Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner Andrius, colleagues. Every day, the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and agricultural, biotechnology sectors are increasingly relying on nature-appropriate genetic information, the biologically richest genomes in the world's regions. This innovation chain generates tremendous economic value, but at the same time raises the fundamental question of fair distribution of benefits. For research and innovation to be sustainable and fair, clear rules are needed to ensure fair sharing of benefits. One of the main agreements adopted in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 was the Convention on Biological Diversity. This agreement between most of the world's countries sets out commitments to preserve the world's ecological foundations through economic development. This is all the more true today, when digital sequence information on genetic resources is becoming an important driver of innovation. Responding to this challenge is the Potassium Fund, a new funding mechanism based on contributions from private sector entities using genetic resources data for commercial purposes. Although contributions to the fund are currently voluntary, it is important that businesses that benefit commercially from biological resources see it as a responsibility and not as an optional gesture. On the other hand, legal regulation must be clear so as not to stifle, but to encourage, scientific and business initiatives.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. Nitrogen suboxide, or N2And according to its chemical formula, it's almost as simple as H2Oh, but by the way, it's not innocent water. It is a so-called laughter gas, and it has a strong effect on the human body, and consumption has serious consequences. It is a potent anaesthetic that is inextricably bound to cause complete anaesthesia or anaesthesia during surgery. According to medical law, this is a strictly prescription-only preparation, and that would say it all. However, that nitrous oxide has other, non-medical uses, such as an additive that increases the engine power of the car, or the filling of cans in the food industry. And this opens the door for individual individuals to abuse and illegally use that gas for self-intoxication. Legally, preventing this seems complicated, so it is not surprising that various European countries try to do it differently. Introduce bans on sales in places such as bars or clubs that are sold to minors, limit the size, design of packages, add the compound to the list of substances that pose a risk of abuse. Everything has its price. I think that everyone would be happy if Europe proposed a unified legal N2and regulation of use. A glass of beer or a glass of wine should be the responsibility of each of us, privately, and because of the gas of laughter, the responsibility for assigning them to consumption should be borne exclusively by professionals, that is, doctors.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. The Commission’s assessments in 2025 show that Ukraine and Moldova have made very good progress, with both countries successfully completing the review process and both seeing positive progress in the areas of democratic institutions, public administration and the rule of law. Therefore, we should not move to the finish line. Previous waves of enlargement have not undermined the EU’s institutional functionality but, on the contrary, have strengthened our economic weight, security and political influence. Therefore, we do not have to embark on long marches of institutional reforms, as if only after them Europe would be able to accept new members. The most advanced countries, including those in the Balkans, can be accepted without major institutional transformations. Some corrections may be useful, some may be unavoidable in the future, but they must not be turned into a political brake. Today is not the time to say: "Wait, it's not time to talk about Ukraine and Moldova". Precisely now is the time.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. The European Union is founded on the simple but fundamental principle that the law applies equally to everyone and everywhere. When doubts arise in one Member State about the situation of an independent media, the independence of the judiciary or the transparent use of European funds, this is a signal to all of us. The case of Slovakia today becomes such a signal: questions arise, for example, about changing the structure of public media. It must be said clearly and collegially that the space for compromise is very limited here, because confidence in the very idea of European democracy depends on it. In Slovakia, we can see a targeted weakening of the rule of law: abolishing the office of the Special Prosecutor, shortening limitation periods and weakening the protection of whistleblowers, who are the ones who protect European Union funds from corruption. Such purported ‘reforms’ are not neutral but open the way to possible abuses. I would like to emphasise separately the attacks on media freedom. The national broadcaster RTVS is abolished, the new structure is replaced, thus giving the government wide possibilities to interfere in its management, change the heads, shape the tone of news. We have already seen what such schemes mean in Hungary – now the ‘model’ is being moved to Bratislava as well. This is also an instructive warning to my native Lithuania. When initiatives to "reorganise" LRT are re-emerging in the Seimas, it is supposed to be a "better supervision" of the national broadcaster, and in fact it is to subordinate it as much as possible to the whims of politicians, we must remind: A strong media powered by the rulers is a useless idea, no matter what the ‘good wishes’ cover up. The European Union's response must therefore be principled and swift: if the rule of law and media freedom are attacked, not only harsh statements but also real financial consequences must be at stake. This would be fair both to the citizens of Slovakia and any other country, and to Europe as a whole.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. As far as broadcasts of sports competitions and other live events are concerned, we must admit that the greatest value of their content is revealed precisely at the time the event takes place. "Here and now" is not the same as "return and see at any time". Illegal live broadcasts therefore cause irreversible damage which can no longer be restored after the end of the event. In 2023, the European Commission issued recommendations in the hope that voluntary cooperation between right holders, platforms and intermediaries could prevent piracy, but the impact was limited, piracy is still ongoing, and it has to be noted that this is no longer an isolated case, but a systemic phenomenon that brings both economic and reputational damage, while voluntary measures are no longer able to follow the technological reality and organised schemes for the distribution of illegal content. Hundreds of millions of euros are lost and creative work is undervalued. The negative impact of this phenomenon on investment, jobs and public revenues is increasingly cited by major players in the European sport, media and cultural sector. There is therefore a need for an effective legal framework enabling the right instruments to be adapted in due course.

Mr President, today we are talking about an open attempt by the government to politicise and adapt the national broadcaster LRT in Lithuania. The rulers, accustomed to pushing decisions by a mechanical majority after the recent elections, seem to have decided that retaining power could also redraw the boundaries between politics and the media. This is what is sacred in a democracy. The role of the national broadcaster has never been and will never be to praise politicians, to polish their image and mask government mistakes. LRT is the voice of the public, not of the government. Therefore, when politicians start to rush to change the governance model, the principles of the formation of the Council or the funding logic in such a way that the LRT becomes more convenient to the government, it is no longer just a technical amendment. This is the real political intervention. If today we allow the national broadcaster to be twisted according to the whims of the ruling parties, tomorrow the whirlwind of such political games will begin to draw other institutions of free society as well. During the long Soviet period, the people of Lithuania were forced to obey one opinion, but over the past few decades they have enjoyed free speech, the presentation of a variety of professional opinions, sincerely enjoying freedom encoded in the Act of Independence of 16 February. So let's stop the ambitions of restricting free speech.

President, as a Member of the European Parliament and as an academic, I have a serious suspicion that the people of Azerbaijan are being thrown into prison not for specific crimes, but simply for scientific work and free critical thinking. Bahruz Samadov and Igbal Abilov are not criminals. They are researchers who have studied the history and society of their region and tried to explain the conflicts that have occurred in the past. That is the duty of academics. However, Azerbaijani law enforcement authorities and courts have turned these academic works into accusations of ‘treason’ without providing credible evidence. The ten-page material, sent by the Azerbaijani embassy, explains that the sentencing and imprisonment of the above-mentioned persons complied with legal formalities and their rights as individuals were not violated. It is explained that Abilov cooperated with a foreign agent in order to harm the Azerbaijani state. And Samadov was accused of spyware and also of acting against the state. These are serious accusations. However, it is clear to me that those persons have been deprived of an adequate remedy and that the presumption of innocence has been breached. The arrest, legal prosecution and imprisonment of Bahruz Samadov and Igbal Abilov are politically motivated and they are just two of many political prisoners in today's Azerbaijan. Their cases clearly lacked transparency. Legal anti-spionage motives must not jeopardize the right to scientific debate. Science cannot exist in conditions of fear. Without academic freedom, there is neither progress nor a mature society. Thus, these cases signal the wrong direction in which the Azerbaijani authorities are moving today. Europe cannot be indifferent to this.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Comparing the moods in this House in the previous term and in this one, I notice an increased pro-Russian sentiment. So something happened on day X in the meantime, and obviously that date was 9 June 2024, when more like-minded representatives infiltrated the European Parliament. Russia intervened in the election process. What are we, Europe, doing to prove that specific individuals receive Russian rewards for their services? The Belgian police should be in charge of the fight against scabies. And we only learn about isolated, non-systematic efforts. Here is a case in the UK against former MEP Gill. In 2024, Tatjana Ždanoka's 20-year-old activities were unveiled. Her pro-Russian statements, however, were no secret, but she acted with European taxpayers' money. The Latvian special services initiated a search of an apartment in Brussels, and the former MEP lodged a complaint with the Belgian courts, and the further actions of the Latvian authorities are becoming restrained. She lost her five-day daily allowance. We have heard of cases in the Czech Republic and Germany. After all, we, the European Parliament, are facing hybrid warfare, actions against democracy and security. What coordinated measures do the institutions of the European Union intend to take to prevent such actions?

President, Commissioner, colleagues. In Georgia, unfortunately, we are increasingly seeing the erosion of democracy. Pressure on civil society and the media is increasing, the so-called ‘foreign agents’ regime is entering into force, limiting the activities of independent organisations, and brutal force is being used against peaceful protesters. When European integration was halted, civil society stood on guard, and today's ruling power responded with arrests, intimidation, tear gas and water cannons. Georgia's prime minister is trying to deny that brombenzyl cyanide has been added to the water, but admits there were chemical additives. Thus, the rulers engaged in a physical struggle against their nation, which defends Europe on the streets of Tbilisi not only with symbols as flags, but also with its bodies, at the cost of physical health. And all this is happening in a country where a Russian army is still stationed in part of its territory, so the events in Georgia are never a purely domestic matter. Europe cannot turn away from a people who love freedom. Democratic pressure is needed. Let us not leave the people fighting alone, because this would mean not only disappointing their expectations, but also weakening the credibility of the European idea itself across Europe.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. The Arctic is no longer the distant edge of the world. It is a place where the greatest powers show their appetites more and more openly, and climate change has become a convenient cover for aggressive actions. As the glaciers melt, not only new routes open up, but also space for brutal competition and demonstration of power. Russia behaves like an owner in the region: militarizes the Arctic, tightens control of the Northern Sea Route, drawing lines that others are not supposed to cross. Under the guise of the ‘Polar Silk Road’, China is seeking strategic investment, not through cooperation, but through influence and long-term control. This is geopolitical pressure. Europe must stop looking at the Arctic as an ecological field of research. This is our security front. Our arguments are therefore international law, an active response to militarisation and a clear message: The future of the Arctic must be based on rules, not force.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. I have the ungrateful task of listing in a minute all the ugly deeds of the Belarusian regime, when in the same minute they make dozens more, even more horrible! Dozens of political prisoners have been released and ten times more incarcerated. In fact, free media have been destroyed, the opposition has not had the slightest opportunity to act, and civil society has been suppressed. The Lukashenka regime is actively contributing to Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. Two thousand children from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine were smuggled into the territory of Belarus. Instrumentalised migration continues to take place against neighbouring countries, including Lithuania, and direct security risks are escalated, so there is no reason why we should ease sanctions against today's regime in Belarus. They just need to be tightened up. In the cave of Belarus!

Thank you, President, Commissioner, colleagues. There are countries that today do not ask for grace, but show determination and readiness to join our community. They are moving forward because they believe in a Europe where enlargement is based on merit and clear results. After all, it has long been necessary to send a message that enlargement is not a frozen process, but a living political commitment. It is time to change the narrative and move from ‘non-enlargement’ talks to negotiating clusters and prove that enlargement is actually taking place. Moldova has once again overcame ruthless Russian propaganda. In 2029, will we tell them again, "Stand up for another existential election"? And Moldova is not the only one fully matured for full membership. Continuation of the European project is impossible without geographical expansion de facto. Let us set a specific goal for development and pursue it.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. The impact of climate change on tick activity is undeniable. Undoubtedly, vaccinations save. It is enough to compare Austria and Switzerland: in one, vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is universal, in the other it is not, and the morbidity of people clearly proves the advantages of vaccination. Aggressive ticks, influenza, coronavirus – vaccination campaigns must also be aggressive. It is now lukewarm in many countries. In many cases, awareness must be demonstrated by the patient, which is the responsibility of the health authorities in the Member States. Sufficient quantities of vaccines must be available, patients in risk groups must be vaccinated free of charge and others must be clearly and explicitly informed. Solutions are needed throughout the European Union. This would be an appropriate contribution to the creation of a European Health Union.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, the recent violations of Europe's airspace and critical infrastructure are not accidents and they are not mere provocations; they are deliberate acts of hostility. Russia is not intending to declare officially the war; the war simply is going on. We should try to avoid the fatal mistakes of the past. Today, history stands at our doorstep once again. War is raging on our continent and the integrity of borders is no longer an abstract principle. Europe's response must be immediate, coordinated and unmistakable. Our skies, our territory and our seas are not negotiable. Every act of aggression must be met with firm political, economic and, if necessary, military consequences.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Anti-Semitism in Europe, unfortunately, is not just a shadow of the past, but a worrying reality of today. Even the walls of this palace, unfortunately, sometimes become a scene for anti-Semitic cues or even open statements. This is unequivocally reprehensible. There is also concern about anti-Semitic rhetoric in the activities of parties in various European countries. After all, anti-Semitism, xenophobia of any kind, only destroys the foundations of democracy, leads to radicalization and violence. We must not forget that Jews have been an integral part of European cultural development for centuries. As if there were not enough violent experience of the Holocaust, today we see again a disdainful attitude towards this nation. This is intolerable. Europe is strongest when it is based on respect for people, diversity of communities and respect for history.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. On September 28, Moldova will have to reconfirm its European course. And the Kremlin is imposing a fierce hybrid war. The Russians imagine that they can still operate destructively in the post-Soviet space and do not regret the conventional and modernized means. These include alleged protests financed through cryptocurrency channels, the purchase of votes by shadow millions, the game of the separatist card, the idea of an alleged ‘equilibrium between East and Europe’, supported by the establishment of supposedly ‘middle’ parties alongside openly pro-Moscow parties. At the same time, Moldovan civil society must withstand the ghosts of the past and sustain not only its own democracy and prosperity, the stability of the region, but also the resilience of Europe as a whole. And the best thing we can do is make the process of Moldova’s membership of the European Union concrete without delay.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Today we are witnessing a democratic decline in Serbia. Protests against the government are repressed by brutal force, violence against the opposition and independent journalists, and the rule of law is systematically weakened. And the images in Belgrade are a very clear reminder of the events in Belarus in 2020. However, Serbia has not yet become a dictatorship, but it must be acknowledged that the current direction of the state is not compatible with the values of the European Union. If today’s Belarus symbolises the Kremlin’s victory, Serbia still has the choice to return to the democratic path. And Europe must act in a targeted way to help make the right choice. Without changing the situation, targeted sanctions against government officials responsible for violence should not be ruled out either. Let's not let Serbia become another Russian satellite.