Speeches

Dear Chair, Commissioners, colleagues, supply chain disruption and the energy crisis caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine have had a negative impact on the fertiliser market in the European Union. Nitrogen fertiliser prices have risen by as much as 149% in a year, which is why the purchase of fertilisers represents a serious financial burden for EU farmers. In addition, high fertiliser prices have a negative impact on food security, calling for a targeted coordinated European Union response aimed at strengthening support mechanisms, which will make fertilisers more affordable for European farmers. Of course, in the medium and long term, we must also look for alternatives in organic fertilisers from recycled waste streams, which is in line with the principles of the circular economy. Also, due to significantly changed political circumstances, we need a new impact assessment for the objectives we set in the Farm to Fork Strategy, which we should certainly use as an opportunity to reduce the dependence of the European Union on several global suppliers in terms of fertiliser supply. I therefore welcome the European Commission's communication on the availability and affordability of fertilisers, but at the same time call for further engagement to minimise the negative effects of the new geopolitical reality on European farmers. They are already paying too much for the wrong policies of the past. Let us not forget, therefore, that food supply is a matter of national security and that farmers play an indispensable role in this supply.

While the entire European Union is united in condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Serbia persistently refuses to align its foreign policy with the European one. So, my question is what mechanisms does the European Union have at its disposal to force Serbia to align its policy towards Russia with that of the European Union, and is the Union therefore ready to eventually stop accession negotiations with Serbia until Serbia fulfils what is necessary?

The area of South East Europe is under increasing intelligence, media and economic influence of foreign authoritarian regimes, which can destabilize the European Union itself. This is why a strong EU presence through enlargement policy is crucial for the stability of south-east Europe. However, a particular problem for the stability of the area is Serbia's policy, which persistently tries to sit on two chairs while maintaining military-economic cooperation with Russia and refusing to impose sanctions on Moscow. Serbian hegemonic politics, unfortunately, also contributes to the destabilization of neighboring countries. This is most clearly seen in Montenegro, where recently, contrary to the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the pro-Serb majority in the Parliament amended the Law on the President, thus plunging the country into an unprecedented constitutional crisis. With this in mind, and in the context of enlargement policy, what does the European Union intend to do to prevent Serbia’s interference in Montenegro’s internal affairs, and in particular the spread of the hegemonic concept of the ‘Serbian world’ in the country?

Dear Chairman, European Union law protects geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs such as the widely known Dalmatian prosciutto and the Slavonian kulen. However, European legislation does not know the legal instrument for the protection of non-food traditional products, and such Croatian cultural heritage is full. In addition to diverging national rules on the protection of non-food products, the fact that there is no cross-border system for the mutual recognition of national protection systems in the internal market is an additional problem. Pag lace, Šibenik botun or Slavonian gold embroidery are just some of the traditional gems of our region whose technique of making has been carefully preserved and passed down from generation to generation. For too long, traditional food products have been unprotected, so it is high time that European legislation recognises the value of our cultural heritage and protects the valuable work of the local population from counterfeits from third countries. I therefore welcome the European Commission's proposal on the protection of geographical indications for craft industrial products and call on the Council and the European Parliament to agree positions as soon as possible to ensure that no one benefits from traditional production.

Dear President, colleagues, fisheries are part of the identity of many European countries. In Croatia, the country from which I come, it has been present since ancient times. A thousand-year-old fishing tradition is an indispensable part of Mediterranean life, and over time it has become part of the rich tourist offer. Unfortunately, many of the problems faced by fishermen, especially in small-scale and coastal fisheries, have only worsened due to unstable geopolitical circumstances. The fact is that fishing workers have low incomes and work in difficult and often precarious conditions, while increasing operating costs make fishing less attractive, especially for young people. A particular problem for fishermen is the rise in the price of blue diesel, which has a direct impact on their operating costs and fish prices. This is why specific fast-track forms of support to fishers are important, including subsidies and the preservation of the fuel tax exemption, but also aid for the storage, freezing and cooling of fish. In addition, when it comes to small-scale fishing, it should be noted that the average age of the fishing fleet is 32.5 years, which leads to an increase in labour costs and reduces competitiveness in fisheries. In this regard, it is essential that the European Commission envisages additional support that can address these challenges. Therefore, I support this report. I believe that as a strategic activity and part of our identity, we can preserve fisheries for generations to come.

Dear Chairman, recent decisions by High Representative Schmidt have allowed legitimate representatives of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in the executive. However, in the context of today's debate, we must clearly say that the stability of the European neighbourhood is possible only with a systematic reform of BiH's electoral legislation, which will ensure the equality of all three constituent peoples by the end. It is unacceptable that a disgraceful figure like Željko Komšić still sits on the BiH Presidency. I therefore call on the European Union to use all the tools at its disposal to complete the necessary reform of the electoral legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the latest EU candidate country. In addition, as a Member coming from one of the smaller Member States, I would like to stress the need to maintain unanimity in decision-making in the Council in matters of common foreign and security policy. A stand-alone foreign policy constitutes a fundamental dimension of national sovereignty and a guarantee of the protection of national interests and cannot be replaced by a decision based on over-voting.

While Europe is struggling with high inflation rates, the energy crisis and disruptions in food supply chains, the health systems of the Member States are under increasing strain due to the rise in respiratory infections. In addition, the shortage of medicines further aggravates the health situation. In addition to the lack of the active substance paracetamol, information that patients are finding it increasingly difficult to reach antibiotics, but also, for example, medicines used to treat breast cancer, is of particular concern. In such circumstances, it is more important than ever to insist on the creation of a European Health Union that will be able to respond to the challenges of shortages through a common policy. The European Union must provide much more financial support to Member States to combat the shortage of health workers. In addition, with a targeted industrial policy, we need to bring back to Europe the production of critical medicines such as antibiotics, the lack of which is a growing problem, as their production today is simply unprofitable. In short, much stronger incentives and support are needed for the production of medicines in the EU than we have now. The protection of the health of European citizens must not depend on third countries as is the case today.

On an annual basis, the video game market in the European Union is worth more than €23 billion, with a steady upward trend conducive to the creation of high-paid jobs. The fact is that video games are played by people of all ages, however, a particularly vulnerable group among them are children who often develop addiction to video games and we need to further protect them. In this regard, I stress the importance of developing mechanisms for parental control of children’s access to video games and the communication that children make when playing games. That is why I call on the European Commission to present a European video game strategy that realises the full potential of this sector with a particular focus on child safety. This strategy should distinguish between video games and games of chance, with a further duty for Member States to create a safe environment for consumers also in the area of games of chance. It is time to harness the potential of the video game industry, but at the same time ensure the protection of the most vulnerable - children.

–. Mr President, colleagues, the Single Market is one of the greatest achievements of the European Union and an area in which it has the greatest opportunities to act. It is thanks to the Single Market that European citizens can move, study, hire and do business freely in different Member States. In doing so, it creates 56 million jobs and generates a large percentage of European GDP. Today, citizens can make phone calls in the European Union without fear of high bills, recognition of their qualifications makes it easier for them to work in the Member States, and they will soon be able to use a common charger. However, despite the many benefits that the Single Market brings, it is often unjustifiably neglected and taken for granted, including in the European Parliament. This is why commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of its creation is a great opportunity to make the Single Market a truly political priority. In fundamentally changed circumstances, we need to work diligently to remove remaining bureaucratic barriers, while ensuring the highest level of consumer protection. Whether it's food labelling, protection against unjustified price hikes or current account minuses. I also strongly welcome the European Commission's proposal to create an emergency instrument. The free movement of people, goods and capital services must also work in times of crisis if we do not want European integration to collapse and the continent to sink into chaos. The success of the Single Market is the key to Europe's competitiveness in global competition and the guarantee of maintaining the standard of living of European citizens.

–The Honourable Chair, Commissioners, Rapporteurs, Colleagues, since the adoption of the current Multiannual Financial Framework, the political, economic and social context has changed beyond recognition, ranging from the unprecedented scale and dramatic consequences of the pandemic, which is not yet over, to the war in Ukraine and the enormous rise in prices. We can freely say that the current MFF is burdened to the limit and cannot be used to respond to challenges. For this reason, we need to start seriously thinking about the revision of the MFF, as the usual approach is far from sufficient to address a number of emerging challenges. I therefore welcome the fact that the report calls on the Commission to put forward a proposal for a comprehensive and ambitious revision of the MFF. As far as cohesion policy is concerned, it is increasingly being used to strengthen other policies and address shortcomings in budgetary flexibility or crisis response mechanisms within the MFF. In this context, while crisis response measures are necessary and useful, cohesion policy must not be a crisis response tool. The existing possibility to transfer resources from cohesion policy funds to other EU instruments of up to 5% of the initial allocation provides sufficient flexibility, but this should remain and not increase this threshold. It is also particularly important that the revision of the MFF does not lead to a reduction in the amount of pre-allocated national envelopes or EU programmes. Cohesion policy funding must continue to serve primarily its main objective: reducing disparities in development between the various regions of the European Union.

–The Honourable Chair, Commissioners, colleagues, frequent external interferences in democratic processes in Europe aim to undermine fundamental values and destabilise European society. One of the most obvious examples is the amendment of the law on the president, which anti-European, pro-Serbian and pro-Russian forces want to use to unconstitutionally come to power in Montenegro, a candidate country for EU membership. Unfortunately, contrary to the recommendations of the Venice Commission, by voting on the law in the Parliament of Montenegro, this country fell into an unprecedented constitutional and legal crisis. There was therefore no choice but to cancel the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee meeting scheduled for this week in Strasbourg. The area of Southeast Europe is under increasing intelligence, media and economic influence of foreign authoritarian regimes, which can destabilize the European Union itself. A particular problem is Serbia's policy of persistently trying to sit on two chairs, maintaining military and economic co-operation with Russia and refusing to impose sanctions on Moscow. Serbian pro-Russian and hegemonic policies, unfortunately, also contribute to the destabilization of neighbouring countries and the entire Western Balkans. That is why it is now more important for the European Union than ever to engage more actively in political processes in this part of Europe, as the consequences of our passivity could be devastating.

–The Honourable Chair, Commissioners, Colleagues, inflation which is fundamentally driven by the energy crisis and supply chain disruptions due to the war in Ukraine have had a major impact on the purchasing power of citizens in the European Union. For the same amount of money, consumers in the EU today can buy 10% fewer items than in the same period last year. One of the causes of the energy crisis is the wrong political decisions of states that decided ten years ago to replace cheap and reliable nuclear energy with Russian gas, and this should be clearly stated. In such circumstances, it is precisely the diversification of energy sources, with the construction of the LNG terminal, that has proved to be one of the solutions. Also, as a medium-term solution, it is necessary to strengthen joint procurement of energy products on the world market. However, as a long-term solution, it is necessary to fully build a single European energy market under strict supervision in order to prevent speculation. Only an energy-built Europe can provide certainty for citizens and businesses in times of crisis.

Last week, the Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted a unanimous political decision on Croatia's accession to Schengen. As of 1 January 2023, Croatia has thus become a full member of the area of freedom of movement, unprecedented in the world, which is one of the symbols of the European integration project. Less than ten years after joining the European Union, Croatia, as a member of Schengen and the eurozone, becomes fully European integrated. This will benefit all Croatian citizens, especially exporters, tourism workers and those who live in border areas and often cross the border. For Croatia and its citizens, this is also the realization of the strategic interest of full membership of Europe and the West. Thanks to the great effort of the Croatian government, Croatia successfully fulfilled 281 recommendations in eight areas in the most comprehensive and detailed evaluation. However, the process of strengthening the Schengen area must go further. We must not forget Romania and Bulgaria. That is why I take this opportunity to express my full support for the accession of these two countries to Schengen.

After more than a year since the Taliban's return to power, it is evident that the lives of ordinary Afghans have deteriorated greatly, which was to be expected. Militant Islamists rule the country through violence and bans and persecution of minorities, especially Hazara and Christians. The Taliban regime is massively violating human rights, in particular women's rights. Young girls are prohibited from high school education. It should be said openly that the current situation in Afghanistan represents a catastrophic military and geopolitical defeat for the West. In the period after 2001. NATO relied mainly on completely incompetent and corrupt domestic personnel, which necessarily led to an accelerated collapse of the government with the withdrawal of allied forces. Today, Afghanistan is a source of instability, a starting point for illegal migration to Europe, which is a huge security problem. The influence of China and Russia in Central Asia has strengthened, weakened here from the West. The European Union needs to define more clearly its own priorities in this part of the world and engage more specifically in alliances with countries with which it shares a common interest. Otherwise, he will remain the foreign policy dwarf he is today.

Dear Chairman, we are witnessing the fact that migrants frequently abuse the right to asylum in order to circumvent the regular procedure and thus reach the territory of the European Union. An effective and safe European migration policy must therefore ensure a practical distinction between international refugee status and migrant status. The European Union cannot and should not admit to its territory anyone who wishes to do so simply because the quality of life in Europe is higher than in the country from which it comes. Under these circumstances, it is crucial to stop irregular migration and strengthen the protection of the Schengen area. In this regard, I would like to commend the Croatian police, which, in accordance with European and international law, guards the longest land border of the European Union. Croatia has met the strictest criteria and its entry into Schengen guarantees the protection of the EU's external borders and the effective fight against illegal migration. That is why I call on the Council to take a political decision in December on Croatia’s entry into the Schengen area. She deserved it!

The enlargement process of the European Union is stalled due to the lack of political will on the part of individual EU Member States. The main reason for this is that some candidate countries, such as Serbia, have taken several major steps backwards in the European sense. Repetitive tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, Serbian non-alignment with Union sanctions against Russia, mass migrant leaks to the EU indicate that Serbia is the main factor of instability in the area of Southeast Europe. For this reason, the Union must make greater use of its own economic and political instruments to sanction Serbia if it continues to act contrary to European values. Related to this is the example of Montenegro, which is destabilized by those political forces that want to bring it back under the auspices of Serbia and Russia. We must strongly oppose this, keep Montenegro in the western sphere of influence, which is currently in great danger. In conclusion, we welcome the decision of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Schmidt, to prevent the expulsion of legitimate representatives of the Croatian people from the executive. I hope that after the formation of the new government, the final part of the electoral reform will be approached in order to prevent the usurpation of the Croatian seat in the BiH presidency by extremist Bosniak politicians, which is currently the case.

In the European Union, one in ten adults suffers from diabetes and treatment-related costs amount to 9% of total healthcare costs. Another worrying fact is that as many as half of the patients do not have a diagnosis that is crucial for proper treatment. In this context, I welcome the European Commission's Healthy Together Initiative to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases". However, we need an even more ambitious framework to tackle diabetes. That is why I call for a European Diabetes Plan with well-defined objectives, regulatory measures, indicators and strong funding along the lines of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Only in this way can Europe beat diabetes, a disease that 170,000 children are struggling with in the European Union. Finally, I would like to stress the importance of establishing a European Health Data Space to successfully tackle diabetes, but also other diseases. As a European Parliament rapporteur, I am proud to work already on this file, which will enable the exchange and access to health data both for the purpose of direct treatment and for the purpose of research and development of new forms of treatment for this serious disease.

The European Union, as one of the most desirable destinations for foreign direct investment, is open to foreign capital. However, this openness is not and must not be unconditional. The Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation (FDI Screening Regulation) and regulations restricting the possibilities to dispose of Russian-owned assets are in place. Surprisingly, the news is that 43% of the shares in the company of systemic importance for Croatia were allegedly taken over by an investor from a third country, without any competent authority being aware of it. The importance of this company for the Croatian economy is manifested in the fact that it employs more than 45 thousand people and manages important agricultural land. Given that the acquisition took place without any knowledge of the competent authorities, the question arises as to whether the EU legal framework is sufficient to ensure the safety of European assets. I therefore call on the Commission to consider further mechanisms to ensure that companies of systemic importance are protected from suspicious and uncontrolled acquisitions.

Dear Chairman, less than ten years after joining the European Union, Croatia is on the threshold of full European integration. Entering the Schengen area for Croatia and its citizens represents the achievement of the strategic interest of full membership of Europe and the West. The multi-year efforts made by the Croatian government resulted in the fulfilment of the technical criteria for entry into the Schengen area, which was also established by the Council last year. This confirms that Croatia protects the longest external border of the Union from illegal migration in the best possible way in accordance with European and international law. Those who claim otherwise only deceive the public for their own petty political interests. It is important that the European Parliament overwhelmingly supports Croatia's accession to Schengen. And that's why I thank the reporter for the enormous effort he has made to make that happen. In conclusion, I would point out that joining the Schengen area is in the interest of both Croatia itself and the entire European Union.

A strong presence of the European Union is essential for the stability of south-east Europe. It therefore encourages that the European Commission has conditionally recommended the status of candidate for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this regard, I welcome the decisions of High Representative Schmidt, which imposed changes to the electoral legislation and the Constitution of the Federation of BiH. However, the systematic reform of the electoral legislation, which will ensure the equality of the Croatian people by the end, has yet to follow and the dynamics of BiH's European integration will depend on it. It is unacceptable that Bosniaks continue to elect a false Croatian representative to the BiH Presidency. Željko Komšić is a political and moral shame for Europe, and I believe that at the end of this mandate he deservedly goes to the ropotarnica of history. On the other hand, in Serbia there is a visible backsliding in the European process, which is best reflected in the hegemonic concept of the Serbian world, especially in relation to Montenegro, as well as the fickle politics towards Russia. Until Serbia is clearly determined whether it belongs to the political, cultural and civilizational West, there is no place for it in the European Union.

The European Union is currently facing extremely complex challenges, such as high energy prices, high inflation, questionable economic growth and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. Science and research play a key role in stimulating future growth and strengthening the crisis resilience of the European Union and its economy. The only way for Europe to remain competitive in the global market in these difficult circumstances is to invest more in innovation, especially those related to digitalisation, where we certainly cannot compete with China and other global players at low prices. As a result, any reduction of the budget for Horizon Europe is not acceptable. Also, cohesion and agricultural policies cannot be the main source of funding for urgent priorities in the coming year because they undermine the implementation of long-term objectives. Support for rural areas and less developed regions must remain one of the main priorities in line with the true objectives of cohesion and the CAP. There is and will be no single Europe where some are twice as rich as others, have access to top-quality health, education and other public services, and others do not. In the end, I especially emphasize health as one of the priorities that should not be spared. In doing so, it is particularly important to strengthen long-term investment in ERNs. They represent a huge step forward in making world-class healthcare available to all EU citizens, regardless of the country or region in which they live. This is how we invest and lay the foundations for a real European Health Union.

Dear Chair, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed structural shortcomings that make it difficult to respond to crises in a swift, efficient and coordinated manner. Let us remember only the scene of empty shelves in stores from the beginning of the pandemic. We want to avoid such scenarios in the future. It is therefore important that the Commission presents the long-awaited instrument that guarantees the functioning of the Single Market in crisis situations. Activating it will prohibit Member States from imposing restrictions on exports of products to other Member States. Unfortunately, the Commission has provided for exemptions from the application of this Regulation for medical devices and medical countermeasures, which does not contribute to building a resilient single market in a crisis situation. Let us remember that Member States where the production of protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, is concentrated have restricted the export of protective equipment to other countries at the beginning of the pandemic, causing a shortage of protective equipment, and we want to avoid such situations. I therefore call on the Council and the Parliament to also include in their negotiating framework the application of the regulation to medical devices and countermeasures. Solidarity between Member States must never be called into question again.

In addition to a public health threat of unprecedented proportions, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the fragility of the health systems of the Member States, caused a chain closure of borders and a decline in economic activity in the European Union. It should be made clear that there were mistakes at the beginning of the pandemic and condemn the behaviour of some countries that imposed restrictions on the export of medical equipment to other Member States when they needed it most. This shows us just how much a common European response to future health crises is needed. Member States, especially smaller ones that do not have their own pharmaceutical industry, cannot fight a pandemic of this magnitude on their own, without joint procurement of vaccines and medical equipment. With all the difficulties, the joint procurement of vaccines is a success, as smaller and economically less developed Member States that do not have production on their territory have access to vaccines at the same time as larger and richer Member States. This demonstrates once again how important European solidarity is. All EU citizens must have equal protection against all health threats and access to the same care and treatment regardless of the country they live in. The experience of the pandemic has shown us that it is crucial to: ensure the monitoring, scientific analysis and coordination of Member States’ actions, reserve and distribute medical countermeasures fairly, and ensure the free movement of critical products in times of crisis, as well as enable better quality and more resilient health systems. We must continue to build a strong European Health Union where all Member States coordinate with each other, prepare together, respond to this and future public health crises.

The Schengen area is one of the most important achievements of the European Union. It is therefore important to preserve its integrity, especially against the increasing irregular migration and abuses of the right to asylum by economic migrants who are not entitled to it. Bulgaria and Romania carry out this mining work, guarding the EU border. They have met all the conditions for a long time and therefore deserve to be part of Schengen. In addition, I must look back at the repeated lies expressed in this room at the expense of Croatia. The multi-annual efforts carried out by the Croatian government resulted in the fulfilment of the technical criteria for entry into the Schengen area in 2019. This confirms that Croatia protects the longest external border of the EU from illegal migration in the best possible way, in accordance with European and international law. Those who claim otherwise are persistently deceiving the public for their own petty political interests. Croatia's entry into Schengen is in the interest of the entire European Union and this must be highlighted here once again.

–Thank you for your answer. Demography has security, social and economic aspects in it, and I believe it should be a fundamental cornerstone for all European Union policies, including cohesion policy. I urge Member States and regional authorities to use cohesion policy instruments to the greatest extent possible to address demographic challenges, and in particular to promote the concept of smart villages and other programmes in order to retain the population and attract young people in rural areas. Question: "Is the Commission satisfied with the application and spread of the concept of smart villages? Is the Commission considering promoting smart villages to prevent depopulation?’