Speeches

Madam President, Dear colleagues, I think many of us felt the same way when we heard the terrible news of Alexei Navalny's death a year ago. We were horrified, but unfortunately not surprised. Too many opponents of Putin face the same fate. Anyone who criticizes the Kremlin in Russia is living dangerously: Anna Politkovskaya, Boris Nemtsov, Alexander Litvinenko are just a few of the prominent victims. Anyone who advocates democracy in Russia lives dangerously. Oppositionists are discredited as foreign agents. Punishment camps, torture, persecution of their families – all this is the order of the day. The human rights situation is now devastating – and not only since Putin’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights. Human rights groups are banned, let's just think of Memorial's example. The independence of the Russian prosecutor's office is also evident in the current trials against Alexei Navalny's lawyers. Freedom of the press and freedom of the media are also non-existent. Since 2022, almost all independent media have been banned or blocked, and all others have been heavily censored and equated. This all shows: Putin is an enemy of democracy, and his first victim is democracy in his own country. His first victim was the people of Russia. Alexei Navalny's wife Julija was in plenary here in the European Parliament exactly one year ago and said the following: My husband will never see what the beautiful Russia of the future will look like, but we must see it. And there are still people like her in Russia who believe in a better future. People who courageously fight for democracy and a better future. People who are willing to give everything for democracy and justice and risk their lives. Among these people was Alexei Navalny. These people need our solidarity, but also our very clear commitment to human rights, democracy and freedom in Russia, in Europe, all over the world. And our stand against all the enemies of democracy all over the world.

Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen! It has been more than 100 days since the tragedy of Novi Sad. Since that day, there have been protests all over the country, all over Serbia. The people who are on the streets are not hooligans, but ordinary citizens who peacefully protest for the rule of law. That is why it is also important to express our fullest solidarity with the protesters in Serbia. Nevertheless, despite peaceful protests: They are brutally beaten down by the police. This violence, this violence of the regime of Aleksandar Vučić, must also come to an end. The demand is quite simple, namely justice and functioning institutions in Serbia – a country that is no longer supposed to be corrupt. It is precisely these days that Aleksandar Vučić has again achieved a sad record – namely: Serbia is among the top three most corrupt countries in Europe. These are things that the people in Serbia, the ordinary students, no longer want and we with them.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. Donald Trump is back and, unlike last time, prepared this time. He has new, dangerous friends: Tech oligarchs who dance to his whistle and, on the other hand, continue to do business, evade taxes and exploit workers. What is coming to us is not only a step backwards for the Americans, but for the entire world, for the world political stage. Europe must be a counter-model. And to be a counter-model, that is: We do not want Donald Trump's social and democratic cuts, we want to strengthen social cohesion in Europe. The last few weeks have been such a foretaste of the next four years. Let's just think of these insane expansion fantasies: Threats against Greenland, against Denmark, against Canada, planned mass deportations, all these things. When Ursula von der Leyen says: Pragmatic waiting is good – from my point of view. But we must not leave Donald Trump's madness uncommented. The EU Commission's loud silence in recent weeks has been really too loud, ladies and gentlemen!

Mr President! Dear colleagues, The news from Kyrgyzstan is more than worrying. On November 13, Temirlan Sultanbekov was arrested at the party headquarters of the Social Democrats. He was pressured by the authorities without his lawyer to withdraw his candidacy for the upcoming elections, and as a result, the entire Social Democrats were removed from the ballot papers. All this is a violation of all human rights. All this is incompatible with democracy. We must therefore condemn this in the strongest possible terms from this place, here in the European Parliament. But we also have to be very clear: We demand the release of Temirlan Sultanbekov. We call on Kyrgyzstan to release him immediately. A message also to Temirlan, whom I also know personally, who is still in detention and is also on hunger strike: We here in the European Parliament will not forget you. We will fight for your freedom until you are free.

Madam President, Ladies and gentlemen, EU enlargement needs a new boost, and the Western Balkans region in particular needs a European perspective with fundamental European values. When we look at Serbia, we see that the last few weeks have been marked by massive protests. Why? Because on November 1, a station roof collapsed in Novi Sad, 15 people, including two children, have died. The reason for the collapse was tree defects due to corruption and mismanagement. Since then, we have seen student protests in Serbia against Vučić’s government and against Vučić’s regime; Protests, some of which are violently suppressed. That is why we must also say from here: Full solidarity with the students demonstrating in Serbia, because they are demonstrating against corruption of the Vučić regime, they are demonstrating for democracy and for a European perspective of Serbia.

Mr President! Housing is a fundamental right and everyone should have a right to adequate and, above all, affordable housing. But more and more Europeans are suffering from the massive rise in housing costs, rent costs, but also from the housing shortage, that it is often not even possible to find a home, and that temporary leases often create very strong precarious conditions. As we can see: The market does not regulate everything, and in the area of housing you can even say it fails, the market. Therefore, policy initiatives for affordable housing are needed. And it's not just about the price, it's also about quality and it's also about the energy and climate issue. Vienna, my hometown, is an example of how the issue of housing can be regulated very well for all citizens in a socially just way. But now it is also time for housing to reach the top of the EU agenda. That is why I am glad that a Commissioner for Housing has been able to push through in order to finally set accents for socially affordable housing at European level.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! This neglected location policy of the last few years now falls on our heads. It is not only the current crises, but it has long been the case that states such as China or the United States of America are passing by Europe because they are investing more, because they are also investing more public money in their business location. If we do not soon see that something is turned back, we lose value creation, and this also affects our jobs in the end and endangers our welfare state model. We need investments in future technologies, in infrastructure, where we have done too little for years. If we think only of the lack of electric charging stations, we have a large investment gap at European level. We need a pact for growth, innovation and jobs. That is, an Europe-firstStrategy needs to be anchored so that European companies also have a preference when it comes to public tenders. We need more money for the business location, we need more investment in European infrastructure, much, much more. That's what we have to fight for.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen! In the face of these devastating images, which have been seen not only in individual Member States but in central Europe as a whole, we have seen how we are also united in this crisis, in this disaster as a European Union, as citizens. At the beginning of a speech on this subject, it is necessary to say thank you; Thank you to all the helpers of the fire brigades, the military, the volunteers, but also, for example, the mountain rescue, which meanwhile had to free people from avalanches due to the snow masses, and, and, and, and, also, the civilian population, which has done great things here. The second thing that needs to be said is: We need to prepare more for these disasters, and we must finally recognise – all of us here in the House, including on the outside right – that denying climate change makes no sense, but that it is important to prepare for the consequences of climate change and, if possible, to combat its effects. This is urgently needed. As we have also seen, renaturated rivers can absorb more water. That is why we must follow the path of Green Deals Also very special and go on together.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Enlargement policy is one of our strongest instruments, especially in this unstable global situation. But only if we are serious about them. That is, each country according to its progress, according to the necessary reforms that will be taken. But this also means that we must prevent ourselves from becoming unreliable and then, for example, the enlargement from bilateral processes of individual Member States may be blocked. And at the same time we must also say: If countries step back, then there must also be the possibility of stopping or stepping back, if necessary, in the enlargement process. But - and this is, I believe, also a very important point - the enlargement process will only be successful if we also prepare for an enlarged Union within the European Union and set up decision-making in Europe in such a way that it is also possible with 30 or more Members – that is, with a strong Parliament and with majority decisions and fewer decisions in the Council.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act are milestones, global milestones in the fight against hate speech and disinformation. The European Union is leading the way here, creating the first global set of rules to finally hold online platforms accountable. With these regulations, this legal-free space, this Wild West in the digital sector, is finally ended, according to the principle: What is illegal offline in real life must also be illegal in the digital space. Platforms are required to fight and erase illegal content, hate speech, disinformation and fake news. But now, with this law, we must also get the platforms not to ignore this law, but also to act, that they also apply the regulations strictly, and if not, our courts also condemn these platforms and force them to act in accordance with the law. The reality shows: Fake news is increasing. Artificial intelligence has one more thing on it, and we have to see that legality and law finally prevail here again.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, It has been exactly one month since the elections were held in Serbia. And as my previous speaker and the Commissioner have already said, there is a list of irregularities that have occurred in these Serbian elections: Phantom voters, vote-buying, one-sided media coverage and, and, and is, the list of accusations, which in my opinion must be fully clarified. Transparency is needed here. And for transparency, the government must take care of it. But Prime Minister Brnabić and President Vučić do the opposite. Instead of providing transparency, they criticize international election observers, as well as myself, in the strongest possible terms. This is not only to be rejected, but it shows quite clearly that the criticism that has been expressed is completely blacked out in the reports. However, we cannot accept such an approach as the European Union. We must ensure that the rule of law and all transparent processes are respected, including in Serbia.

Madam President, dear colleagues, as you all know, on 17 December there have been another early elections in Serbia, in national and also in the capital of Belgrade, and other municipalities. This also we know: we are plagued by irregularities, like phantom voters, like pressure on voters, as well as decisive involvement of the President and the ruling party’s systemic advantage, and which undermined the electoral process. When international election observers, like from the European Parliament and like myself, also raised this issue, the Government of Serbia and the President himself attacked these international observers. So, therefore, I am happy that a majority of the groups and of this House has the plan now and agreed to have a debate during this plenary. I’m also looking forward that we will have a resolution which we also support as the S&D Group.

Mr President, Commissioner! One year after Qatar and, above all, Morocco Gate, one must say: Firstly, the European Parliament has reacted. There was the Special Committee of Inquiry, which also dealt with proposals to revise the Rules of Procedure. Important measures, including anti-corruption measures, have been presented and some of them have been implemented. All dates of MEPs must be made public, assets must be made public, conflicts of interest must be disclosed. These are long-standing demands that have finally been implemented. But is that enough? No, it's far from over. All transparency alone will not solve the problem sustainably. We need clear and strict rules to make the Moroccan and Qatari gates impossible in the future. For example, it must no longer be possible and be tolerated that some MEPs here in the House are both a mandater and a lobbyist at the same time. A reform of the Rules of Procedure is needed. The one we made was a first step, but we have to move on, and for that we also need majorities in the house. Very often – I have the impression – the majorities for strong reforms, for more transparency, are prevented precisely by those who often denounce many things. It can't go on like this!

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner! More and more young people can not afford their own apartment, whether for purchase or rent. The COVID crisis, precarious employment, poor pay have once again neatly exacerbated the problem that existed before. And while people cannot afford the rent, the loan rates for their real estate loan can not afford, on the other hand, the real estate corporations and the banks are still getting richer and richer. And that is why the question is currently being asked across Europe: What can we do? And that means: Housing is a fundamental right, and politics must finally act. This means: Rent brakes against the extremely high rent increases that are currently taking place, more resources from national governments, better access to EU funds for housing, strong, secure tenancy and social housing, social, quality and affordable social housing. And I would also like to use the example of Vienna at this point and congratulate you on the fact that Vienna has now again been chosen as a livable city, namely because it is socially fair and because it offers good housing opportunities with a high proportion of social housing for the people in this city.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, There has finally been a calm return to the Brexit issue and, after that, there has also been rapprochement between the European Union and the United Kingdom. However, it is also important that we continue to see that environmental standards, social standards, labour rights and competitive advantages continue to be treated and deserve our attention. And in the face of global crises, it is also necessary that we pour this good cooperation that exists into an institutional framework agreement. I ask you to agree with this report.

Madam President, Prime Minister, I am a convinced European Social Democrat and from Austria, and I have to say I think European solutions and cooperation is better than veto. So therefore I have to say clearly I do not understand the Austrian veto against the Schengen membership of Bulgaria and Romania. I think it is a big mistake European-wise, but also Austrian-wise. Secondly, Prime Minister, being a European I have also to say I work very much on the enlargement and I am very much involved in the Western Balkans and therefore I think also that North Macedonia needs the support of Bulgaria in order to enter the European Union. They have made huge reforms and they would be your best friend. So please also help North Macedonia to be quite soon a member of the European Union.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I think it is a very, very important report and I would like to thank the rapporteur very much for this work. Because we observe more and more often how foreign influence is in elections, but also unfortunately how in authoritarian countries more and more election falsifications, influences take place in a negative way. Disinformation, fake news, intimidation and discrimination make what we mean by fair, free and secret elections increasingly impossible. Very often we also see geopolitical interference from some powers – be it Russia, be it Turkey, be it others – which are particularly trying to exert influence through the dynamics of social media platforms. And therefore, not only media freedom, transparent information, education are essential, but also election observation missions and global cooperation to bring about positive change. The inclusion of free elections in our relations and development aid relations with individual countries is particularly important here. But it is precisely the election observation missions carried out by the European Union and the European Parliament that are crucial here. Because they are not frivolous tasks, they are very detailed work. And they are not only important for the quality of elections and democracy, they are very often also an important signal for local people when they are waiting at polling stations that they also see international European election observers – this is also a quality feature for many people.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Today's decisions are truly far-reaching and very good. In the Western Balkans in particular, it is high time that Albania and North Macedonia were able to negotiate accession more seriously – they had to wait far too many years. I also welcome progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And as far as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are concerned, it is a very, very important sign, including a global one. But, we also have to say: There is no shortcut on the way to the European Union. Criteria must be met, and tough reforms must be carried out against corruption, oligarchic rule and, and, and. Generally a long, difficult road. And in my opinion, one must also address the difficulties at the beginning, so that the euphoria does not end in a great disappointment at the end, but at the beginning address the problems in order to solve them. This is what is important in the enlargement process.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen! The more difficult the times, the more important is internal unity. But since yesterday there has also been a picture around the world, namely the one that shows Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Beijing shaking hands with Russian President Putin in a tête-à-tête. And it is probably more than a photo – it is a clear, negative signal to Europe. Orbán despises our democracy, despises our open and liberal society. The war and destruction with which Putin has been covering the Ukrainian population for a year and a half, the human suffering and the many victims – they do not care about Orbán. And when the heads of state and government meet for the summit on 26 October, it has been clear since yesterday at the latest: As long as Orbán sits at the table, Putin – the butcher of Butsha – also sits in the room of the European summit. That's why we have to make two derivatives. First of all: There must be a procedure to suspend the Hungarian Presidency of the Council, as well as the consistent continuation of the rule of law procedure against Hungary. And secondly: We need to move away from unanimity in foreign policy. We must no longer be dependent on Orbán's blackmail attempts.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President of the Commission! Finally, perhaps a few important issues in the areas of neighbourhood, enlargement and foreign policy, because I expect that our active leadership, which we as the European Union are playing in promoting and preparing for the accession of candidate countries and which is particularly important for enlargement policy, will continue to gain momentum, even if the Commission period is now drawing to a close. Indeed, the summit of recent days has shown how central this issue is and how central it is for Europe that European values – both in terms of the rule of law and the fight against corruption, but also for the pre-accession of this entire region, such as the Western Balkans, to the European Union – are very, very important. The second point, which is always lacking – and I would like to see this concluded in the context of this unspeakable Russian war – is that frozen Russian possessions should finally be used to finance the reconstruction of the consequences of the war in Ukraine. As a final point, everything in power will also be done to conclude negotiations on due diligence and the prohibition of forced labour worldwide as soon as possible.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Housing, a roof over your head is a fundamental right, and therefore it is one of the central and most important policy challenges we currently have, namely to ensure that affordable housing exists. However, many countries, cities and municipalities are struggling with the lack of affordable housing. Rents are rising dramatically, and especially in times of high inflation, many people, many families no longer know how to pay their rent and housing costs. Homelessness is rising, poverty is rising and therefore there is a great need for urgent action. We need public investment in social housing - especially in social and subsidised housing. My hometown of Vienna, which is also often cited as a good example today – and the mayor of Vienna, a good friend of mine, will also be pleased that the achievements of the Viennese city are also seen so positively here – my hometown of Vienna, called ‘red Vienna’, has a pioneering role here: The subsidised housing sector accounts for 45% of the Viennese housing market. 60% of Viennese live in subsidised, social housing. Every fourth Viennese woman and every fourth Viennese woman lives in one of the 1,800 apartments that belong to the city itself. Therefore, it needs exactly that: Investments in residential construction, investments in refurbishment, in thermal refurbishment of dwellings and a ban on vacancy, especially that vacancy used for speculation, generally a ban on speculation in real estate and so much-needed housing.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to thank the rapporteur and my colleague from Austria, Lukas Mandl, and also Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, who is always very supportive, also factually, very intensively and openly working with the European Parliament. Dear colleagues, Switzerland is in the middle of Europe and it is not only the love of the mountains, skiing or chocolate that unites us, but it is also one and a half million EU citizens who live and work in Switzerland. I am therefore also pleased that there is a renewed climate between Switzerland and the European Union, where we have returned to the negotiating table for the renewal of treaties. Personally, two points are particularly important to me. One is: This agreement on the free movement of persons, with all its obligations, must be implemented by Switzerland without exception. On the other hand: The so-called flanking measures must also ensure the protection of high social standards, as well as the efficient and non-discriminatory protection of workers’ rights, and the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work in the same place’ for mobile and local workers, which is so important to us in Europe, must be applied and implemented. On the other hand, it is also important to put the fight against wage and social dumping at the top of the priority list and to ensure better and closer cooperation in the fight against tax fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. Let's take advantage of the momentum and negotiate a balanced and comprehensive agreement with Switzerland.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, The situation in the border area between Serbia and Kosovo is more than flammable. Yes, everyone is right to say that the representatives on both sides must contribute to de-escalation – of course. It is also the damn duty of every local politician to finally ensure stability and a European perspective for his own people. But what we are currently experiencing is that Vučić is pouring more and more oil into the fire. That is why the European Union must finally abandon this naivety, and strong EU responses are needed, otherwise we are threatened with a wildfire all over the Balkans. It must end with nationalism, with an anti-democratic and anti-European course, which is currently being lived by the government in Serbia. Not only in Serbia, but also there. Those who do not understand this must also expect consequences, namely consequences are the freezing of EU funding and ultimately also the consequence, if one does not return to a European understanding of human rights, an anti-nationalist course, the end and termination of the EU accession negotiations for a Serbia under Vučić.

Madam President, Commissioner! Qatargate and Moroccogate have shown that the European Parliament is not immune to foreign interference. They have also shown that against MPs who may want to be corrupted or have been corrupted, one thing helps, namely more and stricter transparency. From the outset, we as Social Democrats here in the House have been pushing for ambitious reforms to stop future corruption. And now, half a year later, there is also an ambitious package of measures, a catalogue of measures, which we as a committee can also present here. However, there is also a need for more strict ethics rules and, if necessary, sanctions for such an ethics body in the European Parliament, but also in the Commission and the Council. We must not forget that all European institutions must work together here. And the so-called package to defend democracy is also overdue, and we hope that it will come as soon as possible. It would be very, very urgent. But what is now in this catalogue of measures, which we are also presenting here today and will decide tomorrow? the publication of all meetings, a legislative footprint, registration in the Transparency Register, new requirements for MEPs, such as asset disclosure before and after the start and end of the mandate, details of part-time jobs, including what should be done by whom, when and in what time; and Cooling-off-regulations. But I can also say: As Social Democrats, we want a little more. We want more. In other words, we find a Cooling-off-A period of six months is too short, it should last up to 24 months, so that we can continue to prevent corruption in the future. Just as we find: A ban on secondary employment for those companies listed in the Transparency Register is urgently needed. You can't be a member of parliament or a member of parliament and a lobbyist or a lobbyist at the same time. You have to decide which side you are on. And I also ask myself which of the Members here has the time to take up other lobbying activities in addition to serious parliamentary activity at all. That's what I want to say. At the end of this work, however, I would also like to thank the chairman Raphaël Glucksmann and the rapporteurs Loiseau. and Bilčík, but also stress once again how urgent it is for our democracy, for a strong European Parliament, to continue to deal with these issues, which the INGE Committee has dealt with, in one form or another, institutionally in the European Parliament in the future.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President! With the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, countless war crimes are also on the sad agenda: attacking civilians with firearms, explosive weapons and missiles, for example in Kramatorsk – indiscriminately and disproportionately; In April 2022, the massacre of Butsha: 419 bodies of people shot, mutilated and beaten to death were found; the siege of Mariupol with targeted bombings, for example of hospitals; rape and gang rape, including as a belligerent measure to intimidate the population; civilian shields, where children are also taken as civilian shields; or the use of prohibited weapons, cluster munitions, phosphorus bombs, booby traps, anti-personnel mines, targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure, looting, forced recruitment in the so-called People's Republics and 16,000 abducted children. All this must remind us.