Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in less than a year, European citizens will be invited to elect their representatives to the European Parliament. The question is, can the European Union guarantee European citizens their fairness and legitimacy, given that spyware has proven its effectiveness in manipulating electoral processes? The misuse of spyware means more than intrusion into private life, it is a real threat to the stability and security of states. Let us remember how much Russian disinformation and propaganda has done and continues to do. These, like spyware, are extremely powerful weapons, widely used by those who seek to silence the opposition, inconvenient journalists, critics, trample on freedom and democracy. It is clear that the European institutions must do more, they must have a much braver and firmer position to ensure that these weapons are not delivered directly into the hands of enemies of democracy and freedom of expression. European citizens will go to the polls with the confidence that their voice will be heard and the result of their vote will be fair, without the possibility of being manipulated or altered in any way. That is why we need more transparency and certainty to win the trust of citizens.

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, more than a year ago, Russia awoke us all to reality through its aggression against a state that did nothing to provoke it, such as Ukraine. Our reaction was correct and it is good to stand in solidarity, to empathize and support the Ukrainian people who are fighting against the Kremlin and this attempt to annex a state that has not provoked it. But I want to bring up to date and discuss an extremely important topic related to Ukraine. More than one million Romanian-speaking Ukrainian citizens live in the country. Romania has helped Ukraine enormously in this military conflict, but it is incomprehensible why Kiev continues the policy of dividing this minority between Romanians and Moldovans. We ask the Commission to get involved in this matter, which is extremely important, because Ukrainian citizens of Romanian origin are dying today on the front for Ukraine's freedom.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that this report, which is indeed very comprehensive, debating a key issue relating to the present and future of all European citizens, such as competitiveness, seems to me to be an extremely important topic. In other words, businesses in all Member States must have the chance to compete on an equal footing, Madam Vice-President. However, I ask you whether the European single market, which defines the free movement of citizens, the free movement of goods, services and capital, can function and make full use of all these opportunities, as long as not all Member States can enjoy these freedoms? And here I am referring to my country, Romania, which cannot benefit from competitiveness and fair competition on the European single market, as long as for 12 years we are kept outside the borders of the European Union and cannot enjoy the freedom of movement of goods. Romania loses over EUR 10 billion annually and it is the Commission's obligation, together with the Council, to unblock this injustice, because we too want to be part of the European project and our companies to enjoy the same treatment as the rest of the European companies.

Mr President, Commissioner, I am very glad that we are debating this subject. I think it is very important that in the European Parliament, constantly, we send messages of solidarity with those who sacrifice themselves for our values, for human dignity, for human rights, for freedom of expression. Lukashenka is the last Soviet relic we have on this continent, and I think it is very important not to forget that these dictators feed on this Stalinist line through which they oppress their own nation. I think it is very important for Viktar Babaryka to know that we stand by them and that we support them, because these people are fighting for dignity, they are fighting for Europe, they are fighting for democracy, they are fighting for freedom. It is essential that dictators know that we are united with the nations that want to get rid of them.

Madam President, Commissioner, I believe that it is very important not to divide Europe in two, between European citizens and citizens who are today attacked by Putin just because they want their country to display the entire flag of the European Union. Putin has brought us alongside this security conflict and the refugee crisis, and here is a new crisis that we must debate very seriously and firmly. The European Commission has an obligation to get out of this slow state in which it is dealing with things, because, indeed, the grain crisis is an extremely serious problem and it needs firm answers, very clear rules, extremely precise rules, in order to be able to help European farmers. Through my country, through Romania, over 60% of the grain exported from Ukraine passed through the European Union. Obviously, we need unified, immediate responses.

Madam President, for many children in Europe, but also in my country, Romania, a school meal is perhaps the main meal I receive in the course of a day, because, unfortunately, for these children, parents cannot afford to provide them with sufficient and healthy nutrition. That is why I voted for the adoption of this report on the fruit, vegetables and dairy scheme in schools in the European Union. We must set clear priorities, and the health and well-being of our children must always remain the top priority. That is why we need the continuity of this programme, accompanied by a considerable increase in the budget. This is the only way to ensure that no child in the schools of the European Union is left without their right to healthy, environmentally friendly, varied and locally sourced food.

Madam President, online is today part of our daily reality and audiovisual media services are constantly evolving. Therefore, our concerns must reflect these new needs. The development of social media has confronted us with the need to protect our consumers, especially children, from inappropriate content that may put them at risk. The abundance of information has generated the need to have sufficiently powerful tools to fight disinformation and fake news. It is a matter of individual but also European safety. Of course, I voted for this report and I hope that all Member States will treat the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive seriously and responsibly.

Madam President, after carbon dioxide, methane is the gas that has the second largest environmental impact globally, responsible for one third of current global warming. In November 2021, 110 countries and the European Union launched the Global Methane Pledge, committing to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. I voted today for the adoption of a regulation to bring us closer to these objectives necessary to protect the health and well-being of European citizens. At the same time, I agree that the European Union must ensure that its climate action does not seriously damage Europe's industry and that it remains truly competitive globally. Only by striking a balance between environmental measures and protecting industry will we ensure that the European path is sustainable and that the interests of citizens are at the forefront.

Madam President, Commissioner, in an ever-changing labour market, this year, 2023, the European Year of Skills, is one of major importance. I think it is time to show more ambition in developing European initiatives in terms of training, re-skilling and lifelong learning. Only in this way will the European Union be able to remain an attractive market for workers around the world. In Romania, which has become a true digital hub, we have seen the importance of investing in developing the skills of the future. Our workforce has undergone significant transformations in recent years with the emergence of new industries and the digital economy. However, much work remains to be done to ensure that all citizens can access high-quality training and education and that they are fully prepared for the changing demands of the labour market. The European Year of Skills 2023 provides us with a unique opportunity to do so, invest in our human resources and prepare them for future challenges and opportunities. Together we can build a more prosperous and fair Europe where all citizens have the skills and knowledge to thrive in the 21st century.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I, too, express my solidarity and sympathy for the tragedy that Serbian citizens have experienced in recent days. Returning to political issues, I find it extremely important to look at the truth exactly as it is and to tell Belgrade that it must stop with the double language regarding Serbia's European course. There can be no tolerance for what Moscow is doing now in relation to the European Union, and they have the obligation to demonstrate by facts that they understand what this war that Putin has started against the values on which the European Union is based means. We need clear messages, Belgrade's immediate involvement and action, not outdated cosmetics that no one believes anymore.

Mr President, Commissioner, tomorrow we will celebrate Europe Day in solidarity with those who suffer for European identity, and I mean Ukrainians who resist the Russian attack. Also tomorrow we will see a new action of unsuccessful justification of Putin to try through hatred, disinformation, distortion of reality to justify his illegal actions by which he changed the lives of millions of citizens neighboring the European Union, such as those in Ukraine. I think it is a good time for the European Commission to think about everything that Russia destroyed during this period because we need new judicial instruments to force Moscow to answer for everything that it destroyed, because we have goods relocated in wartime, and in Moscow there are over 93 tons of gold not returned to Romania, which we cannot accept. We have an obligation together to resolve in time all these differences that exist between us and Russia, obviously, without Putin.

Mr President, I voted FOR this regulation to be adapted to the new realities brought about by technological developments in the cryptocurrency market. I am a supporter and even a user of blockchain technology, but I am aware that many users have hijacked their purpose by using them for illicit purposes. That is why I believe that in order to prevent crime in the crypto space, we need extremely clear regulations on the information that identifies both sides of crypto-asset transfers. As long as making payments through cryptocurrencies remains a hidden and clandestine procedure associated with committing crimes, blockchain technology will not be able to reach its true potential. That is why I believe that the regulation on information accompanying transfers of funds has a well-defined purpose: detection and investigation of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Mr President, blockchain technology and crypto-assets have seen a fabulous rise in recent years, with a total capitalisation of over $1.2 trillion, and it is certain that their use will become more and more common in the future. But the cryptocurrency market is still an extraordinarily volatile environment, in which millions of inexperienced investors can lose their fortunes just in an instant. That is why we have a duty to protect European consumers of crypto-assets through extremely rigorous regulations across the European Union. Today I voted for the adoption of the EU regulatory framework on cryptocurrencies. By doing so, consumers will be better informed about the risks, costs and fees of using cryptocurrencies, and issuers of crypto-assets will be subject to new, much clearer, much more rigorous and transparent rules for conducting these services. Only by applying a unified legal framework based on trust and transparency will we be able to ensure the development, healthy development of this market.

–Mr President, Commissioner, I am glad that we have this debate, because a community or a state that does not respect its cultural heritage at its fair value is a society that is drifting. From my point of view, we need European legislation that we apply uniformly, much clearer, much firmer, with immediate consequences and legal avenues through which we can fight and recover. Why am I saying this? Because, in our case, of Romania, we have an unrecovered patrimony, which has been illegal in Russia for almost a century, which does not want to return the treasure to us. The entire treasury of Romania, during the First World War, was taken to Russia. There are over 93 tonnes of gold and many other heritage assets that have never returned and are heritage assets of the European Union. We need to do more about this issue.

Mr President, I want from here, in the house of democracy, to join the Romanian academics who have launched a great debate on these days of celebration. I don't know how many of you know, but European countries with a majority Orthodox population yesterday and today celebrate Easter. It is very important for us, however, that the whole Christian world celebrate this great feast on the same day. Christmas is celebrated on the new Gregorian calendar, and it is a pity that we remain different in the celebration of Easter. Because there is a great debate in Romania at this moment, initiated by Professor Adrian Papahagi, I think it is important that I, as an MEP, send them this message of support and encouragement of this important endeavour. All Christians should be on the same day.

Mr. Falca, I just wanted to ask you, why did you mention the Schengen issue? Because, indeed, it is a subject that concerns us and deserves to be developed.

Mr President, Commissioner, I would like to congratulate the rapporteurs and the co-rapporteurs on the fact that this regulation on deforestation seems to me to be an extremely important instrument. We cannot be demanding only in the European Union, we must also be demanding with those who want to access the European market, and that is why I believe that this regulation is necessary to protect biodiversity and protect the European consumer. We need more clarity in legislation so that we can protect both forests and illegal logging, discourage them anywhere in the world and, obviously, give their economies an extra chance by developing to comply with European legislation and the European market.

Mr President, Commissioner, this is where I want to address the European Commission. I know that tomorrow there will be an important meeting targeting Romania: assessment of the additional budget needed by Romanian farmers who have been affected by the drought crisis, by the crisis generated by the cereals we have received and managed to be exported from Ukraine, a country heavily affected by the unjust and unjustified, brutal invasion of Russia. We all applauded in this room this extraordinary opening, but I ask the Commission tomorrow to allocate an additional EUR 100 million, money needed to help Romanian farmers at such a complicated time, not to take into account the poor preparation of the government in Bucharest regarding this assessment and to provide a minimum support of EUR 100 million, absolutely necessary for Romanian farmers during this period.

Mr President, Mr First Vice-President, we need to find and implement the best solutions for protecting the environment. But let us remember that the European Green Deal itself mentions that this transition must be made at the expense of a Europe that thrives, that is fair for all and that has a modern and competitive economy. This Commission proposal to revise the F-gas Regulation puts entire industries, jobs, fair competition in the European market and the energy independence of Member States at risk. It is not smart to make decisions for which our societies and states are not yet ready and for which they will not be ready even after 2026. Let us be realistic, we must first ensure that the necessary measures for the disposal of basic F-gas equipment are taken gradually, complementing the EU's climate and energy ambitions, without harming ourselves, deepening our energy dependence on other states. And we saw what happened when we were addicted to Russia and it blackmailed us.

Madam President, the European Union, as the world's largest donor of development assistance, stands out unequivocally from its other international partners. European action on the international scene is guided by key principles such as democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, the principle of equality and solidarity, and respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, which leads to the implementation of essential humanitarian objectives, such as leaving no one behind and meeting primarily the needs of the most deprived, with the ambition of reducing and eradicating poverty in the long term. The fact that the European Parliament voted by a very large majority on this report reaffirms the European Union's foreign policy mandate to contribute to a fairer world and well-being for all. We have a strong signal for the footprint that the European Union wants to leave in the world.

Madam President, technological advancement has brought us face to face with new challenges, and that is why I believe it is essential to have clear rules governing this area. We need fairness in the digital environment and that is why I believe it is necessary for users, but also manufacturers, to be able to harness the data of the devices to which they are connected. These new rules that we are preparing are essential, precisely because this issue is important in order to be able to use and access the data generated in the European Union, in all economic sectors. This law obliges and obviously provides fairness in the digital environment to foster a competitive data market, open up new opportunities for data-driven innovation and will make data more accessible for all.

Madam President, of course, improving the energy performance of buildings is something we all aspire to, especially given the current environmental challenges. Of course, we all want lower bills and more efficient spending, but let us ask ourselves, first of all, whether our targets are realistic, they meet the expectations of European citizens, whether the transition to zero-emission buildings from 2030 onwards is smooth enough not to affect some states and many end-users. I certainly support the green transition, that it is a necessity, but not before we make sure that it is viable and will not affect vulnerable citizens, who are already heavily affected by all the measures in recent months and years.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, recently, at the Munich Security Conference, President Maia Sandu said that the biggest challenge for the Republic of Moldova is the propaganda of the Russian Federation, which she applies against the Republic of Moldova. I ask you, Commissioner, what is the Commission's strategy to support the Republic of Moldova in the face of these extremely aggressive tools that the Kremlin is using today on the ground, when we see that, with a lot of aggressiveness, through propaganda, manipulation, disinformation, the Republic of Moldova is trying to be destabilized by those who have shaken hands, and here I mean corrupt politicians, pro-Russian political forces, fugitives who are no longer in the Republic of Moldova, but who are financing entire campaigns to denigrate and destabilize the pro-European government in Chisinau. We are waiting for action because solidarity is needed, now more than ever.

Madam President, Commissioner, I believe that after the health crisis, the economic crisis, the energy crisis, the security crisis, we face great challenges, and I believe that it is essential to focus our attention on solving the problems that our societies are facing, so that the recommendations of the European Semester are applied exactly as they are meant to create much more effective coordination in order to overcome all the vulnerabilities that the Member States of the European Union are experiencing. Pentru că inflația, crizele sociale, crizele economice, crizele financiare prin care trece Europa acum pot fi depășite doar printr-o mai bună coordonare și este esențial ca statele membre, împreună cu Comisia, să implementeze reforme necesare, astfel încât societățile noastre să oprească risipa banilor, să se concentreze pe vulnerabilitățile pe care le întâmpină cetățenii atunci când își doresc o stabilitate, locuri de muncă mai bine plătite, iar acest lucru se poate realiza doar prin investiții inteligente. Europe has to face all the challenges it is facing now, and obviously we can only do this with smart investments and, obviously, with better coordination, so that competitiveness is the key word and we are able to defend our investments and, of course, project a future based on economic growth.

Mr President, First Vice-President Timmermans, on 8 December last year, the Council of the European Union committed an unprecedented abuse of rights in the European Union, because the JHA Council entered with the proposal made by the Commission, voted here in Parliament, for Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria to be accepted into the Schengen area. Unfortunately, the Council has decided that only Croatia is worth accepting, and 27 million Europeans in Romania and Bulgaria are still discriminated against. I call on the European Commission to be more firm in defending the Treaty of the European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, because it is unacceptable for a single state to block our natural right to enjoy freedom of movement, as 420 million Europeans enjoy. This approach is unacceptable. By silence we are complicit and I think it is time to put your foot down, to force governments to stop blocking free movement for 27 million Europeans.