Speeches

Mr President, the people of Myanmar are suffering so much and you hear and read very little about it. It's sad! The military junta has a real reign of terror against its own population. Known are of course the stories about the Rohingya, who sought a safe haven in surrounding countries and now reside in the overcrowded camps under often very degrading conditions. Less well known is that among those 2 million Rohingya in the camp at Cox's Bazar are about 2,500 Christians. Life is extra hard for them. They have to deal with subordination, humiliation, destruction of property, rapes and even murder. Radical Muslim groups thwart church services and commit destruction. Even the UN does not take their complaints seriously. This injustice should not be ignored. That is why I call on the Commission to pay attention to this forgotten group of Christians in all its diplomatic efforts.

Mr President, I must tell you that I am very disappointed with the input of both the Council and the European Commission, because they have not at all addressed the exploitation of motherhood, in particular surrogacy, when that is indeed on the agenda today. Look at the exploitation of vulnerable women, which often involves surrogacy. A lively trade has developed in babies. And that's not okay, of course. Children are not a commodity. But I also look at the fact that with surrogacy, the biological mother often becomes completely out of the picture, immediately after birth. And that while a child is in principle really best off when it grows up with its own biological father and mother. So here very clear ethical boundaries are being crossed. All the more reason to move towards a global ban on surrogacy. I challenge the Council and the Commission to take a clear position on this. I have the impression that the Minister has not listened to me, but her officials are certainly willing to brief her.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this time too, the European Court of Auditors flawlessly puts its finger on a number of sore spots: the huge indebtedness (EUR 900 billion by 2027), rising interest payments (EUR 30 billion per year), but also the still too high error rate and the very poor supervision of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Often it is not even known who the final beneficiaries are and does not even take into account the actual costs incurred, but only vague milestones and targets. My call today is: let us stop taking out new loans, let us considerably tighten up financial supervision and let us also establish with each other that the performance-based approach in its current form under the RRF cannot serve as a model for the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). This approach will have to be thoroughly overhauled. The taxpayer deserves better.

We were able to see them all: the images of hostages coming home, the intimate embraces, the intense joy. Life was celebrated there. However, we also saw other images, those of kneeling Gazans who were summarily executed by Hamas. A frenzied crowd around it, cheering at death. It's chilling. And what a contrast! Once again it became poignantly clear how evil the Hamas ideology is and how it still holds many in Gaza in its grip. It is therefore important to give priority to two important parts of the peace plan, namely disarmament of Hamas and deradicalisation of Palestinian society. Now the European Union has played no significant role in the conclusion of the peace agreement. We have to be honest about that. But now that there is an agreement, we can certainly help to achieve it. I therefore ask the Commission to do three things: to ensure that no euro of European taxpayers’ money benefits Hamas; demand that all incitement to hatred and violence be removed from Palestinian textbooks; Immediately withdraw the proposed package of sanctions against Israel. Especially now that Israel is complying with the agreements, there is no reason to continue with this.

Mr President, it is indeed a request from the ECR Group on the initiative of our French colleagues and our group. Monday morning there was a break-in at the Louvre. Invaluable French national treasures were stolen after a series of malfunctions and questionable decisions that endangered the museum's security. This is not the first time that European museums have been broken into. The Netherlands was also confronted with such a theft in January at the Drents Museum in Assen, in which masterpieces from Romanian history were stolen. We also regularly see historic buildings or churches that are left to decay or become targets of destruction. Therefore, the ECR Group would like to propose an additional debate entitled: “Intrusion into the Louvre: the importance of protecting Europe’s cultural heritage against theft and destruction’.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, on a day like today, we cannot ignore it: Growing anti-Semitism has everything to do with October 7th. And especially with the wrong attitude that the West has adopted in response to this. Europe should have stood around the Jewish community as one man. Instead, activists were given ample jobs to shout the most terrible things about the Jews in stations, squares and universities. Attempts to tackle extremist groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, stumble upon a wall of political unwillingness and administrative impotence. Colleagues, it is not too late, but it is five to twelve. Look at Manchester. With some extra letters in schools, we're not there. The rudder has to change. Anti-Semites should not be walking around on the street, but behind bars. A zero-tolerance policy is what we need.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, today we are discussing two very interesting topics: the simplification of the common agricultural policy and adjustments to the market organisation. Both proposals are important in order to improve the profitability of farms. It is good to see that more attention has been paid to this under the new Commission. However, there are two caveats. Note 1: the simplification of the common agricultural policy is good, but we absolutely need to look more broadly. We also have to deal with unnecessarily tight regulations in the sphere of environmental and nature legislation. I am thinking of the European Parliament's recent call for a genuine revision of the Nitrates Directive. We must give farmers much more room to realize the social goals at their own discretion based on responsible craftsmanship. This requires room for target control as an alternative to overly detailed means control. Note 2: it is indeed important to strengthen the position of the farmer in the chain. Written contracts can certainly help with this. However, all this must not come at the expense of sound market forces. We should therefore not want to regulate everything legally. Before you know it, you are going to undermine good practices, for example agreements within cooperatives or other value chains. That really doesn't serve anyone. Hence my plea for appropriate exceptions. It is important to keep a close eye on this in the trilogue.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, anyone who really wants peace for Jews and Palestinians – and that is what we all want – must embrace Trump’s peace plan. After all, all the ingredients to achieve a lasting peace are in it. Israel already agrees, while Hamas still agrees. Are they finally ready to release the hostages? Everything stands or falls with that. If this door doesn't open, the road to peace will remain closed, I'm afraid. Instead of sanctioning Israel, therefore, everything should be aimed at Hamas letting the hostages go. The sequel will probably be a road full of pits and new obstacles. The traumas on both sides are immense. However, we must not let go of the opportunity offered by the present plan to relaunch something of a peace process and prevent a new 7 October.

Madam President, I would like to refer to Rule 150 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure. As we speak, Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is facing a death penalty for sharing a song on the Prophet Muhammad. During a recent hearing, the public prosecutor spoke explicitly about the intention of the state to publicly execute Sharif-Aminu. This is now in the hands of the Supreme Court, but the situation is very urgent. We have, in my opinion, to act now. As the European Parliament, we have called for the immediate release of Yahaya twice, in 2023 and 2025. So, I would like to urge you to contact the Nigerian authorities again and call again for his immediate release.

Mr President, Commissioner, last week China announced that it would introduce import duties on pigmeat from the European Union as of today. The levies will have a serious impact on European pig producers and the internal market. I am particularly concerned about the cooperatives that appear to be subject to extra high levies. I would therefore like to make an urgent appeal to the European Commission to use all possible diplomatic instruments and to convince China to at least postpone the introduction of the levy and to come to a solution. The WHO agreements should also be taken into account. Take advantage of the opportunities to challenge these levies. And if China does not reverse these measures, then, as far as we are concerned, we should certainly also look at how we can mitigate the distortive effects on the internal market.

I have a question for Mr Bellamy. He is undoubtedly aware that we are still waiting for the reappointment of the EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion. Ms von der Leyen recounts and promises every time that the EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion will be appointed, but no one has yet been appointed. What do you think of that? Do you agree that the European Parliament should exert maximum pressure on this European Commission to appoint that EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion immediately?

Mr President, I would like to ask anyone who again places all the blame on Israel today: Have you forgotten October 7th? And what preceded it: the years of rain of rockets and incendiary balloons from Gaza on Israel? What about Hamas's mission of total destruction of Israel? I am not saying that Israel does not make mistakes, but if we lose sight of the murderous nature of Hamas, we risk making wrong choices. Then we threaten to offer "solutions" that turn out not to be solutions at all, as, for example, a Palestinian state recognises, while that only keeps Hamas in the saddle for longer. There will never be peace like that. Those who really want to bring peace closer, focus on three things: firstly, the immediate release of the hostages, secondly, the dismantling of Hamas and thirdly, generous humanitarian aid to and protection of the civilian population in Gaza. Israel has a huge responsibility. But we really shouldn't want sanctions against Israel in my opinion. This sends the wrong signal. I can only see that as an indirect statement of support for Hamas. So don't!

Mr President, I would like to remind the Commission and colleagues that the European Union has nothing to say about abortion. This is a matter for the Member States. I say that because a citizens' initiative – My Voice, My Choice – has been tabled asking us to make abortion accessible to all women in Europe, namely by making budgets available to women from countries where abortion is still banned, so that they could have it carried out elsewhere at the expense of the European Union. Subsidized abortion tourism. A decided ‘no’ is appropriate here. Once again, the European Union does not have the power to do so. But I also say that to give a voice to those who do not yet have a voice, namely the unborn children in the womb. Let us protect and cherish the young, God-given life, and therefore also for that reason put aside this citizens' initiative.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in a debate like today, it is good to realise that agriculture is a unique sector. After all, she works in and with nature and we all know how erratic that nature can be. And she takes care of our daily food. The founding fathers of the European Union realised this very well and therefore included a separate article on agriculture in the Treaty for a reason. What is needed now to secure the important role of agriculture for the future? I would like to mention three points. First of all, ensure a robust and earmarked agricultural budget. Secondly, ensure a level playing field and thirdly, ensure workable rules. I am thinking of the need to revise the Nitrates Directive. Parliament has already spoken out on this. And I am also thinking about the need to cut reporting obligations. After all, we have made too many accountants out of farmers. A farmer should be able to be a farmer.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Christians in Syria are frightened, very frightened. This also applies to other populations, such as the Alawites and the Druze. Al-Julani, who nowadays is called al-Sharaa, may now wear neat suits and be received as a hero by many Western leaders, that does not make Syria a country where it is good for minorities. The horrific attack on the Mar Elias church in Damascus and the violence against the Alawites and the Druze prove the opposite. What should Europe do now? In any case, no longer settle for vague promises, but demand that all perpetrators be arrested and tried and that jihadist violence be stopped and that minorities be protected and given equal rights. I am thinking of constitutional recognition of the Aramean people, the Aramean language and the protection of Aramaic as a cultural heritage. And, of course, free and fair elections as soon as possible. If al-Sharaa does not do enough of this, then we should suspend the sanctions again and also suspend the promised support. I mean: reintroduce sanctions. For al-Sharaa must now show that he takes seriously the fear that exists among Christians and others and actually wants to invest in a peaceful society.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Christians in Syria are frightened, very frightened. This also applies to other populations, such as the Alawites and the Druze. Al-Julani, who nowadays is called al-Sharaa, may now wear neat suits and be received as a hero by many Western leaders, that does not make Syria a country where it is good for minorities. The horrific attack on the Mar Elias church in Damascus and the violence against the Alawites and the Druze prove the opposite. What should Europe do now? In any case, no longer settle for vague promises, but demand that all perpetrators be arrested and tried and that jihadist violence be stopped and that minorities be protected and given equal rights. I am thinking of constitutional recognition of the Aramean people, the Aramean language and the protection of Aramaic as a cultural heritage. And, of course, free and fair elections as soon as possible. If al-Sharaa does not do enough of this, then we should suspend the sanctions again and also suspend the promised support. I mean: reintroduce sanctions. For al-Sharaa must now show that he takes seriously the fear that exists among Christians and others and actually wants to invest in a peaceful society.

Mr President, we have seen so much naivety in Europe in recent decades! After the Cold War, many believed that the threat at Europe's borders would be definitively over. Member states neglected their defence and slowly but surely fell asleep, until Europe was abruptly awakened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. All of a sudden, NATO, as the cornerstone of our security policy, was once again in the spotlight. The treaty organization had been present all these years, but had unfortunately become very undervalued in Europe. The increased threat requires a good armed force. This position has been expressed by my party for many years. We are aware that a solid long-term strategy is needed to overcome the accumulated backlogs. I therefore call on the Member States to show a strong commitment to strengthening our defence at the upcoming NATO summit. Defence budgets need to be significantly increased. But let's not focus on the 5% target. We must adopt a strategic approach, guided by the NATO defence planning programme. In addition, countries should clearly identify what military capabilities are needed, and capacity building should then be well distributed among Member States. This requires robust financial coverage through national budgets and not through risky European loans.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, last week's warning from the International Atomic Energy Agency was crystal clear: Iran, which wants to wipe Israel off the map, could have a nuclear bomb ready within weeks. And that despite all the sanctions and diplomacy of recent years. And yes, then Israel comes to a point where military precision attacks become inevitable. As Israel had to respond to the massacre of October 7. A democratic ally fighting evil deserves our support. Unfortunately, Europe seems to be mainly concerned with boycotting Israel. Universities are breaking ties. The Association Agreement is under discussion and even the new distribution system for humanitarian aid to Gaza is not supported. My call today is: Stop these boycotts. You can point out mistakes to allies, but don't let them down. Certainly not in the heat of battle.

Mr President, Commissioner, how can we keep our oceans healthy and restore degraded marine ecosystems such as those in the Baltic Sea? A comprehensive, integrated approach is needed, in which all users of the sea take their responsibility. That is what the Ocean Pact is all about, and I think that is an appealing approach. However, I would like to mention a number of points of attention. First of all, the call: does not address further restrictions on fishing and closure of areas. Let's provide perspective for fisheries by promoting sustainable methods: more economical engines and more selective fishing gear, for example. The European Union must therefore allocate sufficient budget for this. Secondly, I would like to call for more customisation. In some areas you have to be careful with soil disturbance, for example, but in other areas that is much less of a problem. I am glad that the Commission also recognises this, but why is there still talk in the annex about phasing out soil disturbance in all protected areas? That must be a mistake. Finally, I would like to call for a broader study of the effects of wind farms on the ecosystem. That is, in my view, an underexposed theme in the Ocean Pact. With the necessary integrated approach, Europe must dare to look at this.

Do you know when innocent blood was shed in the Gaza area? This happened on October 7. Very massive. Do you know what responsibility Israel has? Israel has a responsibility to protect its own people. Do you know what Israel is doing now? Israel is in a fight with terrorists. And yes, I know that very bad things are happening in Gaza and that women and children are also involved. But Israel's commitment, I am convinced, is aimed at killing terrorists. Israel has no intention of killing women and innocent children.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, every war is terrible. The same is true of Gaza. Yet I would like to ask anyone who is now resisting Israel's offensive: What is your alternative? Keeping Hamas in the saddle and giving it a free hand to continue terrorizing both its own people and Israel? Because that is the consequence if Israel has to stop. The only way to get Hamas out, I fear, is to move into the area and force the terrorists to surrender. Certainly, Israel must do everything in its power to protect the civilian population. That includes evacuations. This also includes the maximum facilitation of humanitarian aid. If the hostages can be brought back with a ceasefire, I also say: Do it! Prefer today than tomorrow. But as long as there is no movement at this point, we must not ask Israel to give up the fight against terrorists. Commissioner, in your contribution you have in no way condemned Hamas. You should be deeply, deeply ashamed of that.

President. Eighty years of freedom. It can give us a sense of triumph. Such as: We are doing our best, we are no longer fighting, we are in Europe, at least we are working together. We now know how risky such an attitude is. It led to naivety. Many thought: Investing in defense? Oh, you don't have to anymore. That's a thing of the past. We are now working on a necessary catch-up, but it will be very late. Eighty years of freedom requires a different attitude, an attitude of gratitude and vigilance. Gratitude because freedom is first and foremost a gift from above and vigilance because what happened before and during the Second World War can just happen again. Look at the alarming rise in anti-Semitism. As Winston Churchill said: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Mr President, in this discharge procedure we are once again confronted with major shortcomings. Among other things, we see an adverse opinion by the European Court of Auditors on the legality and regularity of expenditure. We see a historically high level of error in cohesion funds and generous support for the Palestinian Authority despite payments to terrorists and Jew-hatred in the textbooks. The big question now is: What will the Commission do? We are going to simplify the rules, the Commission says. But that is, of course, totally insufficient. There is also a need to improve financial management itself, for example by imposing net financial corrections on Member States. As regards aid to the Palestinian Authority: Why don't you set much stricter conditions for that? For example, there are further concerns, such as the lack of transparency on the part of NGOs and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. All in all, therefore, it is impossible for me to accept the discharge. The Commission's improvement plans are far too meagre for that.