Speeches

Dear Chairman, Commissioner, first of all I would like to thank you for not only listening, but also hearing. You mentioned cyberbullying, a topic we discussed even before your appointment, and once again I would like to invite all member states that do not have cyberbullying criminalized to do so as soon as possible. Why am I saying that? According to the latest available data from 2021, almost 50 percent of Generation Z members have experienced some form of online violence. However, mental health is affected by social networks in general, digital pressure, low confidence, cyberbullying, academic pressure, economic insecurity, Covid 19 pandemic, generational constraints, social isolation. All this is alarming data, we heard the numbers here tonight, which cause anxiety in children and which seek change and which send us a desperate cry: Help us! Therefore, I will conclude, research shows that every euro invested in mental health brings 24 euros in savings. Let's not think about money, but about the future.

Dear Chair, colleagues, we have detected problems and I thank the Commission for this. However, what I want to say on behalf of farmers, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, on behalf of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, from which I received feedback, Europe must not be a continent of bureaucrats. Therefore, we need to deliver real solutions for workers, entrepreneurs, craftsmen, farmers and families across Europe. Let's take a look at our industries. Producers face high energy costs and complex regulations. I agree that clean industrial deal important, but we need to cut red tape, speed up permitting for clean energy projects and lower the price of clean energy. If we want to be a leader in technology, we need to invest. This is just not support for big tech companies, but we need to help startups and entrepreneurs create the next big steps. Let's not forget, structural barriers to competitiveness have been detected, but actions are expected immediately, not in a year.

Dear Chairman, Dear Commissioner, yes, we have all regretted the lack of consensus in Busan, which also points to the complexity of aligning global priorities, but I would say that this must not discourage us. Even though we are aware that we have a plastic crisis, I would call it that, obviously we are not aware that we need to reduce the use of plastic because according to all indicators we consume or create more plastic waste, almost 30%, than we did. I'd like to give you just one piece of information. Plastic waste is becoming a crisis of our time. With more than 11 million tons of plastic, we're choking the oceans. I'll just give you a comparison. That's 11,000 large Boeing 747s, or with 11 million tons of plastic, you can fill 50,000 Olympic swimming pools. We are so irresponsible. However, we, as the European Union, must continue our initiatives such as the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy and the Single-Use Plastics Directive, which have already laid a strong foundation, but of course more needs to be done. And Commissioner, here you will have our full support.

I would like to thank the Honourable President, the Honourable Commissioner, above all for your work over the past five years on this very important topic. Demographic revitalization is not only a social responsibility, but also a key prerequisite for preserving economic, cultural and political sovereignty. Without active and long-term measures, negative demographic trends can have irreversible consequences. I want to give you an example of my country, Croatia. In December last year, the Croatian government adopted a number of demographic measures divided into four main areas: improving the parental support system, increasing parental benefits, support for families, building an enabling environment for families and children, measures for the affected areas through depopulation and measures to encourage the re-immigration of Croatian emigrants. This is only part of the package to be adopted by 2033. However, we at the level of the European Union need to address the problem of employment, high housing prices and all the problems that plague young people, including in rural areas.

The Honourable Chairman, the Honourable Vice-President, the Colleague and the Colleagues, has been spoken here in Goebbels style several times a lie today, namely that the DSA allows censorship. Therefore, once again, as a former journalist, the Digital Services Act is not a censorship act, but freedom of expression does not mean freedom of hate speech at the same time. I hope we all agree. And colleagues on the right and colleagues on the left. However, I would like to point out something else, as well as the Vice-President. I think we need to be more careful in our words. We cannot talk about illegal hate speech or illegal hate speech. So either it's hate speech or it's not, so please be very precise. So, without these mistakes happening to us maybe somewhere in the translation. As far as regulation is concerned, I still believe that we, as a high degree of democracy that we have reached, must protect our democratic values. So I invite you, let us not use lies, let us use the truth, because the truth always wins in the end.

Dear Chairman, dear Commissioner, you mentioned Bosnia and Herzegovina, but I will also add Serbia, and Kosovo, and Montenegro, and Albania. So, in many other countries, we find examples of this. It is a fact that women in these countries face a combination of political polarisation, gender discrimination and weak protection mechanisms against online violence. Politicians are often the target of sexist insults that have nothing to do with their political views, but are focused mainly on appearance, personal life or traditional gender roles. Common phrases such as ‘go back to the kitchen’ or allusions to their appearance and dress appear regularly on social media. Threats of sexual violence and physical assault are common methods of intimidation. Women politicians who publicly oppose traditional values or often nationalist rhetoric face intense threats. Discredit through disinformation, including organised campaigns, often puts out fake news about female politicians, including allegations of corruption or loyalty to foreign interests, false claims about their private lives, including fabricated scandals or so-called affair stories. The aim is, of course, to destroy their reputation and voter confidence. Let's not forget the continuous, already known coordinated attacks through social networks, with the support of bots and organized trolls. However, we need to talk about something else, which is a patriarchal mentality. Gender roles in candidate countries are often deeply rooted in patriarchal values, which gives women an additional burden to prove themselves. Politicians who oppose dominant narratives or advocate liberal policies often become targets of attack. Colleagues, in many candidate countries laws against cyberviolence exist but are insufficient or not effectively enforced. And I agree, it is our role to take them into account in the enlargement process.

Dear Chair, colleagues, there is no doubt that social media is also used to influence political processes, including elections in Europe. I'll just remind you. Spreading disinformation and fake news during European election campaigns – Germany, France, Italy. Disinformation campaigns were present on social media. Bots, fake profiles, organized campaigns. Foreign influences, hybrid warfare, especially Russia. Social media has been used to influence elections in Europe. Think of the Brexit referendum. Think of the election in France. As well as hacking attacks and leaks. Think of Macron Leaks in 2017. Voter micro-targeting and manipulation. The Cambridge Analytica scandal showed how private data can be misused to manipulate voters. Polarization and echo chambers, where users see only information that confirms their existing attitudes, which deepens divisions within society. It's just a reminder of what's already happened. We heard today that EASA commits major online platforms to keep detailed records of political advertisements and their targeting criteria, which we are witnessing does not happen all the time. A special report shared by the signatories of the Code of Practice on Disinformation after the European elections shows the devastating facts – how much data had to be downloaded, how quickly disinformation tactics evolved and how much use is involved. deep fake content and content generated by artificial intelligence. Since you haven't noticed my blue cardI will now ask you to allow me ten seconds to respond to a colleague who unfortunately is no longer here in the hall to be responsible in their political actions, to grow up and not to use deep fake sadr...

Honourable Chair, Honourable Commissioners, Colleagues and colleagues, I would say that this is not just an academic issue. This is a political and strategic challenge and we are witnessing a really worrying trend where foreign powers are exploiting our academic openness to, let's be honest, say: intellectual property theft, undermining innovation and influencing political discourse. Through universities, ideological messages and political propaganda are often marketed to influence young intellectuals. Funding of certain programs, lectures or student organizations by foreign governments can also be used to promote, of course, veiled interests. As for young students and researchers, they are often targets for recruitment for data collection, and approaches such as financial incentives, promises of career progression or ideological recruiting are often used. Students with scholarships abroad are particularly vulnerable and they may be exposed to pressure from domestic or foreign actors. Strengthening cooperation between universities and intelligence services is not a matter of creating surveillance states. It is about protecting the intellectual assets that drive our economies and protect our security. This means ensuring that European innovation benefits our citizens and not foreign actors. For governments, this is a test of commitment to protecting our people, values and sovereignty. For Europe, this is an opportunity to show the world that academic openness and security can coexist.

The Honourable Chair, the Honourable Commissioners, the Colleagues, some of you in the room, when this convention was adopted, were just born, were children. And they didn't think that 35 years after their birth, we would face the same questions. A striking fact is that one in five children in the Union still live at risk of poverty or social exclusion. One in two children in Ukraine had to leave their home because of the war, and about 700,000 children were transferred under duress to Russia or to Russian-controlled territory. This is today's data. The contemporary challenges we face are expected from a policy of solutions - for education, the environment, social justice. The rise of anxiety and depression among young people, a lot of talk about him today, indicates the need for better mental health support. And what I will pay particular attention to, what I talked about in the last term, is regulation for a safer digital environment, data protection and criminalization. cyber bullying. We need to be responsible for the future of our children.

Dear Chair, Commissioner, colleagues, for starters, I would like to say that the protection of journalists is not an exclusive right of colleagues from the left. No, it's not. And you mention the crown from which I come. And don't use words about a country you don't know anything about. And now I'm going back to the topic. She was 53 years old, had three children, investigated corruption, published an article and was murdered 30 minutes later. These are the facts. Her death represents not only a personal tragedy, but also a profound attack on media freedom, all media, democracy and the rule of law. Despite all this, Malta's progress is below expectations. To protect these principles, but the political, economic and social forces that often undermine our efforts, the European Union is taking a number of measures. However, we are aware that this is not enough. The murder of Dafna has sparked global condemnation and raised serious questions about the rule of law, not only in Malta but also more widely in the European Union, and this case has become a symbol of threats to the independence of journalism in democratic societies, but also pointed to structural weaknesses in the judicial and political system. Problems such as corruption, pressure on the media and political interference in the judiciary are present, although to a lesser extent, but disinformation, threats, defamation are new terrible tools of various actors who want to exert political or economic influence and, I will end up, and on this path they see freelance journalists with their own integrity as a threat.

It is clear to all that the policy to promote employment and social protection of the European Union faces a number of challenges that require further adjustments and reforms. Digitalisation, the green transition, the fight against youth unemployment and precarious forms of work, as well as the fight against social inequalities, are problems that we would have to address in order to ensure what we want, and above all sustainable growth, social cohesion and high-quality jobs, and here we have heard today affordable housing for young people, which is a major problem in many members of the European Union. I come from Croatia, which has the lowest unemployment and the highest employment in the last ten years. 308,000 jobs were created. The average net wage increased by 76%. My country's credit rating is a minus, with a positive outlook. The precondition for this was, of course, political stability, which enabled the continuity of policies, and the correct policies. However, there is a significant difference in employment rates and social protection across Member States. They face greater challenges, including high unemployment, weaker social networks. In 2017, our colleagues adopted the European Pillar of Social Rights, including 20 principles, one of which is equal opportunities and access to the labour market. What we now emphasize is that we have not completed it and that there is still a lot of work ahead of us, and there are job opportunities ahead of us that we have not yet met. To ensure long-term stability, I will conclude that additional measures and structural challenges, as well as the demographic challenges ahead, need to be addressed.

The Honourable Chair, the Honourable Commissioner, I would like to address a question that is also related to the topic that we want to talk about, which is how we can prepare for the next crises and how the Commission can ensure that our farmers, as well as citizens, have good food supply chains and, on the other hand, that farmers have as little damage as possible. Recently and in my homeland of Croatia, unfortunately, we were faced with both swine fever and new challenges. Therefore, we also need financial support and we need safety in the health sense both for good and safe supply routes, and I also believe that we need to have a better exchange of information at the European Union level. We are facing, of course, both the black market, which we have not yet eradicated, and the bad goods, which still appear on our market. Therefore, I ask you to answer my question on how we can prevent this, help citizens and help farmers.

Honourable Chair, Honourable Commissioner, in these late hours I regret that some colleagues are in fact easily blamed and say that the European Commission intentionally finances terrorist organisations. So that's another madness we've been witnessing here tonight. I think it is quite obvious that we all expect, and that is what our citizens who elected us expect, to control the budget money that all member states of the European Union allocate to the common budget. Our means must, of course, under no circumstances end up in the hands of those who oppose the European principles of freedom, democracy and human rights. Unfortunately, we are faced with worrying reports showing that EU funds, including the Erasmus+ programme, have been misused to finance entities linked to terrorist and Islamist movements. Of course, terrorist financing remains a serious threat, as it uses the weaknesses of our financial system to support violent extremist groups. Dear Commissioner, we need to strengthen control mechanisms and law enforcement, and we also face the challenges of new technologies and cryptocurrencies, and we need to be there and give a much stronger response.

Dear Chair, Commissioner, I believe that you have heard the word, feel free to put on your headphones, I believe that you have heard the word innovation today and I believe that in order to protect jobs and maintain Europe's global leadership, we must prioritise innovation over restrictive regulations. Digitalisation and new technology must be catalysts for change and an opportunity to boost competitiveness. Let me just remind you what the situation is today. The average age of vehicles in the European Union is 12 years. In some less developed countries, 15 to 17 years. We must also take into account the different economic and social circumstances within the European Union. Development of electric vehicles: Yes, but we still do not have enough infrastructure in the whole of the European Union. We also don't have the same opportunities to buy electric vehicles that are still too expensive. And yes, that way we will be able to keep our jobs. And yes, in this way we will be able to slowly go into the green transition, but taking into account the circumstances that are realistic.

Disinformation is a powerful weapon for political, economic and social goals. Of course, they have serious repercussions on social cohesion. In times of rising populism, disinformation and fake news, the role of public service media and media pluralism has never been more important. Some data – 88% of European Union citizens see fake news as a problem in their country and 83% see it as a threat to democracy. Television remains the most trusted news source for 49% of Europeans, while only 14% trust social media. However, don't be fooled, six times faster fake news or disinformation will reach 1,500 people on social networks than those rights on television or public services. The most fake news covers several key segments: politics, migration, health and security. In conclusion, in order to fight fake news, populism and disinformation, we need to give actors, which are public services, a much greater role and, of course, ensure independence.

Dear Chairman, it seems to me that we have been talking about the same things for almost five years. According to a 2022 report by the Fundamental Rights Agency, one in three women in the European Union has experienced physical or sexual violence by the age of 15. And yes, I agree with colleagues who have said, often from people they just know, their partners, their close family members or acquaintances. These figures are not just statistics, colleagues. They represent lives destroyed by fear, trauma and suffering. Once again, I will give a good example from the country I come from, from Croatia. By introducing femicide as a separate criminal offense in the Criminal Code, Croatia has taken an important step towards combating violence against women. Support this in your own countries as well. We also need to increase funding for prevention programmes, support shelters and hotlines for victims, and improve cooperation between countries so that bullies do not go to another European Union country and find their asylum there. Finally, the main challenges – lack of reporting and fear of stigmatisation, a culture of impunity and gender stereotypes, and insufficient implementation of the law. We need to be more efficient.

Dear Chair, Dear Commissioner Hahn, colleagues, the figures are clearly not good. Organised crime poses a serious threat to the internal security of the European Union and obviously destabilises its economic, political and social system. In 2022, criminal activities such as drug trafficking, the most cannabis and cocaine, human trafficking and cybercrime cost the European Union a whopping €350 billion. Around 70% of organised crime groups operating in the European Union are affiliated with organisations outside the Union. It is therefore quite clear that we need to provide sufficient resources to fight terrorism, human trafficking and drug smuggling on the ground. First of all, I want to thank the police. However, we must continue to look at organised crime, for example in the Western Balkans, where geopolitically speaking, it poses a serious challenge to the security and economic development of the region. The main challenge, of course, is also its transnational nature, which exploits differences in legislation and judicial systems. Drug trafficking, which we have often heard you, colleagues, mention today, and obviously has to be one particular topic, is still the most profitable form of organised crime and earns billions of euros a year. Criminal groups also exploit migrants, vulnerable individuals, most often for labour exploitation, including sexual slavery. Cybercrime, of course with the development of digital technologies, is increasingly exploiting the Internet for illegal activities such as hacking, data theft and financial fraud, however, geopolitical goals are also the focus. Organised crime also contributes to the spread of illegal weapons within the European Union, which increases the risk of violent crimes and terrorist attacks. Through various schemes, criminal groups launder illegally obtained money, which allows them to infiltrate legal economic flows and politics. He uses corruption to protect himself from persecution. I'll finish up, Mr. Commissioner. All this has an impact on security and society and the destabilisation of institutions, so we need to be faster, we need to be more efficient and we need to apply the new rules much more. (the Chair interrupted the speaker), because this is how crime always seems, (the Chair interrupted the speaker) in front of us.

Dear Chair, Commissioner, first of all thank you for the enormous efforts you have made in the past mandate and we all understand that in order to achieve our 2030 and 2050 targets, we need to invest around €390 billion a year in energy systems, clean energy technologies and grid infrastructure. I would like to give a good example of my country of origin, Croatia, which has made a significant contribution to these efforts, especially through investments in gas infrastructure and the capacity of the new LNG terminal. Improving the European Energy Union or energy independence is one of the preconditions and economic sovereignty. Therefore, it is important to focus on several key aspects: diversification, further increase of energy efficiency, better connection and integration of European energy networks, development of energy storage infrastructure, decentralisation. Of course, we must continue to decarbonise and foster the green energy transition. However, I want to make it clear that we must not neglect the potential of nuclear power. We need to invest in research into advanced clean energy technologies and we need so-called energy solidarity and cooperation between Member States in the event of a crisis, which unfortunately were many. In the context of industrial competitiveness, we also attach importance to a predictable regulatory framework and policy as the key to a stable and predictable energy market. Improving the Energy Union through these measures will ensure a more stable, cleaner and resilient energy supply in Europe and will certainly contribute to long-term sustainability and energy security. All this, in the interest of our citizens and of course a competitive economy.

Dear Chair, colleagues, the power of social and media platforms has drastically changed the way we communicate and participate in the democratic process. We want to protect illegal activities with the Digital Services Act, not prevent or restrict freedom of speech. Once again, I underline this because even here today we have been confronted with numerous disinformation. The Digital Services Act is a tool to create a safer and more transparent online space, while also protecting our democratic values. I'll give you one piece of information here. According to the European Commission, as many as 83% of European Union citizens have experienced online disinformation. It is therefore quite clear that we need to strengthen our digital sovereignty. Fake news, on the other hand, is 70% more likely to be transmitted than the true story. The Digital Services Act is not just a regulatory framework. It is our defense shield against threats that may threaten our very foundations of democracy. Finally, I call on the new Commission to be even more involved in sanctioning those who do not respect our rules.

Dear Chair, colleagues, Ukraine has the right of defence. Europe must remain strong here and protect Ukraine from Russia’s imperialist ambitions. Let's not forget the fact that the occupation began almost a decade ago, and the brutal aggression in 2022. Since then, we have witnessed human rights violations, the loss of human lives, the suppression of Ukrainian identity, the persecution and murder of children. Approximately six children were killed in the Russian aggression against Ukraine. As for my country, in addition to concrete financial assistance in two years of about 300 million euros, we are providing humanitarian, economic and political support to Ukraine, and last week during a visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Plenkovic announced support with a donation of 5 million euros for the reconstruction of energy infrastructure. In October, a summit of Southeast European countries will be held in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Objective: support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity. Colleagues, let's be on the right side of history, let's be with Ukraine.

The Honourable Chairman, Honourable Colleagues, undoubtedly, Croatia was also a strong proponent of enlargement, especially of the Western Balkan countries. When it comes to reforms within the European Union, I think it is extremely important to use the current mechanisms at our disposal to make the necessary steps forward towards the enlargement of the Union, but I also want to highlight the cohesion funds that will be crucial in this process. On the other hand, we want to see reforms from candidate countries, including judicial independence, economic stability, environmental protection, human rights and alignment with the European Union's foreign and security policy, which we see in some countries is not happening. Each area is key to the integration process. Our ultimate goal is not only formal compliance with EU standards, but a real internal transformation that will benefit the new members after their accession. We must see the enlargements of the European Union as an important link to peace and stability and as an economic strengthening of our Union.

Dear President, colleague and colleague, many childhoods have been destroyed. Children are used as a means of pressure or a war trophy. And what happens here in front of our eyes in the European Parliament? Russian agitators spread falsehoods and propaganda. We must show that we are united, that we are on the right side of history and that we are on the side of the innocent. On the side of the innocent, those 20,000 children who have been deported, and only 388 have been returned. Such mass relocation of Ukrainian children is a violation of the norms of international humanitarian law, and we have heard - Russia is conducting it solely for the purpose of their further russification, deletion of the national identity and transformation of their Ukrainian consciousness into Russian consciousness. They want the Russian “sacred”, never forget it, and something similar is happening in our environment. Colleagues and colleagues, use children as shields, they are the most common cowards. And what do we do? This is a good step, but we have to be stronger and we have to be stronger. We must immediately request that all cases of enforced disappearances be investigated and those responsible for what they have done, namely war crimes.