What Liudas spoke about.

14

Dec

2022

LT Speech

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Defending democracy from foreign interference (debate)

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 Rus…

13

Dec

2022

LT Speech

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Annual implementing report on the EU association agreement with Georgia (debate)

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…

23

Nov

2022

LT Speech

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Amending Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 - Amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 as regards the establishment of a diversified funding strategy as a general borrowing method - 'Macro-Financial Assistance+' instrument for providing support to Ukraine for 2023 (debate)

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 mainta…

22

Nov

2022

LT Speech

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New EU strategy for enlargement (debate)

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 …

21

Nov

2022

LT Speech

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Prevention, management and better care of diabetes in the EU on the occasion of World Diabetes Day (debate)

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…

20

Oct

2022

LT Speech

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European support to the Ukrainian research community (debate)

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 …

20

Oct

2022

LT Speech

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Cultural solidarity with Ukraine and a joint emergency response mechanism for cultural recovery in Europe (debate)

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 …

19

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Lukashenka regime's active role in the war against Ukraine (debate)

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 …

18

Oct

2022

LT Speech

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

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 Directi…

5

Oct

2022

LT Speech

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

Mr President, the key feature of "counter-propaganda" is the answer to the truth about propaganda lies. And that lie by the Kremlin and its followers – individual actors, interest groups and extreme political movements in Europe – is sophisticated, long and diligently prepared, generously funded and criminal in its entirety, and therefore can and must be punished. The clichés of false claims becom…

13

Sep

2022

LT Speech

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Consequences of drought, fire, and other extreme weather phenomena: increasing EU's efforts to fight climate change (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, we are facing a disaster, and in such cases we must respond in a united and united manner. They say: Save us from famine, pestilence, fire, and war, O Lord. Russia's brutal and irresponsible actions in Ukraine will certainly not contribute to managing climate change. While climate change is a global problem and a responsibility for all, we must not forget ou…

7

Jul

2022

LT Speech

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Developing an EU Cycling Strategy (debate)

Mr President, ‘whether a bicycle strategy is needed’ may sound similar to ‘whether a bicycle needs to be invented’. Indeed, the issue of bicycles is too transparent and clear to be open to much controversy. It is a means of transport that contributes to climate change objectives, addresses the energy situation and strengthens health, thus being fully positive. Looking at the bikes makes many happy…

5

Jul

2022

LT Speech

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The EU and the defence of multilateralism (debate)

Multilateralism as a means of communication between states is currently facing extraordinary challenges. Russia's military aggression in Ukraine is a grave violation of international law and the international community fails to find the means to stop it. The economic coercion launched by China against Lithuania in 2021, which was a reaction to the strengthening of trade relations with Taiwan, cann…

7

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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The EU’s Foreign, Security and Defence Policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, honourable Commissioner, colleagues, I would like to stress three essential things we have mentioned throughout 100 days of war already. First, Ukraine needs effective, modern weapons – ‘needs’ today; better would be yesterday. Postponing means losing the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and of peaceful people. Second, sanctions towards Russia: we need a full embargo for coal, oil and …

18

May

2022

LT Speech

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Prosecution of the opposition and the detention of trade union leaders in Belarus (debate)

Mr President, there are no brakes on the rise of totalitarianism. In the same way, the Lukashenka regime is targeting increasingly new groups of society that are at least somewhat independent of the dictatorship of power. This is not new: The crackdown on dissent in Belarus has been going on for decades, and after fraudulent elections in August 2020, the rampage reached even greater proportions. R…

5

May

2022

LT Speech

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Building of a wall on the Polish – Belarus border in the Białowieża primeval forest (debate)

Mr President, being consistent with ourselves, we sometimes forget what aggressive and uncontrollable force we have to defend ourselves against. When sending illegal migrants to the territories of the countries of the European Union, neither the Belarusian regime nor the Russian regime behind it thinks about the environment or the conservation of animal species. This may sound cynical, but they ar…

2

May

2022

LT Speech

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Amending Annexes IV and V to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (debate)

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) due to exclusively adverse effects on the environment and human health must be regulated accordingly and assessed on an ongoing basis. Decisions should take into account that persistent organic pollutants not only do not decompose for a long time, but can also spread far from their source and cross borders. It is not without reason that the Stockholm Convention…

8

Mar

2022

LT Speech

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Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the EU (debate)

Madam President. With Russia’s attack on Ukraine, we have a better understanding of the power and harm of disinformation campaigns than we have seen so far: the one that has already been done and continues to be done. And this report proposes concrete actions to prevent this. Firstly, the fight against disinformation must be properly regulated. Rules need to be laid down to ensure greater transpar…

15

Dec

2021

LT Speech

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The proposed Council decision on provisional emergency measures for the external border with Belarus based on article 78(3) TFEU (continuation of debate)

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, honourable Minister, colleagues, the hybrid attack by the Belarusian regime is still ongoing. The new step taken by the Council and the Commission to simplify procedures for managing illegal migration, while fully respecting fundamental rights and international obligations, is therefore to be welcomed. The possible application of simplified and faster nationa…

15

Dec

2021

LT Speech

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 16-17 December 2021 - The EU's response to the global resurgence of Covid-19 and the new emerging Covid variants (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, while we welcome the closer cooperation between European countries in the field of health, we must state that the COVID-19 virus is still able to take the lead. Europe has been overwhelmed by the more aggressive Delta variant, and today we are already observing with concern the situation and the incoming data on the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. So we have to re…

14

Dec

2021

LT Speech

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Situation at the Ukrainian border and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Russia is increasingly escalating the situation: The military build-up at Ukraine’s borders is a direct provocation of a conventional war. After the annexation of Crimea, the escalation of separatism, and an already long-running war on the territory of a sovereign state, Russia has repeatedly mobilised massive forces on the border of northeast Ukraine. This is a…

13

Dec

2021

LT Speech

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Health technology assessment (debate)

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, colleagues, we are talking about a European Health Union, and the deployment of advanced health technologies is sporadic, even in the absence of stable funding. In the meantime, the COVID-19 challenges have demonstrated the importance of working together. The need for joint action by states has become evident in the discussions on the cancer strategy, the pha…

24

Nov

2021

LT Speech

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The EU's role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic: how to vaccinate the world (continuation of debate)

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, honourable colleagues, it is to be welcomed that, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, Europe has already shown unprecedented efforts to accelerate the development, approval and sharing of vaccines with other countries. But with the introduction of virus variants, the more aggressive Delta variant, there is a need for a booster dose. I agree with the views e…

22

Nov

2021

LT Speech

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Coordination of Member States’ measures in light of increasing cases of COVID-19 in the EU (debate)

Mr President, honourable Commissioner, honourable colleagues, there are many correct words from this rostrum about the need to act in a focused way before the COVID-19 pandemic. Firstly, by basing decisions on science, and secondly, not only by acting at national level, but increasingly by delegating decisions to European institutions. But we have to react on an ad hoc basis. In order to prevent m…

10

Nov

2021

LT Speech

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The escalating humanitarian crisis on the EU-Belarusian border, in particular in Poland (debate)

Thank you, President. I believe that the construction of a physical barrier on the external border of the European Union is a very important aspect of this problem, and it is not so much a financial and not so much a legal issue, but actually a political one, and when, if not now, the European Union institutions must show unity in countering the hybrid attack by the Belarusian regime, in which dec…