Speeches

Prudent fiscal positions and sustainable growth are key pillars of the Union’s fiscal strategy. Greece has clearly conformed, and in fact has surpassed related expectations. The strides Greece has made under the Mitsotakis government, despite COVID and the war in Ukraine, are nothing short of exceptional. Under Mitsotakis’ leadership, Greece has witnessed unprecedented growth, with the economy expanding by 5.9% in 2022, and a further 1.2% is expected for 2023. Over the last three years, Greece has consistently outperformed expectations. Under the Mitsotakis government, Greece has achieved: the lowest levels of unemployment since 2010; consecutive records in export growth and inflows of FDI in 2021 and 2022; exited the EU’s enhanced surveillance framework after 12 years. Prudent fiscal management has seen Greece repay IMF debt two years ahead of schedule. Since 2021, our public debt to GDP ratio has entered a fast—declining path, which continues unabated. In January 2023, Greece recorded a surplus of EUR 1.47 billion – a staggering EUR 500 million over the target. No wonder the FT has touted Greece as ‘one of the seven economic wonders of the world’. The Mitsotakis government’s commitment to securing Greece’s long—term economic growth and prosperity is unwavering. The results show this.

The increase in electricity prices, due to the rapid increase in gas prices, as well as in the prices of pollutant rights, within the European Emissions Trading System, puts at the centre the issue of energy poverty in Europe and in the world. This phenomenon not only affects European energy consumers and especially the most vulnerable social strata, but also jeopardises the objectives of the European Green Deal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It is therefore an issue that requires a pan-European approach and immediate resolution. The Greek government has already put forward a concrete proposal to establish a Transitional Compensation Fund to address the effects of rising energy prices. According to the competent Greek minister, Kostas Skrekas, this fund will draw revenues from auctions, through the Emissions Trading System, which will then be allocated to the Member States, proportionally and according to specific criteria. The EU – and rightly so – finally accepted and implemented the Greek Prime Minister’s proposal for a Green European Certificate. It is my belief that the same should be repeated now with his proposal to tackle the energy crisis in an effective and sustainable way.

Madam President, I will choose to ignore the dismissive and insulting undertone of your last comment, Ms in ‘t Veld. And yes, I can imagine, because I look at one in the mirror every day when I wake up and I care about truth and European values, and I care about my country and its reputation. And I can imagine, because I see it happening in this Chamber, that there are there is a minority in here, and people with their own agendas who are talking about my country as if it’s not a democracy, but an autocracy. And that simply is not true. And every time in this Chamber, we have answered everything about the murder of Mr Karaivaz, which is being investigated, and there have been arrests about ... (The President cut off the speaker)

Madam President, this is the sixth time that we are discussing the rule of law in Greece here in plenary, when it has been thoroughly answered on all issues, when answers have been given by us, by the Greek Government before the Commission, by the Prime Minister of Greece himself in this Chamber and when no new evidence has emerged. There are times when you have to say things by name. The first five times we discussed this issue, the reason was that in Greece we had elections and Kyriakos Mitsotakis prevailed overwhelmingly in four elections and, despite the problems of the citizens, New Democracy maintains a lead of 20 percentage points in the polls. So, let's say things by name and today in today's sixth debate, in June we have European elections. That's the point. And some in this room obsessively insist on discrediting Greece for political gain. They have a party or personal agenda and they are obviously disturbed by Kyriakos Mitsotakis' leading profile in Greece and Europe. Even obsessions have an expiration date. The Greek people know the truth about both the rule of law and the freedom of the press. The Greek people will again respond to the obsessive defamation of Greece with political expediency on June 9, the day of the European elections in Greece. (The speaker agreed to answer a blue card question)

Mr President, 100 days have passed since 7 October, when unspeakable atrocities were committed by the terrorist organisation Hamas against innocent Israeli civilians. But as our attention moves today to the risks of regional escalation and broader conflict in the region, we risk forgetting the plight of the victims, forgetting the need for accountability and justice. We must not let this happen. We must continue to press for answers that the victims and their families deserve. The full extent, ladies and gentlemen, of the horrors of 7 October are not yet known. At a recent hearing, though, of the UN Human Rights Council, independent experts were very clear about the scale and severity of the attacks, particularly those of a sexual nature. In their statement, they noted that ‘the growing body of evidence about reported sexual violence is particularly harrowing, with female bodies found with their clothing pulled up to their waist, with torn or stained underwear with blood.’ We must investigate. We must find answers. We must understand the full extent of these crimes, because it appears that sexual violence was not the act of rogue soldiers, but a deliberate tactic of war. I hope that you will join me to help make the survivors’ stories, these women’s stories, known, to hold those guilty accountable and to bring justice for the victims and their families.

Mr President, in July China announced a partial ban on gallium exports. China produces 80% of the world's gallium. For many critical raw materials, such as rare earths and magnesium, China supplies almost 100% of the European Union's needs. Critical raw materials are crucial for realising the green and digital transitions. They are essential for the production of batteries, electric vehicles, wind turbines and mobile phones. The Critical Raw Materials Act will help us secure sufficient supplies and reduce dangerous dependency on a single supplier. Producing more critical raw materials within the European Union is part of the solution. Greece has the capacity to produce enough gallium to meet all the needs of the European Union. Today, the European Parliament is sending a clear signal that the European Union is ready to address vulnerabilities in critical raw materials supply chains. The Critical Raw Materials Act now needs to be supported with new sources of funding.

Mr President, ‘bring them back home’ – that was the desperate cry of the families of the hostage that were brutally abducted by the terrorist organisation Hamas when it launched its heinous attack on Israel on 7 October. Today, it appears 50 hostages are going to be released as part of a deal that includes the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners in a four-day humanitarian pause. And of course, we welcome this development and hope it leads to more positive developments. Israel has indicated its willingness to continue to discuss the humanitarian pauses in exchange for release of the hostages. Today, I would like us not to forget that there are another 200 families that are desperate at this moment, that are in excruciating pain, that are wondering about their loved ones, and to them, I would like to say that ‘bring them home’ means ‘bring them all back home’.

Mr President, Commissioner, the 2024 budget of the European Union sends a clear signal about the priorities of the European Parliament. At a time of global instability and conflict, we have secured an additional EUR 400 million for humanitarian aid and foreign policy priorities. To strengthen Europe's competitive edge, we secured an additional €100 million for research and technological investment and secured additional funding for civil protection, young farmers and participants in the popular Erasmus programme. Although we achieved significant concessions from the Council in relation to the 2024 budget, our work is not over. We need to secure additional funding for the European Union Solidarity Fund, which supports Member States such as Greece, in addressing the effects of the climate crisis, and ensure that Member States at the external borders of the European Union have sufficient resources to deal with migratory flows. In the ongoing negotiations on the revision of the multiannual financial framework, therefore, we must continue to put pressure on the Council to commit more funds. Our task, moreover, as elected representatives in the European Parliament, is to secure funding for the priorities of the citizens of the Union. I therefore welcome what we have achieved so far in the Union budget for 2024. We continue our task by vigorously demanding additional resources in the context of the revision of the multiannual financial framework, to honour the trust of European citizens.

Mr President, after four and a half years in this House, we know each other’s positions on Israel and Palestine quite well. In this moment, we need to rise above these positions, and we need to speak in one voice to condemn the despicable attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas, to recognise Israel’s unequivocal right to self-defence. And Israel has my vote of confidence that this will be done and is being done in accordance with international law, to call for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, to protect innocent civilians, to prevent a humanitarian crisis. Today, the European Parliament has a choice. We can exploit this resolution for political gain and become even more entrenched in our respective positions, or we can use this resolution to champion unity, and in doing so, lead by example. After all, if we cannot overcome our differences to combat terrorism, than when can we?

Mr President, negotiations between the European institutions on the annual budget are an ordinary exercise, but this is no ordinary year: we’re in the midst of a major revision of the MFF to deal with the challenges of migration, climate change, competitiveness and a war in Ukraine. Today’s compromise package is an effective and balanced way to tackle these challenges. We have included additional funding for key climate change mitigation tools like the EU Solidarity Fund, and having just seen my own country, Greece, ravaged by some of the worst wildfires on record and then battered by horrific floods, I can testify to the urgent need for this. So congratulations to my EPP colleague, Mr Siegfried Mureșan, and thank you to Mr Ušakovs, whom I’ve worked with as the EPP shadow for the other sections of the budget. We propose a deal that is fair for all of the institutions and ensures that an adequate and balanced budget is included for this House in an election year. So I call upon all colleagues to support the compromise package on the table for the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024.

Madam President, the one and only trade deal we’ve done this term is Vietnam. Hopefully we’ll be able to add New Zealand to the list. This landmark deal will deliver economic value, including ambitious commitments on environmental and labour standards. Two trade deals in five years, that’s not what I’d call an ambitious trade agenda. There is still time to make meaningful progress on a number of trade deals already in the works: Chile; Australia; Mexico; Mercosur; India; Indonesia; Thailand; the Philippines. To ensure that this is not just a wish list, we need to be more proactive and more realistic. In the spirit of compromise, we’ve made considerable progress in modernising our trade agreements with respect to ESG standards and the rigour of our TSD chapters. In a world where trade is being increasingly politicised, China and Russia are pushing their agendas much more aggressively, and our dependence on critical raw materials is verging on the existential, now is the time to inject some new realpolitik into our trade negotiations. A one-size-fits-all approach, which some colleagues in this House are advocating, simply will not work. We need flexibility. We need pragmatism. We need to get down to business. Otherwise, we risk ending up missing out on opportunities of considerable value and global trade relations based on values that are far from European.

Madam President, this report is a good report for Europe, it is a good report for Greece and I am pleased that today's report includes a proposal to further increase the budget by EUR 10 billion, of which EUR 2 billion for the solidarity and emergency aid reserve to tackle, among other things, natural disasters. As you know, the recent catastrophic floods and fires that have affected my country, Greece, as well as the unprecedented phenomena that we have seen happening in other countries of Europe, have caused untold damage with unimaginable restoration costs. It is clear, ladies and gentlemen, that resources must be increased to deal with natural disasters and it is necessary for the European institutions to show flexibility in the use of financial tools to deal more effectively with the consequences of climate change and for Member States to adapt to it in general. These, among others, were agreed between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President von der Leyen. Ladies and gentlemen, the climate crisis is bringing about a new catastrophic normality. Therefore, Europe can – and must – be a shining example to lead the way in tackling extreme natural phenomena, in the spirit of the Greek Prime Minister’s proposal to the UN General Assembly to create a Global Alliance for Adaptation. The only way to ensure that citizens continue to participate in the green transition is to find a reasonable balance between the long-term mitigation of the effects of the climate crisis and the immediate needs to adapt to it.

Madam President, Commissioner, the anti-coercion instrument is a valid and necessary response to the changing nature of global trade. The rules we once took for granted in a globalised trading environment are no longer universally respected. An increasing number of countries, including leading economic powers, are more inclined to weaponise trade to serve their political goals. China cut trading ties with Lithuania in response to its relations with Taiwan. President Erdoğan called for sweeping boycotts of French goods. We are now facing a rise in politically motivated export bans of key critical raw materials. The ACI will act both as a deterrent against such trends and a means to fight back when and where necessary. I’ve advocated that the ACI should be predictable and proportionate, yet at the same time visibly potent. I think we’ve struck the right balance. But overall, truly, ACI gives us little to celebrate. In fact, in an ideal world we wouldn’t need an anti-coercion instrument at all. But when our economic interests are threatened and our political choices are coerced, we need a tool to respond. Defence, however, is only one side of the coin. The other is offence. So our best option offensively is to conclude free trade agreements with partners around the world. After all, like they say, the best defence sometimes is offence.

Mr President, Commissioner, today critical raw materials are at the forefront of the political debate. Rightfully so – they are key to delivering the Green Deal, they’re at the centre of our trade deals and they will influence the geopolitical balance in the decades to come. It is therefore imperative that we simplify onerous and lengthy permitting procedures, secure financing for CRM projects and ensure that we have the infrastructure ready to reuse materials in the future to build a truly circular economy. Colleagues, prioritising critical raw materials that are key to strategic sectors is the sensible approach, but omitting aluminium is not at all sensible. Aluminium is a vital component for the identified strategic industries. Its production base in Europe is vulnerable and we will be held hostage by China if we fail to act. So let’s be sensible and vote to include aluminium in the list annexed to the Critical Raw Materials Act.

Mr President, Commissioner, the European Parliament's annual report on Turkey contains extensive references to the deterioration of the human rights situation, freedom of speech, the functioning of the rule of law and democratic institutions in the country. As far as Greece is concerned, it clearly condemns the casus belli, condemns the questioning of the sovereignty of the Greek islands, as well as the instrumentalisation of migrants by the Turkish government. The report also stresses that Turkey's accession process to the European Union cannot continue under the current circumstances. Dear colleagues, I ask you to support the amendments of the European People's Party, which call on Turkey to respect the religious character of cultural monuments, such as Agia Sophia and the Monastery of Chora, but also the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, while strongly condemning the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum. If anything, omitting these reports, which were in the report last year, may send the wrong message to Ankara, and that is something we do not want.

Mr President, here in the plenary of the European Parliament we have discussed the accession of the Western Balkans many times and Greece has been an accelerating country. However, the recent decision of an Albanian court rejecting the request for the release of the elected mayor, Freddie Beleri, constitutes a serious development in Albania's accession course, because the decision is in direct contradiction with the European acquis, which the Albanian authorities must respect, but also violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law. On the initiative of New Democracy and the European People's Party, an emergency resolution was adopted, calling on the Albanian authorities to respect the outcome of the May local elections and to ensure the inauguration of the elected mayor of Himara. The Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis from the first moment has made it clear that we will not allow the violation of the fundamental rights of Freddie Beleris and the Greek minority in Albania. I therefore call on you all to send a strong message to the Albanian authorities with regard to the Beleri case. They must respect the minimum standards of the rule of law and the minimum European standards. At the moment, what is required is action.

Mr President, like so many other critical raw materials that we rely on for our green and digital transition, China is the world’s leading producer of natural graphite and the EU’s top supplier. The EIB recently backed a EUR 150 million loan for a graphite mine in northern Sweden, and projects like this will be key to ensuring our autonomy, building our value chains and greening production. This project is also fully in line with the aims of the new Critical Raw Materials Act, which looks to encourage more mining in the European Union. One of the biggest hurdles, however, is access to finance, and the Commission sees a key role for the EIB. In the Climate Bank Roadmap for 2020—2025, the EIB sets a clear path for greening its investments, but it’s disappointingly vague when it comes to the mining sector. We need to see a more prominent role for mining and a willingness from the EIB to finance mining projects. Dear colleagues, the Commission has set out a clear strategy for de—risking from China, and the EIB through its financing decisions can help to make this a reality.

Madam President, Commissioner, this report was supposed to be about the relationship of the Union with the Palestinian Authority, yet it contains about 40 references to Palestine and the Palestinian Authority, and almost 75 to Israel, which is undeniably imbalanced. It’s also disappointing that major issues of importance in our engagement with the Palestinian Authority have been completely overlooked in the report. For instance, there’s no mention of the Commission-funded Georg Eckert study, which clearly finds that there is antisemitic and hate speech in Palestinian Authority textbooks. The report also fails to focus efficiently on other actors that play a major role in the region, and I mean terrorist organisations like Hamas, or the influence of Iran or the IRGC. Of course, we can’t discuss relations with the Palestinian Authority without mentioning Israel. And, of course, there are issues about Israel that we debate and disagree on. But this report is not the place for this debate to take place. Unfortunately – like so often – I see this report as having been used as a vehicle for those who wish to criticise Israel and will take any opportunity to do so.

Mr President, Commissioner, Madam Minister, it’s been nearly three years since the EU-US Privacy Shield was invalidated, leaving European businesses in an extremely difficult position, forcing them to rely on individual legal agreements with little explicit guidance on how they should operate. This has jeopardised the very data protection that we are seeking to secure for our citizens. The EU and the US have the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world and services are a huge component. The US is our closest and our most trusted ally and we need to work together to shape global rules on data protection and privacy in a meaningful way. In its opinion, the European Data Protection Board takes note of, and I quote, ‘substantial improvements compared to the previous legal framework’. It also highlights the introduction of an individual mechanism of redress for EU citizens. Colleagues, data protection is fundamental in a world shaped by constant digital communication and advancing AI technology. Those calling for renegotiations will never be satisfied. And the resolution put before us today reflects an ideologically driven agenda which prevents us from concluding meaningful negotiation with the United States and distracts us from focusing on similar issues with other countries that pose far greater threats. So, Commissioner, moving forward with an adequacy decision as soon as possible is in the best interest of everyone concerned.

Madam President, Commissioner, year after year, a number of us in this House have called for partial conditionality of funding to the Palestinian Authority in order to secure the removal of anti-Semitic content from the school textbooks. Year after year, a majority in this House refuses to do so. The EU—commissioned Georg Eckert Institute study was very clear that Palestinian textbooks contain anti-Semitic references and incitement to hatred based on international standards, and the EU is very clear that we have a zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitism. So now is the time to join the dots. Zero tolerance means anti-Semitic rhetoric must be removed from the textbooks used by the Palestinian Authority. So the amendment tabled by the S&D to not only delete the reference in the discharge report, but to do so in a way that wilfully misrepresents the results of the Georg Eckert study must be opposed. In authorising the discharge of EU funds, dear colleagues, as parliamentarians, we are asked to judge their effectiveness. Partial conditionality to ensure the removal of anti-Semitic content in Palestinian textbooks – it’s not just about effectiveness, it is about morality. So please let us do the right thing.

Mr President, I have repeatedly spoken to you from this podium about lies and slanders about my country, Greece. Accusations about supposedly dead children in Evros, even about the rule of law, about pushbacks, which have proven to be hollow, false and slanderous and have been all shot down. One of these accusations concerned the failure to clarify the murder of the Greek journalist, Giorgos Karaivaz. So now she's debunked, too: The Greek police have arrested two suspects who have already been detained by the Greek judiciary and the case is expected to be fully resolved soon. Ladies and gentlemen, Greece is a democratic country that respects human rights, a country with a free press, where the rule of law operates perfectly and I hope that this will be the last time I will have to speak in this Chamber, responding to lies and slanders that are deliberately spreading some centres and even reproducing Greek MEPs, simply for petty party benefit. So I'll borrow one of their slogans: So far.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, it’s just over a year since the Commission put forward its communication on the European growth model, and one figure that stands out in that communication is EUR 520 billion. Yes, EUR 520 billion is the estimated level of investment that will be required annually until 2030 to deliver the Green Deal. Private investment will of course deliver part of this, but in a climate of increasing global state subsidies with flagship initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States, it’s clear that public money will be needed as well. So we need to think big. We need to embrace proposals such as the Sovereignty Fund that can help channel this investment. And if we’re going to protect existing spending in the MFF, then we need new own resources. Newly—adopted initiatives like the plastics tax, like CBAM are all welcome, but they’re clearly insufficient. Colleagues, we need to be bolder: big challenges require big moves, so let’s make them!

Mr President, Commissioner, the fence in Evros is a shield to protect the borders not only of Greece, but of the whole of Europe. And it is regrettable that at the initiative of, among others, Mr Papadimoulis, today's report with the guidelines includes paragraph 48, which proposes that the fences at the external borders should not be financed by Community funds. After all, this was the immigration policy of the government of Alexis Tsipras, an open-border policy that led to the migration crisis. And then 75% of migrants in Europe entered through Greece. Today, thanks to the policy of the Mitsotakis government, this percentage is below 10% and the migration flows and due to the fence in Evros have decreased by 90%. And when Greece accepted this coordinated hybrid threat from Turkey in 2020, which was met with great success, the fence made a significant contribution to it. Dear colleagues, the answer to the question of whether the fence in Evros is effective and necessary has been given by the numbers, the facts and the inhabitants of Evros. The Mitsotakis government is determined to upgrade and expand the fence in Evros to protect the borders, not only of Greece, but also of the whole of Europe, if necessary with Greek taxpayers' money. The question today is: Will the European Union assume its self-evident obligation to protect its borders in Evros by financing the fence from the European budget? Yes or no?

Mr President, High Representative, there can be no doubt as to the level of feeling that the proposed judicial reforms have unleashed in Israel. Emotions are very high, and this is obviously a very polarising issue for the country. But colleagues, we as outside observers should tread very carefully before jumping to any conclusions. Labelling a country’s democracy as ‘deteriorating’ is, after all, a very serious charge. But as experience shows to many in this house will always jump at the opportunity to criticise Israel. Of course, we have concerns and of course, we are entitled to voice these concerns, but let us not prejudge any particular outcome. Israel has been a functioning – and yes, Mr Borrell – vibrant democracy for 75 years and after five recent elections, it has a democratically elected government and a Knesset. Dear colleagues, as a friend of Israel, I need to believe for the good of Europe as well, that at the end of the day, Israel will remain a fully functioning democracy.

Madam President, Commissioner, the real question today is why? Why does S&D insist on discussing Greek wiretapping again in this Chamber after resignations and inquiry in the Hellenic Parliament, a PEGA mission, the strictest legislation in all of Europe banning spyware and ongoing judicial proceedings. Why are we discussing the rule of law in Greece when the Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index shows one of the highest rankings increase for Greece, as opposed to a clearly inaccurate index which ranks Greece below Burkina Faso? Why is Greece being systematically slandered in this house by an à-la-carte centre-left majority spreading lies about alleged pushbacks and dead children? And why does the draft PEGA report rely blindly on the unsubstantiated claims of Greek opposition newspapers, which in and of itself, by the way, proves that there is freedom of the press in Greece? Could it be because the polls in Greece show a clear lead of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the upcoming elections? And could it be that these slanderous attacks serve only to support the centre-left opposition in Greece? Yes, the answer is that simple and so is the truth. And the truth is that we’re not here today to discuss the rule of law in Greece, we are here because S&D and the Left wish to influence the outcome of the Greek elections. And that, dear colleagues, is for the people of Greece to decide. And I'll say it in Greek. Η Ελλάδα είναι δημοκρατία και οι Έλληνες και Ελληνίδες πολίτες θα αποφασίσουν ποιος θα την κυβερνήσει.