What Nils spoke about.

5

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Countering the anti-European and anti-Ukrainian propaganda of Putin’s European cronies (topical debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, there are roughly five to seven million Russians or Russian speakers who live right now in Europe. In countries like Latvia, absolute majority of them are Latvian citizens, that is citizens of the European Union. And that’s exactly why, stronger than ever, we must support enhancing, or in some cases establishing, European identity of Russian—speaking residents of our…

15

Sep

2022

EN Speech

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Statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (debate)

Madam President, the election of the European Parliament in 2024 will become a full—scale stress test for European democracy and actually for our abilities and willingness to protect our values. Everyone in this House does hope that in 2024 the war in Ukraine and the economic, social and energy crises are over. But we also clearly understand that rogue politicians, extremists, populists, haters fr…

5

Apr

2022

EN Speech

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Guidelines for the 2023 budget – Section III (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, a cold and expensive winter is coming for us Europeans. This winter will become another stress test, not only for our financial capacities, but also for the stability of the Union in general. The EU budget 2023 deals with a still ongoing health crisis and new geopolitical challenges, not to forget our crucial priorities like the European Green Deal and th…

1

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Russian aggression against Ukraine (continuation of debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, I will speak Latvian today, but being myself an ethnic Russian, I would like to try to address Russians in Russia and in Europe as well. Kad Kremlis īsteno zemisku un noziedzīgu karu pret Ukrainu, daudzi saka: “Ir kauns būt krievam.” Tā tas nav. Krievijā tiek aizturēti tūkstošiem cilvēku, kas bezbailīgi piedalās protesta akcijās pilsētu ielās, protestējot pret kar…

23

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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2022 budgetary procedure: joint text (debate)

Mr President, (inaudible) keep on addressing me with one question. How come that EU money is used to buy a new piano for almost EUR 200 000 for the Presidential Palace, at a time when, for example, healthcare or education are still under-financed? Quite a few Latvians also believe EU money is used to pay for increases in salaries for ministers. This House did a great job achieving an ambitious EU …

22

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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The revision of the Financial Regulation in view of the entry into force of the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework (debate)

Mr President, I would like first to express gratitude to my colleagues, co-rapporteur Monika Hohlmeier and shadow rapporteurs for their support for the united position on what this House wants to see from the targeted revision of the Financial Regulation. We have the new MFF package that includes now NGEU and it’s a new reality for everyone. We need a regulation that’s in line with these changes t…

19

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022 - all sections (debate)

Madam President, addressing you about the Union Budget 2022, I will start with a story from my country. Latvia is entering full-scale lockdown tomorrow, including a curfew after 8 p.m. The Latvian Government failed to take control of the COVID pandemic. As a result, Latvian citizens are depending more and more on various forms of support, both from the Union budget and different ways of financing.…

19

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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The Rule of law crisis in Poland and the primacy of EU law (debate)

Mr President, what we are experiencing in Poland is a test for the Union and it’s a temptation for quite a few politicians and probably even some governments across Europe, so that is exactly why we adopted the regulation and rule of law conditionality, designing it as a tool capable both to curb and prevent temptations. Now we need to go further. We need effective and timely implementation in cas…