What Tineke spoke about.

1

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Preparation of the Special European Council meeting of February, in particular the need to develop sustainable solutions in the area of asylum and migration (debate)

Mr President, we are generously hosting refugees from Ukraine, and rightly so. But the EU seems to forget that a refugee is a refugee, no matter the country of origin. And most asylum seekers in Europe, they come from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey. Those refugees are pushed back at Europe’s borders or face huge obstacles in asking for asylum and getting a proper reception. And what is the EU an…

18

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Situation of journalists in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi

Madam President, Commissioner, for the first time in 25 years, the human rights situation in Morocco is on the Parliament’s agenda. Omar Radi and many other journalists critical of the regime face smear campaigns, arbitrary detention and are convicted in dodgy trials. Peaceful Hirak al—Rif protesters and diaspora activists are systematically harassed and intimidated. Sakharov Prize finalist Nasser…

18

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Criminalisation of humanitarian assistance, including search and rescue (debate)

– You just said that the Turkish authorities do not cooperate with Greece. We all know that this EU-Turkey deal is not working at the moment because Erdogan has not taken back any migrants since March 2020. Yet the Greek Government declares asylum requests inadmissible if people have traveled from Turkey into the EU – because of the reasoning that they can go back to Turkey as a safe third country…

18

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Criminalisation of humanitarian assistance, including search and rescue (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, checking someone's pulse before checking his passport is not a crime – on the contrary. Yet Greek authorities made it one, cynically prosecuting 24 humanitarian aid workers for saving lives at sea. Helping refugees to settle is not a crime. Yet Italian Mayor Lucano faces a sentence of 13 years behind bars for it. A Greek registration law hinders NGOs from doing their wo…

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter - annual report 2022 (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I would like to congratulate my colleague, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, for this strong annual report on human rights. As human rights are universal, consistency is key. Human rights cannot be sacrificed for EU interests like trade or migration. And, of course, Parliament should never be silenced because of the own financial interests of some MEPs. If we do not clear the House,…

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Presentation of the programme of activities of the Swedish Presidency (debate)

Madam President, Council Presidency, Mr Kristersson and Commissioners, the Pact on Migration and Asylum has entered a crucial stage. The Council reached agreement on border control and security pretty rapidly, but it stalls on the question of how to share responsibility. The pact is not a pick-and-choose game, it is a package to ensure all elements, protection standards, equal division of responsi…

16

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Order of business

Madam President, EU governments, including Greece and Italy, have increasingly criminalised providing support to people in desperate need for help. NGOs and churches carrying out life-saving work face huge obstacles in providing assistance on land and search and rescue at sea. They are treated as criminals. And, colleagues, humanitarian assistance is not a crime, it is an international obligation.…

14

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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The Commission’s reports on the situation of journalists and the implications of the rule of law (debate)

Madam President, Council, Commissioner, the freedom and independence of journalists are strong indicators of the quality of democracy and the rule of law. And yet these safeguards are increasingly at risk in the EU. Intimidation, SLAPP cases and surveillance are applied in notorious autocracies like Poland and Hungary, but just as well in other states, including Greece. The Commission has confirme…

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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The Human rights situation in Afghanistan especially the deterioration of women´s rights and attacks against educational institutions

Mr President, Commissioner, the situation in Afghanistan continues to be a hell after the Taliban takeover. And since our resolution in April, the lives of Afghans have even turned worse. Women and girls face horrible repression. They are excluded from public life to such an extent that it amounts to gender apartheid. Minorities are brutally attacked. Day by day, flagrant human rights violations t…

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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The need for a European solution on asylum and migration including search and rescue (debate)

Mr President, dear Council, Commissioners, when persons are in distress at sea, every minute counts. Yet coastal states refuse to fulfil their international obligation to rescue them and disembark them in their ports. They instrumentalise people whose life is at risk in a cynical attempt to push for solidarity. Yes, we urgently need a fair distribution of asylum seekers, we’ve called for that for …

22

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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New EU strategy for enlargement (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, Russian aggression has led to a revived appetite to enlargement and rightfully so. Without our neighbouring countries, we will not achieve strategic autonomy and regional stability. But the region has been neglected for too long. Promises have been broken, in particular towards the Western Balkans. Parliament has now made a strong proposal and I thank the rappor…

19

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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EU-Western Balkans relations in light of the new enlargement package (continuation of debate)

Sir, I cannot comment on this specific incident. What I want to say is that Bulgaria should also respect the Copenhagen criteria. Of course, there is a lot of work on better neighbourly relations. What I said is that you are an EU Member State. You have gone through the accession process yourself. You know how important it is that the merits are being assessed, and the merits only. This is importa…

19

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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EU-Western Balkans relations in light of the new enlargement package (continuation of debate)

Madam Chair, Commissioner, after the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the EU has finally woken up. Now everyone sees why swift EU integration of the Western Balkans is key for our stability. I warmly welcome the recommendation of the European Commission to grant Bosnia a candidate status. We must actively support the country to work on the necessary reforms, but also to ensure the right Council deci…

18

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Impact of Russian invasion of Ukraine on migration flows to the EU (debate)

Mr President, numerous victims. Refugees from Ukraine deserve our unconditional support, no matter how long, no matter how many. So we warmly welcome the extended application of the Temporary Protection Directive. But the Russian aggression also affects citizens of Russia and Belarus, who don’t choose the side of Putin. Human rights defenders, journalists who speak out are persecuted. Deserters an…

17

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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FRONTEX's responsibility for fundamental rights violations at EU's external borders in light of the OLAF report (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, today we can finally speak freely about the way Frontex was covering up pushbacks. Despite all attempts to keep it secret, reported violations were disregarded, fundamental rights watchdogs were side-lined, the Parliament lied to. The report not only reveals the misbehaviour of a manager, but also the complete failure of the governance of Frontex. Why did the Membe…

5

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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The accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area (debate)

Madam President, it is in the common interest of the EU to have all Member States be the Schengen area. And, therefore, we welcome today’s discussion to overcome the current two-tier system and bring in Member States that are still in the waiting room and, thus, lift the unequal treatment of citizens of the EU. Yet, accession to the Schengen area is not a right, it’s a responsibility as well. It m…

4

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Commission proposal for measures under the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation in the case of Hungary (debate)

I didn’t speak about EPPO. I agree with the previous speaker, so it’s good that he brought this up. There are indeed a few other Member States, and especially while there are so many corruption cases in Hungary, and if Hungary really wants to show it’s working on an independent system and fighting corruption, it would be better to seek cooperation with the EPPO because that would give much more tr…

4

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Commission proposal for measures under the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation in the case of Hungary (debate)

Madam President, Council, Commissioner, the Conditionality Regulation is now put to the test. Is it fit for purpose, are the institutions willing to use it? I urge the Commission to pass this test in assuring that Hungary reverses its deep and systemic rule-of-law flaws and that it ends the corruption and the captured judiciary. As the Commission rightly stated itself, you can’t protect the EU bud…

14

Sep

2022

EN Speech

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Existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded (debate)

The whole problem, dear colleague, is actually that the institutions in Hungary are not independent, so their assessment of the situation cannot be taken for granted. I think the rapporteur has reported everything and this is not an own personal judgement alone, this is founded by many independent institutions making clear that Hungary has turned into an autocratic regime with a lack of independen…

14

Sep

2022

EN Speech

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Existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded (debate)

Madam President, our European values are heavily under attack in Hungary, the rapporteur made that crystal clear, and women, minorities and vulnerable people are the main targets. We get the Media Freedom Act, a defend democracy act, but let’s use the tools that we already have in our toolbox to combat this autocratic regime. Article 7, of course, but also no disbursement of RRF money until all re…

13

Sep

2022

EN Speech

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The urgent need for action at EU level to ensure humane treatment of migrants in Europe, including at the borders (debate)

Madam President, tomorrow we will listen to the State of the Union. We will hear an emphasis on the European values and the rule of law. Solidarity with war refugees will be praised. But let me do a reality check. Thousands of refugees are pushed back at our borders. Greece, for instance, violates human rights on a daily basis and silences those who speak up. But the Commission and the Council sta…

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The Post-Cotonou Agreement (debate)

Mr President, Council, Commissioner, the Cotonou Agreement has been successful in promoting sustainable development goals, and we therefore strongly support its successor. It also aims to promote human rights, EU values and to operate in a spirit of equality. So these goals all serve the interests of the citizens of ACP countries, except one element that the EU insisted upon, which is the readmiss…

5

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the rapporteur is not here, unfortunately. I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Rangel, for his work and genuine efforts to find compromises, and it has resulted in a strong, unified position of the Parliament. With this report, the Parliament makes very clear that the future of Bosnia is in the EU and it urges for a serious revival of the EU enlargement agenda. The…

5

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis (debate)

Madam President, I thank you and the Commissioners. Dear Prime Minister, welcome in our House and I also welcome the Minister of European Affairs. During the eurozone crisis, we have painfully witnessed in Greece how citizens suffer if the EU fails to act in unity and solidarity, and citizens should never any more pay the price of a functioning monetary and economic union. Greece should be able to…

4

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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Loss of life, violence and inhumane treatment against people seeking international protection at the Spanish-Moroccan border (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, the death and injury of migrants at the borders of Melilla doesn’t need easy rhetoric, but honest self-reflection. Access to an asylum procedure is the core of the Refugee Convention. And this is at stake at the fences at the Spanish enclaves, where most migrants from sub-Sahara cannot approach the border—crossing points to ask for asylum. Spain begs Morocco to keep …