What Elena spoke about.

17

Jun

2025

EL Speech

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EU framework conditions for competitive, efficient and sustainable public transport services at all levels (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, public transport is a crucial pillar for drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transport and achieving our central goal of a climate-neutral Europe. But it is essential to ensure that travel is safe, accessible, sustainable, modern and affordable for all, especially the most vulnerable citizens. New financing tools for reliable, accessible and safe public tra…

7

May

2025

EL Speech

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High levels of retail food prices and their consequences for European consumers (debate)

Mr President, sweeping accuracy and profiteering have been uncontrollably hitting European citizens for the third year in a row. In my own country, Greece, according to Eurostat, 27% of citizens are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Two out of three people say they barely make a month. Food prices rise every year by up to 10%. The purchasing power of Greeks is in the last positions of Europe…

5

May

2025

EL Speech

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Ninth report on economic and social cohesion (debate)

1

Apr

2025

EL Speech

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Improving the implementation of cohesion policy through the mid-term review to achieve a robust cohesion policy post 2027 (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, cohesion policy is a crucial vehicle for reducing inequalities exacerbated by the multiple crises of recent years. The social, economic and territorial convergence of the European Union is a key priority and this must also be reflected in practice. We must ensure that in the next multiannual financial framework cohesion policy funding is significantly reinforced, and…

12

Mar

2025

EL Speech

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Adoption of the proposal for a Parenthood Regulation (debate)

Mr President, international law stipulates that all children must have the same rights without discrimination. In practice, however, when a family moves from one European Member State to another, it can face the unacceptable reality of the non-recognition of parenthood established in another Member State. This legal uncertainty creates serious obstacles to the daily lives of thousands of families,…

11

Mar

2025

EL Speech

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Roadmap for Women`s Rights (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, your roadmap for women's rights is not as ambitious as we would like it to be. Specific targets, commitments, timelines and ambitious legislative proposals to tackle inequalities, such as gender stereotypes and entrenched social perceptions, are missing. We would expect you to define specific indicators and evaluation tools to assess and make effective European national…

20

Jan

2025

EL Speech

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Heat record year 2024 - the need for climate action to fight global warming (debate)

Mr President, 2024 has been recorded as the warmest year in history. The effects of the climate crisis and warming are intensifying and extreme weather events are causing major disasters across Europe. In Southern Europe and especially in Greece, islands and coastal zones do not have sufficient funding, do not have resilient infrastructure, and do not have the necessary connectivity to cope with t…

17

Dec

2024

EL Speech

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Towards a shared vision for European tourism, its sustainable growth and brand Europe (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, if the European Union is to maintain its position as the world's leading tourist destination in the coming years, it must redefine its tourism strategy, putting at its core a holistic approach to sustainable development for society, the economy and the environment. The goal of sustainable tourism development cannot be achieved unless we immediately review the policies, …

17

Dec

2024

EL Speech

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Situation of female politicians in EU candidate and neighbouring countries facing harassment and cyber violence (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner. In many countries, both within the European Union and in neighbouring states, female politicians are often the target of attacks and intimidation. Threats, attacks and slander, particularly through social networks, have become a daily routine for many women who choose to serve the public interest, and according to the European Institute for Gender Equality, one in three…

16

Dec

2024

EL Speech

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Regional Emergency Support: RESTORE (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, the Restore proposal for exceptional regional support and reconstruction of areas affected by natural disasters is a positive step in tackling the effects of climate change. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is increasing dramatically and southern European countries, such as my home country, Greece, are increasingly in emergency situations. Europe…

25

Nov

2024

EL Speech

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (debate)

Mr President, the message of today's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women must be strong. Zero tolerance for violence against women. The official figures of the United Nations are shocking. In 2023 alone, every 10 minutes, a woman was murdered by her partner or family member. In my country, Greece, in the last five years we have mourned 106 femicides. The European Parlia…

23

Oct

2024

EL Speech

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Need to strengthen rail travel and the railway sector in Europe (debate)

Mr President, the European Union is committed to making rail travel the main choice for passengers, improving legislation and promoting programmes for more sustainable, connected and efficient transport. But despite the hundreds of millions of European funds that have been spent, there is a gap between European objectives and reality in several Member States. In Greece, the tragic train accident i…

23

Oct

2024

EL Speech

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The important role of cities and regions in the EU – for a green, social and prosperous local development (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the cities and regions of the European Union are called upon to face continuous environmental, social and economic challenges and crises, to implement the green and digital transitions and to combat the climate crisis and inequalities. To continue playing this crucial role, they need the necessary financial tools and autonomy to make decisions according to local needs, …

9

Oct

2024

EL Speech

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Ensuring sustainable, decent and affordable housing in Europe - encouraging investment, private property and public housing programmes (debate)

Mr President, housing is a fundamental right for every citizen, but today it has become a privilege for a very large part of European citizens. The real estate market has been left unprotected by investment markets and short-term leases, causing housing costs to skyrocket. The inability to find affordable housing is the biggest obstacle for young people in the European Union to leave their parenta…

7

Oct

2024

EL Speech

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The extreme wildfires in Southern Europe, in particular Portugal and Greece and the need for further EU climate action on adaptation and mitigation (debate)

Madam President, the catastrophic fires in the European South and especially in Greece, my homeland, but also the deadly floods in Europe, confirm in the strongest possible terms that we are not ready to deal with the climate crisis. In Greece, almost two months after the devastating fire of August in Attica, last week's fires in the Peloponnese, specifically in Corinth, killed two people and in I…

19

Sep

2024

EL Speech

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Droughts and extreme weather events as a threat to local communities and EU agriculture in times of climate change (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges for the Mediterranean region, with very serious environmental, social and economic consequences. Greece is already experiencing an acute crisis, with many regions – but also islands – in a state of emergency. Primary production suffers, while farmers and ranchers suffer. Professionals in manufacturing and tourism are bein…

23

Apr

2024

EL Speech

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Combating violence against women and domestic violence (debate)

Mr President, one in three women has experienced the nightmare of gender-based violence and one in twenty has been raped, often without vindication, support and protection from the state. In Greece alone last year, 10,000 women reported violence and 15 femicides were committed. Today is a historic day for the protection of women and children. The directive is not perfect, but it is the first step.…

22

Apr

2024

EL Speech

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Amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims (debate)

–Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, every year more than 7 000 people are victims of criminal trafficking networks in Europe and the majority of victims are women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation. One in four registered victims are citizens of the same country. This crime is increasingly developing online, and the new Anti-Trafficking Directive strengthens victims’ rights, strength…

27

Feb

2024

EL Speech

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Driving licences (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, about 400 of our fellow citizens are killed every week. Almost every home, every family experiences a tragedy because of an asphalt accident. In this revision of the directive it will be disastrous for seventeen-year-old children to drive huge trucks, even 40 tonnes, nineteen-year-old children to drive buses full of people, women, babies, the elderly. Evidence from c…

26

Feb

2024

EL Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the uncontrollable precision, the decline in the purchasing power of citizens, the energy and housing crises, the desperation of farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises for their survival are constantly growing. Cartels and profiteering thrive under the responsibility of some governments. In Greece, in January, food prices rose by 8.3%, when in the Europe…

26

Feb

2024

EL Speech

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Tackling the inflation in food prices and its social consequences and root causes (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the cost of living in Europe has increased, but in my country precision and profiteering are sweeping through Greek society. In Greece, the purchasing power of households has decreased by 50%. Food inflation is 5.5 points higher than the European average. Wages and pensions are up to three times lower than in other European countries, while products and services are up …

5

Feb

2024

EL Speech

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Union-wide effect of certain driving disqualifications (debate)

Mr President, if a driver today commits an offence in a country other than the one that issued his driving licence and that licence is withdrawn, the penalty will, in the vast majority of cases, apply only in the country where the offence was committed and does not entail restrictions in the other Member States of the European Union. This driver will therefore be able to continue to drive normally…

17

Jan

2024

EL Speech

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Gender aspects of the rising cost of living and the impact of the energy crisis (debate)

Madam President, millions of households across Europe are struggling to cope with the ever-increasing cost of living and energy prices. Women face more challenges and higher levels of poverty than men. 20 million more women than men live below the poverty line in the European Union. Colleagues, ensuring a socially fair green transition is an absolute prerequisite for achieving gender equality. We …

17

Jan

2024

EL Speech

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Extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, I would like to address the Presidency of the Council, which unfortunately is not here today and is unacceptable. Hate speech and hate crime have been increasing alarmingly across Europe in recent years, especially online and on social media, threatening vulnerable groups, women, people with disabilities, minorities and particularly LGBTIQ people. Since 2022, we in t…

13

Dec

2023

EL Speech

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Jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition of decisions and acceptance of authentic instruments in matters of parenthood and creation of a European Certificate of Parenthood (debate)

Mr President, in international law, in Union law and in the law of the Member States, all children must have the same rights without discrimination. In practice, however, when a family is in a cross-border situation, because it moves from one Member State to another either to travel or to reside, it risks losing the recognition of parenthood established in a Member State. It is inconceivable that …