrorist attack on Jews in Manchester. An event that is not an isolated incident, but part of the systemic rise of antisemitism in Europe. This wave of hatred and violence is closely linked to radical Islamist groups that, with the support of left-wing extremists, march in the hearts of our cities and spread their poisonous ideas. Islamist genocidal ideology is as anti-Christian as anti-Jewish and undermines the very foundations of Europe. The release of this evil through mass uncontrolled immigration threatens the safety of our women and children and threatens the very survival of Western civilization. Radical leftists who advocate and support extremist groups such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood are co-responsible for what is happening on the streets of European cities today. The European Union must stand firm in the fight against Islamism. Criminals and terrorists should be imprisoned and illegal migrants deported. Muslim fundamentalists and their ideology have no place in normally regulated states. They only know force, so it's time to apply it in the right way.

Dear Chair, Commissioner, colleagues. The Single Market is one of the greatest successes of the European Union and a cornerstone of European competitiveness, but still its full potential has not been fully exploited. In particular, I would like to highlight the need to further strengthen the services market, which remains the least developed. As the European Parliament’s rapporteur on services in the single market, I have raised this issue several times. However, unfair trading practices are an equally serious issue that we are increasingly witnessing. The same products in the same retail chains can be sold up to three times more expensive in individual Member States than in neighbouring ones, without any justified reasons. Unfortunately, we also see such practices in stores in Croatia. It is clear that this is a gross distortion of competition through price fixing by large multinational companies. Such practices are unacceptable and must be severely sanctioned. Only by acting decisively can we restore consumer confidence and ensure a fair and transparent market. In this context, I welcome the new Single Market Strategy presented by the European Commission in May, which clearly identifies ten key obstacles to its development. Colleagues, only a strong and fair single market can ensure long-term growth, greater resilience and true prosperity for all European citizens.

Dear Chairman, esteemed colleagues, our children are immersed in a hypersexualized world where sex sells everything, from TV series to car tires. Constantly exposed to such content, people cease to respect and appreciate the integrity and dignity of another person, which makes it difficult for them to have intimate contact and establish quality long-term relationships. Some in such twisted values want to educate future generations as well. It goes so far that sex, often explicit descriptions of inappropriate age, is pushed into school reading and other teaching content. Children's health education is intended to be reduced to sexual education tailored to the criteria of progressive ideology. Children's well-being should not be an ideological battlefield, nor should children be experimental rabbits for woke the agenda, It's getting more and more into schools. Ta agenda uses legal loopholes, bypasses institutions, parental will and constitutional rights. Everyone who participates in this and thus endangers children, even in my homeland Croatia, including the City of Zagreb, should be very openly opposed.

Following Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, we rightly expect a strategy on cardiovascular diseases to be put in place. But we can't stop there. For too long, health has been on the margins of European policy. This has changed in the last few years and now is the time to keep it as a strategic priority, especially when it comes to rare diseases and brain health. Precisely brain health is becoming one of the key issues of our time. In this context, we must specifically address Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. As early as 2025, there will be 9.1 million people living with dementia in the European Union, rising to 14.3 million by 2050. According to the World Health Organization, dementia is the third leading cause of death in Europe and the seventh in the world. The cost to our society is already at a staggering €390 billion per year, and this cost is growing day by day. However, dementia is not just a health or economic problem. It's a deep human question. It affects not only patients, but also their families who struggle with the emotional, social and financial consequences of the disease on a daily basis. Too often they are left to themselves, faced with stigma and inadequate support systems. This is why we need a comprehensive European response. We need a European strategy on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia with concrete goals, timelines and funding. This strategy must include better prevention, timely and accessible diagnostics, investment in research and development of new therapies, and systematic support to families and carers. Europe must not allow further marginalisation of dementia, as it is a particular progressive neurodegenerative condition that requires a specific and decisive response. The European Union must take political leadership and increase investment in dementia research to a level comparable to cancer and other diseases. Our mission is to make Europe a leader in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. We owe it to our patients and their families.

Thank you very much, dear colleague, for speaking out about the necessity and the magnitude of this problem and necessity to act. My question is, since this clearly shows that we need investments into public health, into public health infrastructure, into our public health systems, do you think that the EU should have again – like it was in the previous seven-year budget – a separate health fund, a separate earmarked health programme, unlike what is proposed now in the latest proposal by the Commission?

Dear Chairman, Commissioner, colleagues, extreme heat is no longer an exception. Over the past two decades, heat-related mortality has risen by 30%. In 2022 and 2023 alone, more than 100,000 deaths were recorded in Europe. Heat-related emergency receptions increased by more than 25% and refrigeration systems in hospitals under heat pressure experienced technical failures. Psychiatric and geriatric patients are particularly affected by medications that reduce the body's ability to regulate temperature. At the same time, diseases associated with rising temperatures are spreading. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of cases of dengue fever, once a rare disease in the EU, rose by 368 percent. Health care systems are overwhelmed, but even more unprepared for such problems. They are an immediate threat to the health of citizens. It's not a warning for the future, it's a problem today. In addition to hospitals, the homes themselves are already becoming a health risk. Up to 20% of the EU population is exposed to overheating in their own apartments due to poor insulation of energy-inefficient buildings. As EPP Coordinator in the Public Health Committee, I call on the Commission to develop European guidelines for the resilience of health systems to extreme heat. This includes investments in infrastructure, protocols for vulnerable groups, early warning mechanisms and better cross-border coordination. However, I would like to point out another thing, which is that this situation shows how important investment in public health is. Investing in public health is not just an investment in the pharmaceutical industry, competitiveness, etc. Unfortunately, we see from the State of the European Union speech and the new proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework that, unfortunately, health is no longer a priority and this is absolutely unacceptable. That is why I call on the Commission to change its policy. We need a dedicated European fund for public health, as we had in the previous mandate, and this is the only way to protect the health of our citizens.

Dear Chairman, this so-called agreement is generally one-sided, unbalanced and makes European industry less competitive than the US. There are positive elements such as the generic waiver, but these are unfortunately exceptions. The European Union is a market with more than 450 million consumers. We have a surplus with the U.S. in trade in goods and a deficit in trade in services, which means we have strong tools to respond to any blackmail from Washington. Unfortunately, we did not make any of this, but gave in to get security guarantees that are highly questionable reliability. Worst of all, we haven't even gotten certainty, since Americans are already exerting pressure to get privileged status for their own big tech The company, which, unfortunately, was to be expected. The introduction of tariffs by the US is a defeat, but the EU has the strength and ability to develop new partnerships, whether with Japan, Australia, Canada or Latin American countries. Diversifying trade relations is key to mitigating negative impacts and protecting our interests. The future of the European Union's trade relations lies in a combination of trade measures based on reciprocity, diversification of partnerships and strengthening of European industry. Only in this way will we ensure a strong Europe and prosperity for European citizens.

Dear Chairman, Serbia under the rule of Vucic is an autocratic state. It is a regime that has taken over the media, suppressed freedom of expression and turned the public sphere into an instrument of its own propaganda. The European policy of complicity with Belgrade proved to be a complete failure. Serbia has been leading the policy of sitting on two chairs for years. He declaratively strives for EU membership, while maintaining special relations with Russia and carrying out the hegemonic project of the ‘Serbian World’. Serbia's problems, however, are deeper than Vucic's. The Serbian Orthodox Church and a large part of the intellectual elite are the main creators of the Greater Serbian ideology. This is best seen in Montenegro, which is trying to destroy the Montenegrin identity and again reduce this country to Belgrade's pendant. If the opposition in Serbia really wants European support, it must clearly and unequivocally distance itself from such a policy. The Vidovdan protest showed that the Greater Serbian idea is very much present in the ranks of the opposition, and this is what Europe cannot accept. Serbia has no place in the European Union. Until Belgrade finally renounces the Greater Serbian policy towards its neighbours, the EU's door to Serbia must remain closed.

Thank you very much to your colleague for your speech, I only have one question. How do you interpret the various speeches of politicians who are related to the opposition and the protest movement during Vidovdan, some of whom are notorious promoters of Serbian or Greater Serbian ideology, and do you think such a thing is acceptable? In other words, can an opposition in which nationalist Greater Serbian forces are clearly an important part really take Serbia to Europe? Thank you very much.

Honourable President, Islamic fundamentalism is the greatest evil of our time. From North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent to Europe, Christians, Jews and other faiths are victims of this totalitarian criminal ideology. An example of this is Israel, a state that has been fighting for survival since its founding in 1948. Let's not have illusions. Had Hamas won this war, the Israeli state would have disappeared and its people would have been wiped out. What is happening in Gaza is the sole fault of Hamas, and until it is removed, there can be no peace. The Islamist ideology represented by Hamas is genocidal and poses a risk to Europe as well. To me, gentlemen on the left, it is not normal that for Christmas long pipes must be guarded by churches in Germany or that holiday fairs must be protected by concrete blocks. Don't have illusions. If those with whom you demonstrate against Israel came to power in Europe, you progressives would be their first targets. That is why we must clearly identify ourselves against Islamism and save Europe until it is too late.

You speak about genocide all the time – you and the other colleagues from the left. My question is: are you aware of a statement signed by almost 500 legal and history scholars which, with various strong arguments, says that there is no genocide in Gaza? So, are you also aware of that, or do you just plan to not hear this because it doesn't suit your narrative?

Dear Chair, Commissioners, colleagues, the medical countermeasures strategy and the European stockpile strategy are essential to ensure that the European Union is fully prepared for future crises. These strategies mirror the idea of solidarity, one of the fundamental European values which, unfortunately, was seriously compromised at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, we witnessed the introduction of export restrictions between Member States, even for critical medical devices. We can no longer allow such situations. Building and maintaining strategic stocks of medical countermeasures, including medical devices, medicines, protective and crisis management equipment, is becoming a matter of survival in increasingly volatile geopolitical circumstances. But we have to do more. That is why I advocate the creation of a European coordination mechanism for critical medicines and medicines of common interest. As the European Parliament's rapporteur for the new Critical Medicines Act, I am working on this. There is currently no single European system providing information on the state of stocks of medicinal products in the Member States or in pharmaceutical companies where, under national law, they are required to maintain such stocks. In practice, this means that if one Member State is experiencing a shortage of a critical medicine, we do not have the possibility to quickly check if there is a surplus of that medicine elsewhere in the Union, so that we can act accordingly and deliver the medicine where needed. We have to change that. It is therefore time to establish a unified European stockpile monitoring and management platform, but also to prevent unnecessary accumulation of medicines in large Member States, while smaller countries suffer from shortages. Colleagues, the strategies and the Critical Medicines Act published today are a concrete step towards strengthening solidarity in the European Union, and we must preserve it because without solidarity there is no true European Union, and I certainly welcome the adoption of these strategies. What we lack a bit of concrete financing provisions, of course, but I hope that this part will be complemented, also in the context of the adoption of the new Multiannual Financial Framework, and I believe that with the amendments we are planning on the Critical Medicines Act, we will create one single system that will allow all Europeans to feel safe in the event of crises.

The Honourable Chair, the report on Bosnia and Herzegovina criticises the increasingly assertive separatist ideas, as well as the concept of the ‘Serbian world’, which is contrary to any form of European integration and which, unfortunately, has become a reality on the ground. However, a huge problem is Bosniak Unitarism, which today represents the greatest threat to the existence of BiH as a state of three equal peoples. The story of the civil state is just a mask for the hegemony of the most numerous people and is reflected in the further disabling of the Croatian people from electing their legitimate representative in the presidency of the state. Therefore, it is important that the report explicitly confirms the principle of constituency of the people, which is a fundamental prerequisite for long-term stability and functionality of BiH. In addition, it should be noted that the rise of antisemitism is of particular concern, especially in Bosniak majority communities, which has also led to the cancellation of the conference of European rabbis in Sarajevo. The radicalization of a part of Bosniaks is a growing problem that we must not ignore. In this context, I would like to make it clear that Croats today are the only constituent people in BiH who sincerely, without a fig in their pocket, look towards the West and the European Union. That is why we must finally give him full equality.

Dear Chair, Commissioner, colleague and colleague, the report by colleague De Mea makes it clear that 4.6 billion packages worth under €150 arrived in the EU in 2024, almost twice as much as in 2023, and consumers lost €19.3 billion buying unsafe products. The burden of unfair competition mostly affects our small and medium-sized enterprises, which comply with the rules and are a key wheel in our economy. That is why I welcome the key actions of the report: the abolition of the €150 threshold, the establishment of a customs data hub and the ‘deemed importer’ rule, which finally makes online platforms responsible for the goods they sell to European citizens. This restores the level playing field and preserves state budget revenues. We need a digital product passport to allow customs and inspectors to stop goods still at the border. The principle of proportionality must be the guiding principle so that bureaucracy does not punish exactly those we want to protect, which we have seen many times so far, unfortunately, in practice. The introduction of a single fee of €2 per package to finance joint control must be borne by global platforms, not the final customer, and serve to protect our small and medium-sized enterprises, which today pay up to 40% higher compliance costs than unfair foreign competition, for example from China. Finally, implementation is the key. We support surveillance measures, invest in manpower and technology in national customs, while preserving the primacy of Member States over border control. Colleagues, the single market must not become a wild west of e-commerce. We free our small businesses from unfair competition and allow consumers to click with confidence. Security is not a luxury, but the foundation of trust in the Europe we serve.

In 2023, the European Commission presented a new plan for pollinators with the key objective of reversing the alarming decline of wild insect pollinators in Europe. This measure is not only ecological, it is deeply strategic. Without pollinators, there is neither food safety nor a healthy environment. I support this initiative and stress the importance of protecting natural habitats and fostering biodiversity. However, the new pollinator plan must go hand in hand with a strategy for European beekeepers who fight unfair competition on a daily basis, importers of adulterated and low-quality honey from third countries, and this data is devastating. According to research, almost every second jar of honey on the European market contains counterfeit honey. Our beekeepers who produce quality natural honey cannot compete with dumping prices, undefined standards and false declarations. That is why, in the last mandate, by amending the Honey Directive, we have succeeded in prohibiting misleading labelling of honey blends and introducing an obligation to indicate the exact percentage and country of origin of each component of the honey blend. This is a major step for transparency and consumer protection, but also for the survival of our beekeepers. But we can't stop at that. We need to use trade and customs mechanisms, step up border controls, introduce stricter import controls and ask for beekeepers' interests to be included in trade agreements with third countries. Also, the new pollinator plan will not be effective without fighting the use of harmful pesticides and new genetic techniques that must not be allowed to undermine food safety and consumer health. This is why it is essential to encourage local food production and natural farming. In this regard, it is already necessary to analyse the effects of the Farm to Fork Strategy, for which I was EPP rapporteur in the IMCO Committee, and propose to complement it in the light of the challenges faced by beekeepers. Colleagues and colleagues, we protect bees, but also the interests of our beekeepers.

Under the changed geopolitical circumstances, the enlargement of the European Union has once again become topical. However, it should be made clear that the enlargement process should be viewed on a country-by-country basis and based solely on the candidate country’s ability to adopt European standards. Unfortunately, we do not see progress on this issue, but, unfortunately, we mostly see backsliding. Serbia remains the absolute largest destabilizing factor in Southeast Europe. The hegemonic policy led by Belgrade threatens the independence and sovereignty of the surrounding states and it is clear that this Serbia has no place in the European Union. Furthermore, Bosnia and Herzegovina was crucified between Bosniak Unitarism and Serbian Separatism. In this country, Croats are the only people who truly, without a fig in their pocket, look towards the European Union and the West. Montenegro and Albania, on the other hand, are the furthest off on the European path, but Montenegro is still better prepared to conclude the negotiations, although there is still a lot of work ahead of it. However, what is important to say is that the enlargement of the European Union has absolutely nothing to do with the abolition of unanimity in decision-making. The claim that enlargement is impossible without the revocation of the right of veto is simply incorrect. In 2004, when the right of veto was much more widespread, there was the largest enlargement of the European Union in history. The abolition of veto rights and the introduction of overvoting would negate the fundamental dimensions of national sovereignty, increase divisions in the European Union and threaten its very survival. Ultimately, if someone thinks that by expanding we are introducing a Trojan horse into the Union, then such an extension probably doesn't even need to happen. Europe must remain a community of free sovereign peoples, not a community where the big ones decide instead of the small ones.

Mr. Picula, it is often said that a new enlargement is impossible without institutional reforms which, among other things, would mean abolishing the right of unanimity in the Council, i.e. abolishing the right of veto for small member states. You have spoken about this topic many times, but we know that there are different views on this issue alone. For example, the President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović said that those who are in favour of the abolition of the right of veto are doing high treason or something in that sense. Can you tell me here, are you in favour of abolishing veto rights for small Member States, something that goes against their national interests, or are you in favour of small countries succeeding in protecting their rights still in the European Union? Thank you very much.

Dear President, Commissioners, colleagues, there is no competitiveness of European industry and European independence as we pay the price of energy several times more expensive than the US and China, and the supply is increasingly unstable. An indispensable part of the problem is the electricity grid in a situation where more and more renewables need to be connected to the system and more than 40% of distribution networks are over 40 years old. As far as I can see from the media, the official explanation for the power outage on the Iberian Peninsula is that unnamed classical power plants for some unknown reason did not want to switch on and stabilize the system. As much as the story of their sabotage seems inconclusive, a few conclusions can be drawn. First, relying exclusively on the wind and the sun leads to the destabilization of the grid and an energy mix is needed to prevent such situations. This energy mix must include hydropower, nuclear power and hydrogen, rather than some of these sources being decommissioned for purely ideological reasons, as is the case in Spain. Second, major investments are needed in transmission and distribution networks in the EU, close to €600 billion by 2030, integrating different parts of Europe and diversifying supply routes. This ensures reliable supply, competitive energy prices and, crucially, strategic independence from external actors.

Dear Chairman, Commissioners, colleagues of all candidate countries, Montenegro has made the most progress on its European path, but still, there are many obstacles and problems. It is extremely important that the report recognises the negative consequences that a possible extension of the way of acquiring dual citizenship can have on the existence of the Montenegrin people and statehood. I have repeatedly warned about this through amendments that I am glad to see included in the report itself. In the context of Montenegro's European path, I especially emphasize the importance of good neighbourly relations as a basis for stability in the area of Southeast Europe. That is why I welcome the report's emphasis on the importance of prosecuting war crimes, finding missing persons and ensuring fair compensation to victims of war crimes. Compensation to the victims of the Homeland War is a particularly important fundamental issue of civilization and I believe that we will soon witness its resolution. Ultimately, the condemnation of the interference of the Serbian Orthodox Church in internal processes in Montenegro confirms that the European Parliament does not close its eyes to the Greater Serbian politics coming from Belgrade, whose representatives are part of the ruling coalition and which is precisely the main problem and obstacle currently on Montenegro's European path. All in all, Montenegro still has a lot of work to do and I hope that it will find strength and clearly define itself as a part of the West, as an independent and sovereign state and become the next member of the EU.