Speeches

President, Commissioner, colleagues. In the three years since the adoption of the European Parliament's resolution on the right to disconnect, the arguments that legislation on this issue is necessary have only intensified. The application of teleworking has expanded, it has become routine. In addition to the advantages that this brings, it is necessary to take into account the problems posed and to offer legal frameworks to address them. On the one hand, teleworking provides a great deal of flexibility for both employers and workers in the design and execution of tasks. On the other hand, employers' expectation that an employee will be available at any time is established, which often, and in some cases systematically, leads to violations of workers' rights, affects their personal lives and can have a negative impact on their health. Precisely recording working time is not easy, and it is also difficult to regulate legally. This would increase the bureaucratic burden. However, a clear line between private and working life must be drawn. I believe that setting limits to working time, while leaving some flexibility, ultimately has a positive impact on both employee well-being and work discipline and leads to a positive end result. In my opinion, therefore, the Commission should immediately initiate legislation laying down minimum obligations throughout the European Union with regard to teleworking and the right of workers to disconnect.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. In support of the removal of trade barriers between the EU and Taiwan and the promotion of investment, I would emphasise a number of arguments. First of all, the value: Taiwan is a democracy, especially one of the few in the region, which determines the geopolitical partnership between the European Union and Taiwan. In the face of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine, Taiwan is committed to supporting Ukraine and intends to coordinate sanctions against Russia. I also stress the ambition to develop cooperation for economic security by securing strategically important materials and technology chains. In the fight against economic coercion, Taiwan has already entered history. When Lithuania, which I represent, opened a Taiwanese representation, we were attacked by a country we call ‘One China’. Lithuania then stepped up its economic cooperation with Taiwan. And by adopting the regulation on protection against economic coercion, we have sent a credible deterrence signal to China and the rest of the world for the future. I am therefore in favour of concluding formal bilateral agreements on trade and investment, including on security, and of continuing to support Taiwan in seeking representation in multilateral international fora. And my colleague, Iuliu, thank you for a well-drafted resolution.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. We discussed sanctions against Russia in the autumn of 2021, when it gathered its army of hundreds of thousands around Ukraine's borders and we were, oh, brave. If it engages in aggression, we will disconnect Russia from the SWIFT system. I myself, as it seemed to me, spoke quite gently, the braver ones saw Russia economically brought down, its financial system ruined, the crowds hungry in the streets and the collapse of the Kremlin regime. In the meantime, we have imposed sanctions packages, indeed bans on our own businesses. In reality, this did not prevent Russia from daily armaments, smashing peaceful Ukrainians, investing in Africa and much more. My constituents asked me how much more the single market would be open to Russian actors, or maybe that bolder scenario would work. When? Advise me. Thank you.

. – Thank you, President, Commissioner, colleagues. Today's geopolitical context makes it necessary to reflect on the choice of strategic partners. With Russia's escalation of its war of aggression, illegal war in Ukraine, the Central Asian region is gaining additional importance. Uzbekistan is a key country in the region seeking to diversify its economic and trade dependence on Russia. I therefore welcome the conclusion of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the granting of the GSP Plus. Positive actions by the Uzbek government can be noted, such as regional water diplomacy, the fight against illegal immigration, organised crime and terrorism. Europe can and does help Uzbekistan on the path of reform and provide technical assistance, including in the context of the green transition. At the same time, it must not be forgotten that corruption flourishes there, media freedom is restricted, political pluralism is lacking, and there are serious human rights violations. Of particular concern is the well-founded speculation that sanctions against Russia are not being circumvented through countries in the Central Asia region. As a precautionary measure, I support the report, stressing that the situation in Central Asia is changing and that the dynamics of development must be monitored with particular attention.

Dear President. The Nagorno-Karabakh problem is one of the so-called post-Soviet frozen conflicts. Similar to Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria, now Lugansk, Donetsk and others. Karabakh was not only a post-Soviet bomb of the delayed decay of the USSR, but also a geopolitical bomb programmed by Stalin long ago. When thousands of intimidated ethnic Armenians left their homes a few days ago, a UN mission finally entered after thirty years of simmering and bleeding conflict. I would argue that this is not even the limitation of the international order, but the complete non-existence of that order. After all, we silently and helplessly recognized the right of Russia to de facto manipulate that territory, to carry out aggression in Ukraine and to act as a peacemaker in the South Caucasus. Here is the result. We must, at least now, actively prevent a further deterioration of the situation.

Thank you President, Commissioner, colleagues. In 2021, Lithuania took a bold step by opening a Taiwanese representation in its capital, Vilnius. It was proof of our commitment to the principles that unite us as members of the European Union. Our actions were driven by the desire to protect our values, including democracy, human rights, the rule of law, integrity. Taiwan, like the European Union, adheres to these principles and we have shown solidarity. But that's just one argument. We knew that such a move would not go unnoticed. China reacted quickly with diplomatic protests and economic pressure, which is what the instrument we are discussing today is designed to prevent. We are well aware that the opening of the Taiwanese representative office was only a formal pretext. The real reason was another. Lithuania opposed China's 17+1 format of relations with Central Eastern European countries. What's wrong with the 27+1 format? It is important for the European Union to have an instrument to deter third countries from exerting their economic influence with the aim of influencing political decisions in the Member States and preventing them from dividing the European Union by targeting individual Member States or groups of Member States. It is particularly important that the range of specific countermeasures identified refers to restrictions related to trade and services, foreign direct investment. The country identified as coercive will also not be able to participate in EU-funded research programmes and access to EU public procurement capital markets will be restricted. These concrete measures will have real weight and make third countries think or is it worth the economic pressure? This included measures to remedy the harm caused by coercion to a Member State, if so requested. This means that attempting economic coercion against one country will be an attack on the entire single market, thus defending its interests and values on the international stage.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. The COVID experience has given us a sense of how much can be done and overcome together. The pandemic has boosted broader thinking, not only by sharing vaccines in solidarity, but also by rethinking the importance of joint research, registries, databases, and not only in the area of communicable diseases, we have coined the concept of a European Health Union. It is regrettable that the steps towards that Health Union are being made too small and too slow. The fruits of scientific progress - unlike vaccines, modern treatments for chronic diseases - are not available to all Europeans, there is a clear divide between East and West, because treatment is simply inaccessible due to its high cost. We aim to achieve the goal individually - within a couple of years Lithuania has implemented a hepatitis C prevention programme, every second adult in Lithuania has already been tested, by the way, and I personally - why wouldn't this happen on a pan-European scale? I therefore look forward not only to the assessment of the COVID experience, but also to broader, decisive initiatives.

President, colleagues, we are talking about the torture and criminal prosecution of two Ukrainian teenagers accused of ‘sabotage planning’ by Russian occupiers. In doing so, Russia is violating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Convention on Torture. Such actions are not accidental, it is a certain thoughtful component of Russia's mastered strategy of systemic stigmatization, intimidation. We therefore rightly demand not only the immediate release of these two detainees, but also an end to the so-called ‘re-education’ of other minors, including illegal adoptions. All these are clearly planned and systematically organized actions of state policy. Among other things, such actions involve not only the Russian regime, but also today's, present-day, Belarusian regime. Both European institutions and global organisations must therefore take all available legal measures to prevent the criminal actions of these regimes.

Dear President. By blowing up the Kakhovka dam, Russia committed an inhumane, immoral, criminal act. With such and similar actions, Russia has long gone beyond any limits of common sense. Peaceful people are forced to live in flooded areas without many vital resources. Water, the shortage of which is widely spoken of by the United Nations, and whose supply to Ukraine was already in trouble before the start of Russia's criminal war, was released into the Black Sea, flooding vast areas of land along the way. The water supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is also disrupted, the possibility of an accident is even higher, grain yields will decrease, and when water subsides, harmful sludge and loads remain. And we can only assume how many billions of damage has been done to nature. There is a massive plague of fish, birds and fauna. This is true of the term ecocide, the scale of which has not been seen in Europe for decades. For this, Russia bears a heavy burden of responsibility.

President, Vice-President, colleagues. The need to strengthen the EU’s resilience is a word that we have not stopped using in different contexts in recent years. The real war that is taking place as a result of Russia’s appalling actions in Ukraine has further reinforced the need to increase our resilience. This includes resistance to foreign interference in democratic processes in the EU. A further escalation of malicious behaviour is likely in 2024, ahead of the upcoming European elections. I hope that the responsible authorities and the EU Member States will take the recommendations contained in the INGE and INGE2 resolutions seriously and implement them responsibly as soon as possible. While we are still discussing how to act, hostile states such as Russia are already taking real action in Europe to the detriment of our democracies. The EU response to date is clearly insufficient.

. – Mr President, Lukashenko continues his personal war against his people. Belarus has been transformed into a country of camps where an increasing number of political prisoners are being held. There is a court conveyor: Appointed judges sentence political activists to a physical crackdown. We must first of all demand that it is the judges – and their names and faces are known – who are brought to universal jurisdiction as criminals. The case of Viktar Babaryka, we know him, and there are another one and a half thousand such cases: Nobel laureates, human rights activists, journalists and even minors are imprisoned. Illegal arrests, regular torture, failure to provide the necessary medical care are a system. Hospitalization of Babaryka and other representatives of the opposition from violent injuries shows this particularly vividly. The European Union must therefore continue to systematically expand individual sanctions against the Minsk regime officials, including judges, and impose sanctions on the Belarusian regime that are no weaker than those we impose on Russia.

President-in-Office, Commissioner, colleagues, as a collector, I know that even legal trade in cultural goods generates increasing profits for traders. Unfortunately, illegal trade is also on the rise, despite efforts to limit it. And one can only imagine the deep pain of forcing entire nations to helplessly watch their cultural heritage looted. In the context of Russia's barbaric war in Ukraine, the looting of cultural goods is not only an audacious attempt by criminals to profit quickly, but also an attempt to destroy Ukrainian identity and culture. This is one of the reasons why we say that this is not only a war crime, but also true terrorism. Such actions destroy not only the identity of the nation, the state, but also the identity of the whole of Europe, the whole civilized world. I hope that the European Parliament resolution of 20 October 2022 on cultural solidarity with Ukraine will not be limited to us. The Action Plan against illicit trafficking in cultural goods must lead to coherent and uninterrupted action and propose real solutions to put an end to criminal trafficking in cultural heritage goods and to identify and bring to real responsibility the perpetrators.

President-in-Office, Commissioner, colleagues, the European Union's Global Health Strategy, which has been in place for over ten years, has come to be updated. Since then, we have experienced a number of shocks and losses: The COVID-19 pandemic, the spread of cancer and other chronic diseases have prompted us to step up our action on health. The European Union has shown leadership during the pandemic, but the challenges are not diminishing. I support the focus of this strategy on factors for better health such as digitalisation, research, strengthening of competences and, in particular, the importance of health registers and the need for the exchange of health data. Innovative therapies and diagnostics need to be developed, including the development of new vaccines. Everyone deserves better access to the health services they need, and it is to be welcomed that the new strategy also focuses on international cooperation. Global action is desirable, but perhaps we should first reduce the divide between Eastern and Western countries in Europe itself. After all, European citizens still have unequal access to treatments and medicines. The European Health Union must therefore take a more realistic form, based on appropriate resources.

President, Commissioner, colleagues. Forest degradation is a growing, global problem, and without a solution we will hardly manage biodiversity loss and climate change. We are making consistent efforts in Europe in that fight, and we cannot afford that commodities on the European Union market contribute to deforestation, whether in the European Union or anywhere else in the world. In this way, I hope that this week we will finally conclude the votes on the regulation on combating deforestation. It should develop real tools to combat deforestation, forest degradation and forest conversion. This is also the case for our trading partner countries where forests are particularly vulnerable, such as the Amazon forests in Brazil. However, the new requirements must be easy to implement so as not to create significant additional administrative burdens for European businesses. For example, the geographical coordinates requirement should be accompanied by the necessary technical and financial support and clear guidance on how to do so. I also hope that, once the regulation is implemented, the list of goods requiring strict due diligence will be expanded, if necessary. European producers must be guaranteed competitiveness and consumers must have the right to know if the goods they use do not contribute to deforestation.

President-in-Office, Commissioner, colleagues, the Kremlin is conducting a war, including a hybrid war. I have no doubt that this tension between Georgia and the European Union is also artificial. It does not lead to a constructive outcome for either side. Georgia, despite all the current challenges, wants to be part of the European Union, and the people also support NATO membership. The proposed controversial bill has been put on hold, and the dialogue between the authorities and citizens is happening, albeit at a very difficult cost, but it is happening, and further escalation would only benefit Russia. We, the European Union, must give Georgia more than an abstract European perspective. More financial and technical assistance is already needed to counter new waves of destabilisation and thus propaganda. And how to deal with the influence of foreign agents – I mean Russian spies in particular – we have also discussed this House on several occasions, so it would be worth doing this effectively not only in Georgia, but also in each of the countries of the current European Union. (The speaker refused to listen to Mick Wallace's reply under the blue card procedure)

Mr President, to paraphrase the well-known writers: Crimes are similar to each other and must be punished. Whether it was carried out by a private terrorist or an international actor, they are similar in one and the same way. Criminals are always afraid. The main feature of Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine is that the aggressor is timid. Russia fears being bound by international agreements on a fair and equitable trial. You probably know better than us what kind of atrocity you've pushed yourself into. It has therefore not ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in order to evade its responsibility; Demonstrate impunity in the United Nations Security Council. In this way, Russia opens its hands to barbaric, difficult-to-understand actions. This resolution is therefore necessary. It will send an important message to like-minded people and to all people of good will in the world. As for Belarus: We remind the batka that the making of a placdarma for terrorist acts is also a terrorist act.

Thank you, President. Interference by third countries in European democratic processes is obvious and sufficiently effective. The thematic spaces in which foreign countries illegally seek to influence Europe are wide and widening, from spreading disinformation during the Kovid-19 pandemic to propaganda and distortion of facts due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Undoubted and direct interference by Russia and other third countries in political and public campaigns. Propaganda and impermissible foreign interference have been repeatedly talked about as quickly as possible and functioning instruments. The defence of democracy package is still a success in the future. However, stronger measures need to be taken quickly. Investing in awareness raising. To educate the public, to apply immediately already existing legal instruments, which have been mentioned several times. There are still existing media outlets justifying Russia's actions, after all, we have declared it a state sponsor of terrorism. So let's be consistent, let's uncover the sources of funding and close those channels. And the responsibility of the Kremlin's friends. All citizens of the European Union serving foreign entities for illegal gain and political movements financed by such entities must be identified, made public and stopped.

Mr President, I repeat what I have already said here. The European Union is getting tired of enlargement policy. A regular example is the exclusion of Georgia from candidate status. According to the survey, 75%. The people of Georgia are in favour of European integration. Such figures are not even visible in many of the European Union’s old-timers. Since 2016, Georgia has made considerable efforts to carry out the economic, human rights and anti-corruption reforms provided for in the Association Agreement and has been at the forefront of the Eastern Partnership. Following the start of Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine, Georgia applied for membership of the European Union on 3 March. However, all that has been received is the European perspective recognised in June this year. Too little positive news. And sending positive signals from Europe to Georgia's internal democratic development is crucial. As we burden it and other countries with new work to be done, let us rethink whether we will really expand the circle of friends in this way, whether we are not worsening our attitude towards ourselves or increasing Euroscepticism? Political commitments to each other must always be bilateral. By rightly demanding progress from others, we must also progress ourselves, sending a clearer, positive message to Georgia. Of course, I am joining those who have spoken here about President Saakashvili.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, as Russia continues its war of aggression in Ukraine, there are no longer any doubts about the long-term need for substantial and sustained financial support in Ukraine. Moreover, as Russia continues to destroy Ukraine's critical infrastructure in a barbaric and targeted manner, we are not even approaching the issue of rebuilding the country, but only maintaining at least minimal vital needs. I therefore consider the MFA instrument to be welcome, necessary. I hope that all the necessary steps will not only be taken urgently, which is now most needed, but that a permanent structure will be found to ensure stable financial support. Of course, support should go hand in hand with an assessment of transparency, which would not only help Ukraine to further strengthen the rule of law, good governance, but also encourage as many international partners as possible to contribute to the support. We need to maintain our unity and not stop our support, both financially and humanitarianly, not forgetting also the military, because only in this way will we be able to resist the terror perpetrated by Russia.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. A long time ago, almost since the great expansion of 2004, there has been talk of development fatigue. I would now state that there is fatigue from ‘development’. The whole arsenal of inventive signals sent to countries on the margins of Europe that you are "coming closer", but "still stay" in candidate status, is probably already exhausted. The patience of the world is not limitless, and then we wonder why the world is becoming Eurosceptic, gravitational towards such dangerous players as Russia or China. Granting candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova was a positive step, a clearer perspective needs to be given to Georgia, and most importantly, there is a lack of momentum in giving them access to the single market, not limited to political but effective financial support, through the IPA instrument, proposing economic and investment plans based on the digital and sustainable transition, innovation. Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is not an argument for postponing the enlargement process, but, on the contrary, forcing the enlargement policy to be renewed, made more flexible and dynamic.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. World Diabetes Day reminds us of what we haven't done or haven't done enough to fight diabetes, just like other chronic diseases. On the other hand, schemes to combat them are indeed similar: from reducing the impact of healthy lifestyles and risk factors to harmonising the quality of care across countries. Already in 2012, the European Parliament proposed a strategy to combat diabetes, and in the meantime, the number of people with diabetes has only increased. Diabetes is linked to other chronic diseases, COVID-19 is a complicating disease, and obesity is an important key factor. I believe that the exchange of good practices is not enough. I would emphasise European prevention programmes, early diagnosis, the establishment of national registries and a common European register. The topic of obesity needs to be more widely included in the Horizon programme. And in Europe, I think it's time to declare an obesity epidemic. Don't wait until another pandemic hits us. Talking about the European Health Union will not be just a commemorative event.

Thank you, President. It is to be welcomed that the funds operating in the European Union are increasingly contributing to the funding of Ukrainian researchers. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Foundation for Support to Ukrainian Science has recently earmarked €25 million to support doctoral students and young researchers. With the entry into force of Ukraine’s Association Agreement with Horizon Europe and EURATOM, the country’s researchers have more opportunities to seek funding for project activities. According to various estimates, between 26,000 and 52,000 scientists could leave Ukraine as a result of hostilities. In the country, much of the infrastructure needed for research is completely destroyed. Lack of the most basic equipment, books, laptops, need to provide access to electronic academic sources. It is necessary to allocate scholarships for Ukrainian scientists to carry out experimental research in foreign universities. As a representative of the academic world, I am well aware of the importance of publishing scientific articles in the world's best-known journals, which is vital for maintaining a sufficient level of higher education institutions in Ukraine. Publication costs authors, and those costs must and can be reduced. I am glad that the Research Council of Lithuania already in March provided up to 100 scholarships for researchers from Ukraine to finance their work in Lithuania, but this is small. Support, and more support, must be provided at EU level. This is necessary in order to preserve higher education in Ukraine and avoid brain drain. And, of course, reduce the bureaucratic requirements for project applications. Let's just imagine a scientist doing this when bombs explode around him. This is not a game of imagination. It's an awful daily routine.

Thank you, President. When the cannon fires, the Muses are silent, Inter arma silent musae, the Romans used to say. In the face of crises, culture is often neglected and concentrated efforts are needed to revitalise cultural life. Paradoxically, it was the war that turned us to Ukrainian culture, their unique self-awareness – marked by a fateful existence between the brutal East and the civilised West. Russia is no longer great, its culture has gone bankrupt and degraded, and the instincts of self-destruction and the destruction of the surrounding world have collapsed there. Ukraine naturally fills that niche. Ukraine's deep cultural experience blends with a great force that we have long been reluctant to notice. Ukraine is not afraid of its difficult civilisational experiences, which we, Europe, have become accustomed to fear, because we recognize yesterday's self, drowned in wars and conflicts, and we no longer want to be. As the Russian aggression continues, Ukrainian culture is fighting for its survival. The extent of the terror directed at it is hard to grasp, as it tries to destroy everything that is in the history of Ukraine as a sovereign nation. This began with the destruction of Crimean Tatar culture in 2014. In the temporarily occupied territories, cultural heritage is vilely destroyed, museums are looted, books are burned, artefacts are looted and proclaimed as Russian property. Such crimes must be documented and act in conjunction with UNESCO. Without our help, it will be difficult for a country ravaged by brutal war to maintain its cultural heritage and a fully-fledged cultural life. This is done at Member State level. For example, Lithuania supports Ukrainian creators who have found refuge here, but efforts at European level need to be stronger. It is necessary to fight not only for greater attention to culture on a pan-European scale, but also, in some cases, for its use as a tool for disinformation. Existing initiatives for cultural recovery should therefore not only be maintained but complemented by new instruments. Support schemes must be clear and easily accessible.

Madam President, we are dealing with a peculiar propaganda phenomenon. Lukashenko’s regime dragged Belarus into the war against Ukraine, but claims the opposite. Even in this House, we sometimes hear that Lukashenko is not at war, or at least not yet. He has been involved in the conventional full—scale war from the very beginning: granting soil, air and logistics to the Russians, allowing them to attack the northern territories of Ukraine. Now he is preparing a secret mobilisation in Belarus, motivated by military readiness checks. He has given his security forces full authority to carry out detentions, prohibit movement, listen to conversations and enter people’s homes without hindrance. Thus, we can expect a new wave of repressions against the people of Belarus, or possibly even a new migration wave. The European Union’s response has to be based on sanctions, and we need them fast. We don’t have to wait for more Belarussian dictator’s provocative actions. To justify those actions, Lukashenko makes up lies that Ukraine and NATO are planning an invasion to Belarus. He is simply lying to his own people. The speaker used a slogan in a non—official language. Stop lying, batka.

Dear President, Commissioner, colleagues, Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, along with other fatal consequences, has sparked long-outstanding migration flows in Europe since its first days. There are currently four million asylum seekers. Thanks to the prompt reaction of non-governmental organisations and the governments of the Member States, the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive by the Commission and the adoption of the financing decision by the Commission and the Council, the situation has been stabilized, but the asylum burden is spread unevenly in terms of gross domestic product, with the Baltic States and Poland bearing the brunt of the burden, as well as Moldova, which is not a member of the European Union. All this, together with long-term efforts, the integration of refugees into health, social, educational systems, integration into the labour market, contributes to addressing the challenges of migration from one region to another within Ukraine itself. I am proud that Lithuania does this, but the war does not end. Russia has chosen criminal tactics, tries to compensate for its losses on the fronts by sowing deaths and despair among civilians, bombing the territory of Ukraine again and again, destroying civilian infrastructure, now using increasingly modern weapons that someone sells to it. A difficult winter is approaching, so I would like to hear how ready we are for a new eventual wave of exiles from Ukraine.