Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, respect for fundamental rights and freedoms are founding principles of the European Union. Since its establishment, the Union has aimed to combat social exclusion and discrimination. Today, the reality is still different. Thousands of people in the community, especially in Roma communities, live in extremely precarious conditions. It is unacceptable that in the 21st century there are still minorities who do not have quality access to drinking water, healthcare, education, social services, sanitation and sanitation. In order to be able to talk about a Europe where no one is left behind, we need to make sure that all citizens have equal access to adequate conditions. Member States need to step up their efforts so that funds reach those in need without delay. My party, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, has always defended differences, unity in diversity and democratic principles. We will continue to support policies for better integration of both Roma and all minorities.

Madam President, the unprecedented situation of the war in Ukraine calls for urgent, coordinated and well-measured measures at European and national level. It is important to provide immediate financial support to farmers, especially small farms and livestock farmers. Small food producers who face increased production costs, shortages and high raw material prices. Help is also needed for all low-income people to make food affordable. Commissioner, I very much welcome the measures proposed by the Commission to ensure food security. Bulgarian farmers are on the verge of bankruptcy. I strongly urge the Bulgarian authorities to take immediate measures and make use of all the instruments proposed by the Commission. Farmers should also be actively involved in this process.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, ensuring a favourable working environment and health conditions for all workers remains a challenge in the Union. It is still unacceptable that more than 200,000 workers die from occupational diseases every year. We need to protect workers from exposure to harmful substances, stress at work and injuries. Mental health issues, which the pandemic has aggravated, deserve more attention than ever. The impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, new generation machines and tools, the impact of new chemicals and products should be taken into account in terms of ensuring health and safety at work. Today, more and more workers are turning to platform work or other atypical forms of employment. These workers must also have effective protection. I strongly support the zero-victim approach to work-related accidents and illnesses. Member States need to develop strategies to adapt jobs to the needs of an ageing workforce, people with chronic diseases and those with disabilities. Promoting education, training and lifelong learning for all people of all ages, as well as measures to achieve a better work-life balance, must be part of these strategies, together with promoting intergenerational exchanges in the workplace. I strongly believe that this report is a good basis and provides a solid basis for improving action to protect and save lives by improving the overall state of health.

Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, colleagues, we are once again on the verge of defining the new priorities and objectives that the Union is setting itself with a view to achieving a more stable and sustainable future. Defining these guidelines requires precision and insight, because the war in Ukraine, which I deeply condemn, is taking place in Europe, a step away from the borders of the Union, and will undoubtedly affect our economic and social development. I believe that the Semester is a key tool to ensure effective economic governance and provide flexibility for Member States to address the challenges facing the economy and society. This semester focuses on governance based on solidarity, social justice and integration, gender equality, high-quality and accessible public services, the education system and employment. Undoubtedly, they are all essential for the development of the Union. I believe that economic growth and competitiveness must be stimulated, while ensuring adaptation to the new reality.

Mr President, the right to a decent life and to a healthy working environment is fundamental and, as such, should be a principle in any policy. Today, unfortunately, we still cannot fully control cancer, and therefore efforts to combat its causative agents must continue. At work, workers are often exposed to substances that increase health risks and can cause oncological diseases, reproductive problems and infertility. Measures to protect the health of vulnerable groups, workers in the health sector, especially women, workers in the steel, chemical and cleaning industries, are particularly important. By extending the scope of the directive defining dangerous substances, I believe that we are taking a decisive step to ensure better working standards. I would like to stress that compliance with updated occupational exposure values is a guarantee of good health for all workers. It is also important that Member States ensure that every worker has the right to compensation in relation to occupational diseases. I am consistent in supporting worker health policies and will continue to be.

Madam President, youth is a symbol of big plans and dreams for the future. Undoubtedly, the policies of the European Union must contribute to achieving results in areas such as quality and modern education, economic activity, entrepreneurship, the labour market and sport. The funding provided within the Union must be used to its full potential so as to provide sufficient opportunities for the development of young people, especially in the green and digital transitions. In Bulgaria, we, from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, have always supported and lent a hand to the young. We will continue to work to promote policies to invest in adolescents, tackle youth unemployment and create favourable conditions for their development. Our children and young people deserve it. Young people, this is your year. You have a leading role. Be active in your future. Let's revamp Europe together.

Mr President, honourable Members, unfortunately, the new year did not start well in Kazakhstan. We witnessed peaceful protests, which in an extremely short time turned into scenes of violence. I have been following the events closely and, first and foremost, I would like to express my solidarity with the citizens and offer my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims. I believe in the right of citizens to peaceful protest as a way of expression. At the same time, however, it is important to distinguish between peaceful protesters and those who have been there to provoke violence and unrest. I would like to stress, on the other hand, that the state has the right and duty to maintain peace, but the power that is used must always be proportionate. I am convinced that there is a need for a thorough and transparent investigation into these events. The priorities and efforts at the moment must be aimed at respecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, advancing the announced reforms and ensuring stability in the country and the region. It's too early for conclusions. I sincerely hope that the demands of peaceful protesters for economic and political change have been heard. The European Union must continue to support Kazakhstan on the path of democracy.

Mr President, Commissioner, the Glasgow Climate Pact is progress towards achieving the Union's climate change targets. However, I am disappointed that not all countries share a sense of urgency and shared responsibility. Climate change and its negative consequences are not a European problem, but a global one. Undoubtedly, I support the high ambitions we have set, but this cannot happen if the other countries do not follow us. What is more, I am concerned about the fact that the difference in climate ambition between countries necessarily has an impact on the conditions of competition and, accordingly, on business and citizens. Policies, actions and measures should be based on the latest research and proven practices. They should be provided with an adequate budget specifically designed to be inclusive and ensure that citizens and businesses do not pay the price.

Mr President, Commissioner, I believe that we have achieved a lot. We agreed on a new CAP model based on results and performance. The structural modernisation of the CAP combines successfully and in a balanced way economic, social and environmental ambitions and objectives. Renew Europe has made a major contribution to shaping new, more effective eco-schemes, fighting to protect farmers' decent income opportunities and ensure better control of spending. I am pleased that some of the main priorities of my party MRF are included in the new CAP, namely a fairer distribution of direct payments for small and young farmers, more funds for organic farming and the maintenance of transitional national aid. National governments must now do their job well and make use of the flexibility we have given them to design the measures and target the funds according to the specific needs of the sector. I am concerned that there is a lack of transparency and dialogue in the process of developing Bulgaria's national strategic plan. The future of agriculture in our country depends on this plan. The deadline is approaching, and farmers still do not know what exactly is included in it. It is important to launch the new CAP and avoid uncertainty for the sector. Farmers need to be involved in the planning process, informed and prepared for the green transition to be successful. Colleagues, let us take the next big step, let us support the agreement in order to give the necessary stability to the sector.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, the Farm to Fork Strategy is an extremely important tool that has the potential to completely transform the food production, processing, supply and consumption model in Europe, making it more sustainable. We cannot ignore the fact that this change is causing concern to farmers. From this stand, I address the Commission with the requests and considerations that Bulgarian farmers have shared with me. They want to be part of the green transition, but they need clear rules, reduced administrative burden, adequate funding and more information to plan their activities and investments. I call for all measures and future initiatives related to this strategy to be based on an ex-ante comprehensive impact assessment covering sustainability – economic, social and environmental. Special attention needs to be paid to cumulative effects, including possible undesirable ones. The green transition must be fair for farmers and not call into question their competitiveness.

Mr President, Commissioner, COVID-19 has confronted us with a truly new, different reality. The rapid and massive shock of the coronavirus and measures to contain it have led to a severe contraction of the global economy. The pandemic has become a challenge to preserve the livelihood and way of life of citizens. The crisis has had a negative effect on many areas of activity, but one of its most significant repercussions has been on the labour market. During this health crisis, it has been a Union-wide priority to ensure adequate protection of jobs and workers, as well as their rights. Nearly a year and a half after the outbreak of this phenomenon, we still have a lot of questions ahead of us. How will we help women, who represent 75% of care workers in the EU? Women, who are also a majority in other sectors that remained open during the pandemic, such as the sales and childcare sector. According to Eurostat, around 84% of working women are employed in the services sector, which has been hit hard by the crisis. And what additional measures will be adopted for the thousands of young people who have lost their jobs or are just starting to look for them? Commissioner, I sincerely hope that we can also improve the situation of other vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, the elderly and precarious workers. The SURE instrument, thanks to which Bulgaria received EUR 511 million, was made available to countries to combat the negative economic and social consequences of the pandemic. Were the funds used well? In the context of the green digital transition, many jobs will be affected. We need to make sure that we prepare properly and in a timely manner for new forms of work and working conditions. I look forward to the answers.

Mr President, agriculture, like the entire food chain, is a strategic sector for the prosperity of the Union and for a successful green transition. Unfortunately, food systems are facing a number of challenges today, especially farmers, and the problems are supranational and cannot be solved by one country. Renew Europe welcomes the Union's efforts to lead the transformation of global food systems. The fact is that we are far from achieving the goals, but I would like to stress that a number of farmers are already making serious efforts in this direction. It is important to strike the right balance between ambitions, objectives, measures to support and preserve the viability of the agricultural sector, and to ensure fair competition between farmers in the Union and beyond. Global demand for food will increase in the future. It is not enough to simply increase productivity in a sustainable way, we must also move towards a circular economy, which requires a change in our norms and habits. Collective change with joint efforts at local, national, European and international level. The Union has already taken an important step in this direction towards sustainable development with the reform of the CAP, as well as with the measures outlined in the green transition. I invite the Commission to intensify its dialogue with international partners to engage and step up efforts to achieve the objectives. I insist on a fair distribution of responsibility so that the agricultural and processing sectors are not put at a disadvantage vis-à-vis other countries. I believe that appropriate support will be provided to the sector to achieve the objectives.

Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, first of all, I would like to congratulate the rapporteur, Sylvie Brunei. I am very much in favour of the report on fair working conditions, rights and social protection for platform workers, because it provides the current challenges and opportunities for this type of work and the need to ensure improved and transparent working conditions for workers. Platform work covers different realities and is characterised by a high degree and heterogeneity in the activities carried out. COVID-19 presented us with many challenges, one of which was to keep as many businesses as possible and create opportunities for them to adapt more easily, quickly and successfully to pandemic and post-pandemic conditions. The vast majority of successful businesses have used different digital platforms to avoid temporary closures and bankruptcies. I believe that platform work affects a huge proportion of workers. A significant number of people who lost their jobs switched to multi-platform employment. Others who had temporary or part-time employment were also able to benefit from the choice and unprecedented flexibility that this type of employment offers. Of course, no less noteworthy is the fact that platform work offers advantages for learners, for those who wish to combine learning and working. At a time when young people were hit extremely hard and when one in six young people was unemployed due to the pandemic, this type of employment created opportunities for them. Unfortunately, platform workers are usually defined as formally employed or self-employed, regardless of their actual employment situation. Many workers therefore do not benefit from equivalent social protection, labour rights or health and safety provisions. In this up-to-date transition to digitalisation, it is essential to ensure that new forms of work remain sustainable, transparent and fair, and that platform work is guided by Union values and a human-centric approach. My delegation has always supported promising and innovative policies for the future that present new opportunities for social inclusion for all those able to work without discrimination. We will continue to work to create even more opportunities for new working conditions and forms of work, while respecting social and labour rights.

Madam President, statistics show that the Union's population lives longer and in better health. This is a great achievement. It is worrying, however, that natural population growth has been negative over the last 10 years, leading to an ageing population and rapid depopulation of individual regions, a trend which is unfortunately also very prevalent in my country, Bulgaria. We can't afford to put it off any longer. A long-term strategy and plan must be drawn up to overcome the negative effects that this trend may have, such as the depopulation of entire areas, serious pressure on countries' pension and health systems, the weakening of the Union's competitiveness and labour shortages. Above all, the needs of citizens must be met and social and health systems should be prepared for this. It is fundamental to eradicate any form of age-based discrimination that unfortunately still exists, for example in recruitment. Favorable conditions for active and healthy ageing should also be created and better social inclusion of citizens promoted. The Union and the countries must pursue a coherent and targeted policy and develop tools that create more opportunities for young people to find employment, ensure access to quality services for all citizens, including those living in rural areas. In this report, we propose concrete policies and measures to be developed and implemented with the involvement of civil society and local authorities. This process should also take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalisation to provide services and create employment opportunities in a number of sectors.