What Sunčana spoke about.

20

May

2026

Speeches HR

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Recruitment of children by organised crime (debate)

The Honourable Chair, Honourable Commissioner, Colleagues, it is true, criminal networks are increasingly exploiting the vulnerability of young people, poverty, social economic status, exclusion, the need to belong. Girls and boys over the age of 12, and sometimes younger, are victims of either sexual exploitation, human trafficking, drug trafficking, violence, criminal setbacks. No one is protected. Recruitment no longer happens on the street, it takes place on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, video games, encrypted applications and this by talking about light money, using symbols and expressions that are common, for example, use harmless words such as snowflakes to present cocaine or marijuana trees, business-earnings. On the other hand, they also use another technique used by social media influencers using their language. Therefore, colleague and colleague, this is not a polygon topic for politicisation, on this topic we need to act together.

19

May

2026

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Presentation of the Fertilisers Action Plan (debate)

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, I welcome the Action Plan, short- and long-term measures. First of all, it is clear what short-term measures bring. The current pressure on farmers needs to be alleviated, shortages or price spikes prevented. However, I would like you to answer when Member States will actually receive this information package, i.e. the targeted package you have announced. Someone already mentioned generational renewal today, last week we had a choice in Croatia for the best young farmer for the 11th year in a row and, therefore, this generational renewal is necessary, however, what they say is that support alone is not enough and if they do not have stability and predictability, so please think about it. It is difficult to plan sowing, it is difficult to plan investments and production when you do not know what your costs will be. In any case, what is a common denominator, I think to all political groups, is to protect production and food security in Europe because it is not only a matter of agriculture, it is also a matter of our strategic autonomy.

19

May

2026

Questions HR

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EU governance under pressure – institutional responses to global challenges (debate)

Thank you very much, colleague, for accepting the blue card. I come from one, conditionally put, smaller country, but I believe that in the European Union all countries must be equal. On strategic issues, states should retain the right of veto. However, I ask you, are you against my country being able to veto its national interests? This is in the interest of every country.

19

May

2026

Speeches HR

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EU cybersecurity and preparedness in view of advanced AI systems (debate)

Dear Chairwoman, colleague and colleague, it is quite clear that today we are talking about the other side of the coin, how AI models are changing cyber threats. In my opinion, the balance of power is also changing here, as cybercrime is increasingly based on the theft, trafficking and exploitation of data. It is clear from all this that Europe needs to become digitally and technologically more sovereign in order to be able to respond to security risks. For all those skeptics who took part in the debate today, I would say that their own AI development, supercomputers and common security capabilities must rest on the coordination of Member States. I'm actually talking about digital defense, because today AI in cyberspace is what, for example, long-range missile systems are on the battlefield - hitting critical infrastructure without entering the country. Two words are crucial to me: readiness and resilience. Willingness: have plans, experts, protection systems and faster pre-attack coordination and resilience: the infrastructure can continue to function and recover after the attack.

29

Apr

2026

Speeches HR

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The need for targeted criminal provisions and platforms’ responsibility to effectively address cyberbullying and online harassment (debate)

28

Apr

2026

Speeches HR

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Enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (debate)

Dear Chairman, Honourable Commissioner, colleague and colleague, for me, the DMA is actually something broader than the fight for European digital sovereignty. If Europe is to adopt rules, it must have both the strength and the capacity to enforce them. This topic is also directly related to the protection of citizens online, let's not forget this, and the position of European media and creative industries, security and data protection. That is why, to my mind, the implementation of the DMA must bring real results, more choice for citizens, fairer conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises, more transparency and less dependence on closed digital systems, which we have actually heard the biggest players do not come from the territory of the European Union at all. Digital markets are changing at a fast pace, in particular with the development of artificial intelligence, cloud services and data ecosystems. If implementation is delayed, the market closes, I would say, even before the law starts to operate. Therefore, the DMA has to level the playing field, so that a few big players do not control the digital market as it is now.

28

Apr

2026

Speeches HR

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Presentation of the Better Regulation and Enforcement Communication (debate)

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, colleague and colleague, I would say that Europe must leave the bureaucratic labyrinth. The problem is not goals. To me, the problem is implementation. Good ideas in practice, unfortunately, sometimes become additional forms, double procedures or unclear rules. This means more costs for those who are the least able to cope with it: small and medium-sized enterprises, craftsmen, farmers, all those who do not actually have legal and administrative capacity. The aim is simple and I therefore welcome this intention of the Commission - less administration and more results. However, what is required by those who are in the real world and face problems on a daily basis is predictability. It's something they could do. We need, of course, a combination of both regulatory, structural and fiscal measures. In any case, the simplification proposed must not mean lowering standards. So, from this communication we expect to listen to practice and clear rules, impact assessment and finally ensure implementation. The goal is common, but we certainly need to be faster and listen to a little more Members who have inputs from the economy directly.

25

Mar

2026

Speeches HR

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Energy security, independence and supply in the geopolitical context - ensuring market stability and affordable energy for industry and citizens (debate)

Dear Chairman, colleagues, these circumstances expect from politics the strength and speed of reaction and that is why I will share with you the reaction of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. It has already adopted a tenth package of measures worth around €450 billion, aimed specifically at mitigating rising energy prices and protecting citizens' standards. The main focus is on limiting the price of fuel and electricity to prevent a greater impact on households and the economy. Without these measures, prices would be higher, and this is how partial growth is depreciated. For citizens, electricity prices in Croatia remain the same until October this year with additional savings on bills, and the most vulnerable receive 70 euros per month. Entrepreneurs are also restricted by the price of electricity in order to remain competitive. The State shall ensure the stability of gas prices. The package includes support for public transport, agriculture, students and investments in renewable energy. Politically, the measures are a response to the global energy crisis and rising prices, to social protection and to preserving economic stability. This will be a good example for many countries in the region.

12

Mar

2026

Speeches HR

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Prevention and treatment of obesity (debate)

Dear Chair, colleagues and colleagues. I agree with you that prevention is actually about practicing sports or a healthy lifestyle. However, when we talk about adolescents, we need to be aware that we are talking about a generation that is growing up in the digital age and we need to be aware that, unfortunately, 80% of adolescents in the European Union do not carry out physical activity for one hour a day. That is why I consider it a truly serious problem and the unavailability of equal opportunities for children to play sports. Therefore, prevention must also begin in the family, in kindergarten, in school and in the local community. Obesity is often also associated with mental health, self-esteem, stigma and quality of life. That is why our response must also be complete, without judgment, without simplification and without shifting blame exclusively to the individual. In Croatia, the country from which I come, the Action Plan for Prevention was adopted, and the Croatian Institute of Public Health through the program Living healthy and monitoring childhood obesity is already building the foundations for targeted preventive measures. However, in the end, if we want a serious health policy, then prevention and treatment of obesity must become an integral part of that policy, not a footnote.

9

Mar

2026

Speeches HR

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

9

Mar

2026

Questions HR

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

12

Feb

2026

Speeches HR

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Recommendation to the Council on EU priorities for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (debate)

11

Feb

2026

Speeches HR

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Accession of Montenegro to the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters - Accession of the Republic of Albania to the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (joint debate)

Dear Chairman, Honourable Commissioner, so few debates are so unison among political dissent and different clubs, as it seems this evening. This is actually a technical issue, but also with very concrete legal and political consequences, because if we ask why this is important, the Convention strengthens legal certainty, simplifies the recognition of court decisions and reduces costs for citizens and businesses in cross-border disputes. What is very important is predictability, and predictability itself cannot be without that mutual trust, investment or stable relationship. In the context of enlargement, these steps may not be spectacular, but they are also crucial when talking about enlargement, I certainly want to underline that we support, of course, the European path of these two countries. The European perspective of the Western Balkans is not built, of course, by declarations, but by concrete alignment with European and international legal standards. However, it is important to point out that a mere formal accession to international instruments is not sufficient. It must be a real mirror of changes in practice through consistent and sincere implementation of adopted acts. Of course, this integration is not measured by the number of conventions signed, but by how they are applied in the daily work of courts and institutions. At the same time, it is important to stress that the European Parliament must be involved in such procedures in a timely and formal manner, as we are on the same side here. You are not on the other side of the Parliament, but we would no longer want this disharmony or misunderstanding to become a debate in this House. This is not a procedural trifle, but an issue of institutional balance and democratic accountability that we all stand for. In conclusion, support for this process means support for legal certainty, regional stability and credibility of the European path of Albania and Montenegro.

11

Feb

2026

Speeches EN

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International Day of Education, fighting inequalities in access to education (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear loved, I will continue in Croatian. Dear Commissioner, it's not fair. The Honourable Chair, therefore, is not fair that children do not have equal access to education, and equal access continues to strongly shape the life chances of children and young people across Europe. Often, unfortunately, not through talents, but through the circumstances in which they grow up. Differences continue to occur at multiple levels: regional, territorial, between urban centres and rural or remote areas, where schools are often poorly equipped and students’ path to education is longer and more demanding. There are, of course, socio-economic differences among children from lower-income families, who have less access to additional teaching, digital tools and stable learning conditions, which, of course, affects their educational opportunities. Particular attention is required by the digital divide, it is true, we live in the digital age, but not all children, unfortunately, can follow it, which has become more visible in recent years. Differences in access to the internet, devices and digital skills deepen existing inequalities. We must also not ignore the obstacles faced by minorities and children from vulnerable communities. Education is still not equally available. Our response, I agree with you, must be common and decisive, we must have strategic investments. That is why we trust that the next financial perspective will not ignore this fact, that you will fight for enough funds and what you said in your speech, we must take care of who will teach our children. Because education is the foundation of Europe's future, and it is up to us to make it just for all. I'll just do a little digression: in Croatia, about two percent of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 are not included in education, while the EU average is about 10 percent. We have to show that we can change. This demonstrates the power of a public, accessible and inclusive education system. Formal education provides different opportunities for social inclusion and access to the labour market. We all have to work together on this.

10

Feb

2026

Speeches HR

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Presentation of the action plan against cyberbullying (debate)

21

Jan

2026

Speeches HR

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Online piracy of sports and other live events: urgent need to address unsolved issues (debate)

Dear Chairman, online piracy, a live event, above all sport, but let's not forget about music and cultural content, is becoming one of the unresolved challenges of the European digital and cultural space. Data shows that 12% of EU citizens already access illegal online sports broadcasts, and among young people aged between 15 and 24, this figure rises to 27%. This means, in fact, that one whole generation is accustomed to viewing content outside the law. Estimates show more than €1 billion of illegal revenue per year in the European Union, while sports leagues; broadcasters and the cultural sector loses the funds that finance the development of sport, content production and, of course, the creative industries. At the same time, piracy does not exist in a vacuum, it is also a consequence of the distorted market for sports media rights. When rights are fragmented, even prices are high, and key broadcasters connected sometimes with state actors outside the European Union, trust in the market is weakening and citizens are turning to illegal solutions, which is by no means good. Illegal sports transfers bring billions of euros a year to criminal networks and illegal betting. It's not a petty offense, it's organized crime. The percentages of illegal approaches pose an economic and legal challenge because piracy creates huge black money and, Commissioner, we have to do something.

21

Jan

2026

Speeches HR

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Presentation of the Digital Networks Act (debate)

Dear Chair, colleague and colleague, digital networks are today as strategic as energy or defence. Of course, without a secure and resilient connectivity, there is no competitiveness, there is no modern industry and there is no real European sovereignty. This is an opportunity to kick-start investment in optics, 5G and 6G networks, and to accelerate infrastructure modernisation. However, DNA must answer one very specific question – information resilience in an age of connected mobility. That is why I thank and welcome that the proposal recognizes the issue that I initiated ten days ago, and which was supported by many colleagues, I thank them for this, in a letter to the President of the Commission and Vice-President Virkkunen in which I highlighted the importance of the position of radio in cars, which is now regulated by Article 112 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Any automotive radio receiver installed in a new vehicle of category M, placed on the Union market for sale or hire, shall contain a receiver capable of receiving and reproducing at least the radio services provided by means of digital terrestrial radio broadcasting. Thanks for that, I think we almost made it. Today, cars are turning into computers on wheels, and with this proposal, we are closer to the goal of keeping the radio in them. This is not only a matter of culture and media pluralism, but also of public security. In crises, power outages or network failures, radio is often the last medium that remains available to citizens. I believe that this is also a European value that we must defend. That is why, while building Europe's digital sovereignty, DNA must at the same time protect the public interest, keep radio present and easily accessible in new vehicles. Thank you for supporting this.

20

Jan

2026

Speeches HR

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Presentation of the Cybersecurity Act (debate)

Dear President, Commissioners, colleagues, when digital systems fall, schools suffer, public institutions suffer, citizens suffer, hospitals suffer, the whole system suffers. In the last year alone, ENISA has registered almost 5,000 serious cyber incidents in the European Union. This shows that threats are day-to-day, sophisticated and on the rise, and therefore, thanks to the Commissioner, for announcing the strengthening of ENISA as well as simplification. The Cybersecurity Act strengthens ENISA and introduces a single certification system for digital products and services to make the market safer, and what is very important is greater trust. A key part of our response is also the NIS 2 Directive, which extends obligations to critical sectors and imposes stricter liability, including high financial sanctions for serious misconduct. However, we need to be honest and face reality, so that implementation is not uniform. By mid-2025, less than half of the Member States had fully transposed NIS 2 into national law, creating loopholes in our defence. And I will conclude, Europe must be digitally open, no doubt, but cyber-impeachable and we must not compromise on this.

18

Dec

2025

Speeches HR

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European Democracy Shield – very large online platform algorithms, foreign interference and the spread of disinformation (debate)

18

Dec

2025

Speeches HR

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30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement (debate)

26

Nov

2025

Speeches HR

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EU position on the proposed plan and EU engagement towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine (debate)

25

Nov

2025

Questions HR

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Protection of minors online (debate)

Thank you very much, but answer me, please, then to the question how do you mean to prevent what happens every second, say, on encrypted online platforms where at least two photos or videos of child sexual abuse are shared? One in seven children in elementary school arranged a face-to-face meeting with a person they met online. I'm sure the parents didn't say: ‘Yes, you can’. And finally, this year, Europol detected in 2000 a link to terrorist and violent extremist content targeting minors who are not accidental victims but intended targets. Then how would you handle it?

25

Nov

2025

Speeches HR

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Communication on the Democracy Shield (debate)

Dear Chair, Honourable Commissioner, I believe that the European Democracy Shield must be much more than an administrative measure and that it must be a geopolitical response and a backstop for the European Union, so it is of utmost importance to see how the Centre for Democratic Resilience will function. Why? Because we live in a time when democracy is no longer attacked only by cannons or weapons, but by propaganda, false narratives, election manipulation, cyberattacks and economic blackmail. We've finally realized that we can't be naive anymore. Democracy Shield is the first comprehensive framework that protects us from external authoritarian regimes that seek to undermine our institutions and polarize our society. I agree, we need stronger media, transparency of political funding, but we need to protect cyber security, elections and defence against foreign influence. This means defending our way of life, and in the end I welcome your announcement of digital literacy in schools, that is, media literacy for informed citizens.

23

Oct

2025

Speeches HR

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Combating violence against women and girls, including the exploitation of motherhood (debate)

Dear Chairwoman, colleagues, I will repeat, Croatia is among the few Member States that have already clearly defined rape as a non-consensual relationship in their criminal code and introduced criminal liability for digital violence and abuse of intimate content, thus becoming an example of good practice among EU countries. At the same time, the revised Anti-Trafficking Directive from last year extends protection to women who are exposed to forced pregnancy, surrogacy and the exploitation of motherhood. According to the 2024 analysis, there is sadly more and more so-called commercial surrogacy in third countries, exploiting poor women from Asia and Eastern Europe. Women from poor communities are recruited. However, giving birth to children for organ trafficking, sexual abuse, is the most horrific form of business that we must also talk about. This is not freedom of choice, it is a form of modern slavery. In 2022, we declared commercial surrogacy a form of exploitation of women that violates their rights and human dignity. We are now three years later. Have we taken a step forward or backwards?

23

Oct

2025

Questions HR

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Combating violence against women and girls, including the exploitation of motherhood (debate)

Dear Chair, I am glad that you mentioned cyberbullying and I agree with you and I hope that you will support the EPP Group initiative that we have been talking about for several years, which is the extension of the definition and that cyberbullying, in fact, becomes a criminal offence in all Member States of the European Union where it is not yet. As far as this Directive is concerned, I must say that my country, from which I come, Croatia, has already taken steps there and that sexual abuse, rape and others are already in the domain of crime. So, are you in favor of cyberbullying criminalization, as is EPP?