Speeches

Madam President, Mr High Representative, what is now happening on the eastern border of Ukraine, with Russia amalgamating over 100 000 troops, is one of the greatest challenges facing the European Union. Let's not forget that after Ukraine decided politically to get closer to the European Union, Putin's response was the annexation of Crimea. The Kremlin regards with great hostility any state in our immediate vicinity that wants to share with us the same attachment to democracy, human rights and freedom of expression, values that are foreign to Putin. He today embodies the perfect man, with a profile of the dictator who defies anyone and is willing to send his army to create an unprecedented conflict in Europe. Russia no longer has to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council because it has become a country that endangers peace and stability in Europe. The eventual invasion of Ukraine will open a new chapter, full of events with tragic outcome. That is why Russia must know that it will be completely isolated and will pay an expensive price for this Stalinist ambition. Putin must be stopped. Nothing justifies a military conflict, except the desire of a man who seems increasingly ridiculous in his geostrategic ambitions.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, no one will ever ban Christmas in the European Union. It is impermissible that in future an internal Commission document should contain such sensitive elements that could create the perfect opportunity to mislead European citizens. I say it assumed, although it has been explained that it is an internal unfortunate document, unfortunately, the false news that Christmas has been banned in the European Union still haunts. That is why I believe it is essential to be cautious and to do everything possible and necessary to stop the distribution of this false information in the future. They are seriously damaging to democracy. Christmas is a celebration of joy and does not exclude anyone who does not celebrate it with us.

Madam President, Commissioner, I want to bring up to date a topic that concerns me deeply and I believe it is the duty of the European Parliament to sound the alarm. In the midst of the health crisis, we have witnessed the citizens of the European Union being exposed to an unprecedented wave of disinformation. Our citizens are vulnerable and that is why we need to prepare a mechanism to resist disinformation. Our children need modern tools to cope with this avalanche of false information, as populist politicians, state actors such as Russia, constantly misinform the citizens of the European Union. I'm sounding the alarm because tomorrow may be too late.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the free movement of workers is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Treaties. As a result, more than 17 million European citizens live in a state other than their state of residence, and more than 70% of them are employed. Romanians are the largest national group of mobile citizens in the European Union, representing almost a fifth of the resident population in the country. With the ever-increasing number of mobile workers, we need to ensure that their social rights are respected, and this can no longer be done on this scale, through outdated and non-digital systems. That is why, Commissioner Schmit, I believe that it is essential for the Commission to make a consistent effort to persuade states to implement a digital reform so that we can ensure social security for all those who need to enjoy security rights across borders.

Mr President, I supported this report because I believe that education is the engine of a society's progress. Our children deserve to live in a united Europe, and unity and solidarity start with education. That is why I believe that we need to stand in solidarity, to support proactive citizens, not those who do not understand the mission of our society. That is why I believe it is necessary for the Commission, together with the Member States, to create a common framework for learning about the European Union. All students should be familiar with the European institutions and main policies, the rights and obligations inherent in European citizens. We need a quality pan-European education system that encourages the study of Europe's history and cultural heritage, promotes a collective European memory and critical historical awareness, based on the fundamental values on which the European Union is founded.

Mr President, I supported this report because it is essential for this forum to remain a watchdog who sounds the alarm when freedom of expression is endangered, and we have situations around the world today where journalists are intimidated, where clans shaking hands on corruption-related interests threaten journalists. This is precisely why, because this report focuses on strategic lawsuits against public participation that harass journalists, activists fighting for the truth. From this point of view, it is essential that the European Union, the Commission, prepare new tools to protect journalists in the European Union who feel threatened by power-sharers or interest groups. It is fundamental to remain a forum that defends this fundamental right such as freedom of expression.

Mr President, I would like to bring to the attention of the European Parliament a subject that is unfortunately forgotten. More than 100 km from the border of the European Union, we still have a frozen conflict, maintained by the Russian Federation, on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. I believe that, as a forum that ensures respect for human rights around the world, we have the obligation to act and support the almost half a million citizens of the Republic of Moldova who are held in captivity by the army of the Russian Federation illegally present on the territory of this state neighbouring the European Union. We have an obligation to send a strong message to the Commission to investigate the human rights situation in this region, because most of the time citizens feel protected only by civil society, and Parliament has an obligation to take note of this reality and to act immediately. I call on the Commission to take swift action!

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the shock caused by the Coronavirus pandemic has shaken the economies of the European Union, and I think it is essential that we all learn a lesson from this public health crisis, overlapping with an economic crisis. As a right-wing politician, however, I want to appeal, Commissioner, to the Commission, to really support the people who need the support of the European Union, the people who have real vulnerabilities, and to stop the waste of public money. It is essential to focus resources on concrete, sound projects related to the development of our economies. When we have predictable tax legislation, our economies will be able to recover, and those who need real support from us will benefit from these resources. This is the message I want to convey about this report.

Madam President, Commissioner, I believe that we have a red code of disinformation in the European Union and we need to wake up, because I recommend one thing that I do regularly: read, Commissioner, the press magazine of the Russian Federation every week and you will see how a state constantly encourages disinformation and distortion of reality. We are not just talking about media outlets, we are not just talking about platforms, we are talking about politicians who encourage hate speech and try to present the European Union differently than we know it. And it is precisely these realities that compel us to act with great responsibility and courage to take forward the objectives for which the European Union was created. And that is precisely why I think we need modern tools to combat disinformation.

Madam President, Commissioner, I congratulate the rapporteur on presenting an exact situation with regard to the situation related to cybersecurity. But it is enough to look at yesterday, when practically all of us have seen what it means to have a cyber crisis, when the big players on the market are facing security or management problems. The whole world was affected. That is why I believe that it is essential for the Commission to take all the steps to make the Cybersecurity Competence Centre, set up in Bucharest itself, in my country, operational, because we need the necessary antibodies to face these challenges that exist. There are not only interest groups that pursue political, economic or social goals by which they cyberattack our states. Worse, there are states that use technology to attack other states, and here we are most exposed, and we need to act more forcefully to defend our citizens, to defend our institutions, to defend our democracy.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that one of the greatest challenges is facing the European Commission, because the public health crisis generated by Covid has presented us with a great challenge. You have a huge responsibility, Commissioner, because, of course, I also heard from the President today, here in Parliament's plenary, your commitments are extremely important, extremely serious, extremely well thought out and substantiated, but it is essential that from commitment to implementation you work together with national governments, so that all areas that have been heavily affected by the coronavirus, all social categories strongly affected by the pandemic, are supported. It is clear that there have been strong socio-economic imbalances in our societies, which have accelerated inequalities between people. Around 91 million people, including 18 million children, are at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the European Union. We must pay due attention to them in order to maintain the European Union's commitment that no one should be left behind from this crisis, going through this crisis. One of the hardest hit industries across the European Union is HoReCa. In my country, specialists claim that 30% of this industry will never recover. That is why you need to put the necessary pressure, work together with national governments, so that the recovery and resilience plans achieve the effect that the Commission is counting on.

Mr President, Commissioner, rapporteur, congratulations. It is a necessary measure, it is a reform that millions of citizens around the world have been waiting for. I do not think it is a measure either of the left or of the right, it responds to a need because the European Union is and has become home to many citizens outside the European area. But the measure we are taking is a response to an expectation of millions of citizens who are highly qualified and want to come and build a future here, and we needed this political message to send to all those who look with confidence and hope to our continent. We needed clarity, we needed de-bureaucratization, we needed a new, well-placed framework that would provide security and credible prospects for those who want to come and build a future here in our home, Europe. Well, congratulations.

Madam President, Commissioner, I congratulate the rapporteur on responding with this document to an emergency and I believe that it is essential to treat with great responsibility both us and the Commission, because this area needs urgent regulation. Technological advances have enabled the digital economy to grow rapidly. But there are not a few vulnerabilities that we all see. That is why I believe it is essential that the European Commission, as soon as possible, come up with a legislative initiative in order to be able to provide those who work in this area with real guarantees. These people are engaged in lucrative activities and need very clear regulations in order to be protected. But it's not just those who run and develop online platforms that need these legal regulations. It is vital that the final consumer is also protected from the regulations that Member States expect from the European Union. I think it is absolutely essential to understand that technological advances have brought us new challenges, and we must keep up with these expectations that society has of us.

Madam President, Commissioner, it is a positive message, the one I want to convey. Today's debate refers to the annual report on the functioning of the Schengen area. But the question is, Commissioner, how can we talk about a real functioning of the Schengen area, when three Member States of the European Union are not in the Schengen area today, and two countries, Romania and Bulgaria, have been waiting for more than 10 years to be accepted. You cannot imagine how much this unfair decision affects the over 20 million Romanian citizens, given that we know what efforts we have made as a nation and state to meet all the conditions. We came to the club later. We know well what we have to recover and correct at home, but we consider ourselves not fully integrated, as long as this situation we find ourselves in has been waiting for more than a decade and we believe it is our place here, in the area without borders. All citizens of the European Union felt again during the pandemic what the reintroduction of border controls means. That is why, after this pandemic, we must remove any barriers that still separate us.

Madam President, honourable colleagues, first of all, we must congratulate the two colleagues who carried out this initiative to put to the debate a resolution on extending the measures to cover this law inspired by the Magnitsky Act. I believe that human rights must remain a cornerstone and a priority of the European Union's external action. But let us not forget that there are states that are controlled by oligarchs or dictators who sit at the table with oligarchs and enjoy freedom, all the advantages that our societies offer. That is why I believe that corruption must be introduced into the sanctions regime that we must provide for, and the law must be applied uniformly throughout the European Union. There can be no double standards and no dialogue with those who violate our values. That is why I firmly believe that we must put the necessary pressure on this law to produce its effects, and those who steal public money, those who keep dictators alive must respond personally and we must sanction them with the tools we have. Only then will it be a strong Union, a Union that people all over the world will look forward to all the time with hope.

Madam President, I believe that we are in the midst of a war, a war with non-military weapons, because what is happening today, we know very well, they are creating fake news, they are misinforming, they are manipulating, Putin suspends human rights at any time when interests dictate, undermine democracy and our response must be very tough, Mr High Commissioner, because I believe that the whole architecture of the Union needs to be rethought when it comes to defending against disinformation. We need a Commissioner for countering disinformation and defending democracy. We need a fund of one billion euros to defend the free press in the associated states and the member states. We have to fight, because, I see, on 11 July there are elections in the Republic of Moldova – a state associated with the European Union. Putin has personally created parties and 20 media outlets that try to keep the state in its area of influence. We need to do more and I call on the citizens of the Republic of Moldova to vote on Sunday to get rid of Moscow's influence.