What Sergey spoke about.

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The relations of the Russian government and diplomatic network with parties of extremist, populist, anti-European and certain other European political parties in the context of the war (debate)

Madam President, here is the latest war news: in the middle of aggression and genocide, a leader of the extreme right in Italy has been meeting with the Russian ambassador four or five times in recent times. What for? To discuss what? This is not the first time that the extreme right is cooperating and doing business with Russia. The name is Konstantin Malofeev. He is a Russian billionaire who has…

7

Jun

2022

DE Speech

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The rule of law and the potential approval of the Polish national Recovery Plan (RRF) (debate)

Madam President, Mr Vice-President. We are grateful to the Polish citizens for their support of the Ukrainian refugees. These are lived solidarity and European values. But European values are not just a culture of welcome. What does our gratitude bring to the people of Poland when they have to fear that judges who are intimidated will judge them? That's a simple question. Should Polish citizens be…

6

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Turkey (debate)

Madam President, Mr Commissioner, dear rapporteur, dear colleagues, it’s the same procedure as every year – almost every year – and honestly, this procedure is getting more and more tiring. Every year we speak about human rights, democracy, about the situation in south—eastern Turkey, about Cyprus, about Greece. And even those of us who are most open towards European perspectives for Turkey are ge…

19

May

2022

EN Speech

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The fight against impunity for war crimes in Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, I say to our Ukrainian friends, first and foremost, we owe you our support in fighting back against this war of aggression. That’s why military deliveries are necessary to fight back and to push back. But in cases of murder, rape, torture, ‘fighting back’ means for families of victims, for survivors and also the fact that the perpetrators must be brought to justice. This is why it is…

4

May

2022

EN Speech

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The case of Osman Kavala in Turkey

Mr President, what did Osman Kavala do? He lived his life of a free man. He dedicated his work to promoting culture, civil rights, diversity – no more than that. What did the architect Mücella Yapıcı do? What did the lawyer Can Atalay do? And the city planner Tayfun Kahraman? And director of the Boğaziçi European School of Politics, Ali Hakan Altınay, a good friend? And what about the founder of I…

6

Apr

2022

DE Speech

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Increasing repression in Russia, including the case of Alexey Navalny

Mr President! Ladies and gentlemen, this resolution is a sign – a sign that we are looking closely at how the Russian government is waging not only a criminal war against Ukraine, but also a campaign against the remnants of its own civil society. This resolution is a message, a message to the many artists, journalists and activists who come to us because they can no longer live safely at home. It …

6

Apr

2022

DE Speech

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Data Governance Act (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the rapporteur-in-chief, Mrs Niebler, for the good, trusting cooperation. And this cooperation between industry experts on the one hand and civil rights activists and data protection activists on the other hand is more necessary than ever today. Because Europe needs data for innovation, for research, for development…

8

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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The deterioration of the situation of refugees as a consequence of the Russian aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, when I volunteered in a large registration facility in Berlin-Reinickendorf last Sunday, I saw the scars of war. Those were people, but they looked like scars. I saw the eyes of young women and old babushka holding their grandchildren, looking lost in the cold and grateful for a cup of warm soup and shelter in the container. Just two weeks ago, they had been happy. There were fami…

7

Mar

2022

DE Speech

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Shrinking space for civil society in Europe (debate)

(start of speech with microphone switched off) ... for weeks: What are you afraid of? What is the Bulgarian government afraid of if it wants to ban a renowned human rights organization, the Helsinki Group? What is the Cypriot government afraid of when it bans a well-known anti-racism organization? What is the Orbán government afraid of when it bans organisations simply because they – these organis…

1

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Russian aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, Slava Ukraini! We did not ask for this confrontation. Ukrainians did not ask for this confrontation. Ukrainians didn’t spread hate. Ukrainians didn’t dream of empires. Ukrainians did not dictate their neighbours what policies to follow and which alliances to join. Ukrainians did not occupy, did not annex and did not blackmail. Those actions came from Moscow, and my heart is bleeding …

16

Feb

2022

DE Speech

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The Rule of Law and the consequences of the ECJ ruling (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, dear representatives of the Commission and the Council! Today's ruling of the European Court of Justice was incredibly important for all of us. Important because the court stated in detail: The commitment to European values does not cease with accession to the EU. The verdict was incredibly important because it refutes what some government officials keep repe…

16

Feb

2022

EN Speech

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EU-Russia relations, European security and Russia’s military threat against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, the one positive thing about this week is that we are talking, but history will judge us only if we think beyond short-term. Yes, in the short-term, we have to overcome the current crisis and talking and negotiating, especially the tough negotiations that we are experiencing is a great, great step forward. But what about the mid-term? How do we make sure that we have a sustainable so…

15

Feb

2022

EN Speech

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A statute for European cross-border associations and non-profit organisations (debate)

– Mr President, I wish to thank my colleagues, regardless of their positions and affiliations, and I also thank the Vice—President for taking this issue seriously – there is no doubt about that. I would like to go back to what Mr Manders said, in a very eloquent way. He asked what it is about, what we are discussing here. The litmus test about what it is comes from our ID and ECR colleagues – unfo…

15

Feb

2022

DE Speech

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A statute for European cross-border associations and non-profit organisations (debate)

Mr President! An American constitutional judge stated in the 19th century: Law and law are what creates, protects and holds a society together. They are the essence of every civil society. Ladies and gentlemen, dear Vice-President! Today, together, we all have the opportunity to create the essence of our European civil society: a legal basis, minimum standards for its operation, a secure legal for…

19

Jan

2022

EN Speech

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Situation in Kazakhstan

Mr President, congratulations on your new function. First and foremost, let me, let us, express our condolences to those Kazakh people who suffered during the recent crisis. When I see the crowds looking for the bodies of their loved ones, my heart weeps tears. When I see the demolished streets of Almaty, hear the voices of people who are scared, my heart weeps tears. So, we must express our solid…

16

Dec

2021

DE Speech

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Continuous crackdown on civil society and human rights defenders in Russia: the case of human rights organisation Memorial

Madam President, I don't want to speak instead of Memorial, I prefer to use the words of Memorial founder Andrei Sakharov. He said at the founding: “The only thing that can heal our people is the undiscovered truth.” There are many victims of the new Russian government policy in Russia – some are people, others are organisations. But the biggest victim, the most important target of the attacks is …

14

Dec

2021

DE Speech

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Situation at the Ukrainian border and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, I have prepared a speech, but I will not use it now, I will react to the circus that took place here. It was juggled, it was juggled with fake facts. The great defender of democracy Mariani from our ‘loved’ group talks about referenda in Crimea. How democratic were the green men and Russian mercenaries in Ukraine? The great peacemaker Mariani speaks of the Minsk agreement. Excuse …

13

Dec

2021

DE Speech

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The 30th anniversary of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its importance for the future of Russia and Europe (debate)

Mr President! Dear friends, dear friends! Yesterday I was able to see a recent documentary by the Russian director Witali Manski. The film shows the everyday life of an aged, sick Mikhail Gorbachev. Aged, sick, but still convinced that it was right for the Soviet Union, that it was right for Russia to choose democracy and against violence to save the unity of the Soviet Union. At that time, I pers…

24

Nov

2021

DE Speech

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Fundamental rights and the rule of law in Slovenia, in particular the delayed nomination of EPPO prosecutors (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister! The days are long gone when it was natural for everyone in the EU to stand for democracy. The speed at which we see anti-democratic developments in Poland and Hungary is breathtaking. And it's no wonder that we're looking closely at what's been happening in Ljubljana for months and years. The example of Hungary and Poland must not go to school. And it is good …

21

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The proposal to build a ‘single market for philanthropy’ (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, it’s a great pleasure to talk to you on this topic. I am, as some of you know, rapporteur of the Committee on Legal Affairs on European associations and non—profits, and it’s of special urgency and special importance for me to address this topic. Why? – and I think that the chairing President also shares this view and shares this concern and perspective – because if …

19

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The Rule of law crisis in Poland and the primacy of EU law (debate)

Mr President, I am a huge fan of Poland. Just recently, I travelled in my constituency in Brandenburg, the constituency of Ska Keller as well, along the Polish border and looked at cross-border cooperation. I can’t wait until we in my hometown of Berlin get a memorial for the victims of Nazis who were Polish. I work tirelessly with your colleagues here in the Parliament to strengthen us, as the Eu…

5

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression (debate)

Mr President, just a couple of years ago, we thought we were living in the age of authoritarians. Now we know better. We live in the age of heroes. The Belarusians, the Russians and the Turks have proved to us that heroes are amongst us, the heroes of our times. But calling them heroes alone will not help them much. It will not save their lives and will not bring them back their freedom. The Europ…

4

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The impact of intimate partner violence and custody rights on women and children (debate)

Mr President, gender violence has dramatically increased as the lockdown measures have been lifted. So has the level of stupidity, dehumanisation and instrumentalisation that we heard from the right-wing parties here today, from the AfD and from Fidesz. In many countries like Spain and Germany, the number of fatal incidents has risen. One in two women in the EU have experienced sexual violence. Wh…

14

Sep

2021

DE Speech

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Direction of EU-Russia political relations (debate)

Mr President, today we are finalising Parliament's report on Russia. It's not just one document among many. Our European political capacity is decisive in dealing with Moscow. So far, the government in the Kremlin has managed all too well to play us off against each other. My own government in Berlin is the best example of this: The latest agreement with the Americans Nord Stream 2 – over the head…

7

Jul

2021

DE Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 24-25 June 2021 (debate)

Madam President, This European Council has once again demonstrated the ambivalence of European domestic and foreign policy. On the one hand, we have seen clear signals towards Minsk. Here we need more creative solutions, including solutions that help people who have to flee to us. On the other hand, we have also seen that the cold geostrategy vis-à-vis Turkey prevails over the values we represent.…