What Viola spoke about.

16 Oct

2023

DE Speech

Establishing the Ukraine Facility (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! As someone once rightly said: Russia is actually a gas station posing as a supermarket. For far too long, the world has fallen for the myth of Russian military power. Hopefully this will end soon. For 600 days, the brave Ukrainians have been defending their country in Putin’s ‘three-day war’. They gradually liberate – and above all their sea access…

16 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

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Madam President, colleagues, the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, stood here five months ago, making a strong case for her country’s European future. President Zourabichvili does what the Georgian Government refuses to do: to bring her country closer to the EU. The president – who just like her people, is European through and through – strictly follows Article 78 of the Georgian Constit…

3 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Uzbekistan (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, with its young, hard-working population, natural resources and rich history, Uzbekistan has everything it needs to become Central Asia’s success story. However, its people are struggling, its resources and land are eroding, and China and Russia – its autocratic neighbours – have turned it into their personal playground. The EU cannot decide to engage in…

3 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, Council, dear colleagues, the brutal attack on Kosovo police in Banjska is a stark reminder that we cannot take peace for granted in the Western Balkans. The shot at the police officer on duty, Afrim Bunjaku, was a shot at peace, a shot at security, a shot at the normal life in the north of Kosovo. We must clearly condemn such act of violence and call for the perpetrato…

3 Oct

2023

DE Speech

Taking stock of Moldova's path to the EU (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, representatives of the Council, ladies and gentlemen! First, an overdue reminder: Putin has not abandoned his original plan to take Ukraine completely and then invade Moldova. This is what his propagandists and allies in Belarus tell us, and this is shown by his actions. That is why we must remain vigilant. The Kremlin's script is as macabre as it is predictable: If you…

3 Oct

2023

DE Speech

Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia (debate)

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Mr President! More than 100,000 Armenians, exhausted and starving, have now left their homes. This is almost the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh. How often will the world say: "Never again!" and then turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing in our neighbourhood on the edge of Europe? To say that we cannot do anything because it is Azerbaijani territory is to ignore the suffering of innocents. To…

14 Sep

2023

DE Speech

Violence and discrimination in the world of sports after the FIFA Women’s World Cup (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! No means no. Ursula von der Leyen also stressed this in her State of the Union address yesterday. When Luis Rubiales kissed soccer player Jennifer Hermoso in front of running cameras, she had no chance to say no. In 2021, thousands of athletes said they had experienced violence as minors in sports. They weren't old enough to say yes. Almost alwa…

13 Sep

2023

EN Speech

The case of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, imprisoned in Azerbaijan

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Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, imagine a European country on the edge of this continent, placed between the highest mountains and the vastest lake, endowed with talented people and blessed with natural resources. The country whose constitution proudly states in Article 24: ‘Human dignity is protected and respected’. Now imagine the same country ruled by an autocrat who brutally su…

12 Sep

2023

EN Speech

Relations with Belarus (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, exactly three years ago, Masha Kalesnikava was arrested by Lukashenko when she tore up her passport and refused to leave Belarus. For more than seven months, Masha’s whereabouts remained unknown. Maksim Znak, Ihar Losik and many other political prisoners have also disappeared without trace. Lukashenko’s Belarus has now over 1 500 political prisoners …

12 Sep

2023

DE Speech

Ukrainian grain exports after Russia’s exit from the Black Sea Grain Initiative (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Russia has withdrawn from the grain agreement, bombing Ukrainian silos and threatening to sink any ship in Ukrainian waters. Russia is and will remain a terrorist state. His daily attacks do not surprise me. What surprises me is the lack of solidarity of some EU members to help Ukraine and prevent a global famine. Those who say yes to solidarity…

12 Jul

2023

EN Speech

Crackdown on the media and freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan

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Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, in 1991, Kyrgyzstan is newly independent with a vibrant civil society and free media. It is the most democratic state in Central Asia, but it is not 1991 – it is 2023. Today, democratic standards and human rights have deteriorated. Journalists are illegally arrested and expelled, and freedom of media and expression are suppressed. The so—called ‘false i…

12 Jul

2023

DE Speech

Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption (debate)

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Madam President, Vice-President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen! The EU is only as strong as its weakest institution, and nothing weakens our institutions more than corruption and infiltration by foreign actors. These can be states, but also interest groups or individuals who want to manipulate us. Just because Qatar has been caught here does not mean that many others do not want to harm d…

11 Jul

2023

DE Speech

Financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report 2022 - Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank - annual report 2022 (joint debate - European Investment Bank)

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Mr President! Mr President Hoyer, thank you very much again from my side! After all that we've heard here, that was really exclusively or almost overwhelmingly positive about your personal work, but also about how you set up the bank. We have discussed all the problems here, and it seems that you have worked your way through the crises, and that you have not perished with the crises, and that is n…

11 Jul

2023

EN Speech

Financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report 2022 - Control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank - annual report 2022 (joint debate - European Investment Bank)

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Madam President, President Hoyer, Commissioner, dear Colleagues, as the rapporteur for the annual report on the control of the financial activities of the EIB for the year 2022, I can say it was indeed an important and very challenging year. Thank you to the Secretariat and my shadow rapporteurs for their cooperation. I also look forward to continue working with the EIB. The EIB annual report focu…

15 Jun

2023

DE Speech

Ukraine’s accession to the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (debate)

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Madam President, Once again, this House reaffirms its solidarity with Ukraine and its full support for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The fact that all political groups have unanimously agreed on this text, which supports Ukraine's accession to the Convention on Recognition and Enforcement, is a clear indication of this. Ukraine has also demonstrated its commitment to EU …

13 Jun

2023

DE Speech

Humanitarian and environmental consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam - Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community (debate)

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. Russia is and will remain a terrorist state. Mass executions in Butscha, bombing of maternity clinics in Mariupol, burning down entire cities, child abduction thousands of times. We expect nothing but atrocities from Putin's regime, but even that expectation exceeds it every time. The blasting of the Kachowka Dam is another new low point of the murderous tyrant.…

1 Jun

2023

EN Speech

Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation - Election integrity and resilience build-up towards European elections 2024 (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, first I would like to thank our rapporteur, Sandra Kalniete, for her overall very good cooperation. Over a year ago, I stood right here praising the report that should have become the EU blueprint for combating disinformation. The fact that we needed a second report to reiterate says everything. Playing catch-up during a huge digital transformation risks …

10 May

2023

EN Speech

Belarus: the inhumane treatment and hospitalisation of prominent opposition leader Viktar Babaryka

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Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. The opening line of Viktar Babaryka’s presidential campaign in 2020 was ‘We don’t choose the time we live in, but we can choose our own path’. For this path, along with millions of brave Belarusians, Babaryka has chosen a free Belarus, a country where everyone is respected and has a freedom to build their own life stories. He himself was a boy with a poor si…

10 May

2023

DE Speech

Ukrainian cereals on the European market (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! I fully understand President Zelensky's anger. Those who say yes to solidarity with Ukraine must also say no to the ongoing blackmail by Russia. And that's clear: We must do everything we can to help Ukraine export its grain. It has been part of Russia's warfare from the outset to eliminate Ukraine as a major global grain supplier. This was due …

9 May

2023

DE Speech

2022 Report on Kosovo (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! This was a very lively and very stimulating debate, and I think it is significant that today on Europe Day we are talking about the most pro-European country on the European continent. It is good that we are critical of the country, even if Mrs Daly does not see it that way. But Kosovo really deserves all our support, and that is why it is impor…

9 May

2023

EN Speech

2022 Report on Kosovo (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues and dear citizens of Kosovo, I am very much honoured to present this year’s European Parliament report that looks at the reforms and achievements of Kosovo and the reforms which are accomplished. I was giving these speeches on Kosovo reports every year since 2019, hoping I can finally say ‘happy freedom of movement’. It is not a request or hope anymore; it…

9 May

2023

EN Speech

2022 Report on Serbia (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, let me also start with paying homage to all the innocent victims of the recent mass shootings that have profoundly shaken us all. It is indeed unprecedented in Serbia’s history, and we all feel terribly saddened by that. The EU stands with you in this difficult moment, and I am convinced that the government will ensure that every person can feel safe and …

9 May

2023

EN Speech

Discharge 2021 (continuation of debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, President of the European Court of Auditors, the 2021 Commission discharge was a special one, as we start looking for the first time at how one EU Member State spends its Recovery and Resilience Fund. Despite the volume of the discharge, as we look at the spending of EUR 170 billion, it is more a dialogue of the deaf rather than a constructive exchange. E…

19 Apr

2023

DE Speech

Repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny

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Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, There are not many people in Russia who are publicly critical of the war, who name the facts and, above all, who declare their solidarity with Ukraine. Vladimir Kara-Mursa is one of those few. He is a special politician and publicist who has shown extraordinary courage, but not only that. He has given up his relatively safe and comfortable life …

19 Apr

2023

DE Speech

Children forcibly deported from Ukraine and the ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Genocide is defined as the violent transfer of children from one group to another. Russia has displaced more than half of Ukraine's children and killed many. Those who managed to escape the missiles, but did not escape Putin's killers, were taken hostage and forcibly deported to Russia. Some were released to forced adoptions as if they were a troph…