What Miriam spoke about.

15

Feb

2023

SK Speech

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: EU accession (A9-0021/2023 - Łukasz Kohut, Arba Kokalari)

Madam President, I strongly condemn any violence. It is our duty to seek effective solutions to violence against women, to train, for example, the police and those who are the first contact for such women, and to properly implement our legislation, which, according to experts, is good in Slovakia, but not correctly and consistently implemented. However, the ‘Istanbul Convention’ and the entire deb…

15

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (RC-B9-0106/2023, B9-0106/2023, B9-0109/2023, B9-0112/2023, B9-0114/2023, B9-0117/2023)

Madam President, I welcome today’s support for the resolution concerning the health of Georgia's ex-president, Mikheil Saakashvili. Once again, the message of this House to the Georgian authorities is clear: allow Mikheil Saakashvili to undergo medical treatment abroad without delay, in accordance with Article 283 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia. Also, let me thank colleagues for support…

15

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia

Madam President, just as the autocrats in the Kremlin continue to wage their war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, they also continue in the persecution and oppression of the opposition, human rights defenders, and pro-democratic forces in Russia. Alexey Navalny, the brave Vladimir Kara-Murza and other political prisoners continue to face draconian conditions. I welcome that this house …

15

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Access to strategic critical raw materials (debate)

Madam President, critical raw materials are essential for the deployment of the technologies that enable green and digital transitions and for building the economy of the future. This is why the upcoming CRM Act must not only be ambitious, but also in line with our industrial strategy and broader supply chain diversification. Today, the totalitarian regime of the Chinese Communist Party controls r…

14

Feb

2023

SK Speech

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REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans (A9-0260/2022 - Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Siegfried Mureşan, Dragoş Pîslaru)

Mr President, I welcome today's vote on the REPowerEU legislative package, which is key to tackling the current energy crisis by supporting infrastructure projects or improving the energy efficiency of buildings. I appreciate that part of the package is one of Slovakia's demands, which was promoted by the KDH from the beginning, and it is the use of unspent cohesion funds to support vulnerable hou…

2

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Improving working conditions in platform work (A9-0301/2022 - Elisabetta Gualmini) (vote)

Mr President, dear colleagues, your vote today is not about whether you think platform workers should be employees or not. What we are voting on today is whether the European Parliament should effectively use its democratic procedures to debate this crucial piece of legislation. You are also not being asked to delay the legislation, because in fact the Council is not yet ready to start a trilogue.…

2

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the very life of the former President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, is at risk. Games, tricks and delays must stop. This shameful behaviour by the Georgian authorities is in direct contradiction to the government’s stated European aspiration and the very values and principles it entails. As Members of this House have done on many occasions in the past weeks and…

1

Feb

2023

SK Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, in August 2020, we were shocked to watch footage from a cell at Charleroi airport, in which Belgian police officers brutally intervene against Slovak Jozef Chovanec, who subsequently died. As a follow-up, this Parliament also called in a letter for a swift investigation of the case and a fair accountability. The same shock was also caused by a recent decision of the Belgian prosecuto…

19

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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The Global Gateway Initiative (debate)

Mr President, from Africa to the Western Balkans we see the costs and corrosive impact of Chinese investments. They undermine securities, countries, finances, human rights and the rule of law. I welcome the recent EFSD+ opinion to release over EUR 6 billion to support 40 investment programmes. Yet this is nowhere near sufficient. Between 2014 and 2018, the PRC gave out more than USD 400 billion in…

19

Jan

2023

SK Speech

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Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

Mr President. As a member of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, I have been advocating for workers’ rights, including their rights to information and consultation, since the beginning of my mandate. As the resolution rightly pointed out, the success and positive impact of European Works Councils is based on trust and constructive dialogue between the board and the management of the co…

18

Jan

2023

SK Speech

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Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter - annual report 2022 (A9-0298/2022 - Isabel Wiseler-Lima)

Madam President. Protecting the dignity and rights of every person in the world is one of my top priorities and I devote myself to it every day. It forms the basis of my political work. Unfortunately, I could not support the annual report on human rights and democracy in the world. It calls for the right to abortion to be included in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which I find unacceptable.…

18

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Implementation of the common foreign and security policy - annual report 2022 (A9-0292/2022 - David McAllister)

Madam President, during today’s vote, I supported the annual report on the common foreign and security policy. However, I believe that because we are today facing serious geopolitical threats, we can no longer afford to be spending time discussing empty concepts or engage in unnecessary turf battles between the EU and NATO. Instead, we must put all efforts into concrete action, and to do this in l…

18

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Humanitarian consequences of the blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh

Mr President, dear colleagues, for over a month now, an Aliyev regime-sponsored group who pretend to be environmental activists are blocking the corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. As a result, the humanitarian situation is becoming dire. Basic food and medicine are running out and even fuel is in short supply. Many lives are in danger. The strategy of the dictatorship in Baku is clear.…

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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The establishment of a tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the destruction of homes and cities; thousands killed; mass executions; rape or forced deportations. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine brings untold suffering every day. This evil is an attack on all basic moral and legal principles. As such, the leadership of the Russian Federation must one day face justice for crimes of aggression and crimes against …

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter - annual report 2022 (debate)

Madam President, from Putin’s terror and aggression against the people of Ukraine, Lukashenko’s oppressive regime in Belarus, credible evidence of a genocide against Uyghurs by the CCP, to the dramatic increase of persecution based on religion and belief, the human rights situation around the world remains dire. At a time when non-democratic and totalitarian regimes continue to subvert our democra…

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Implementation of the common foreign and security policy - annual report 2022 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy - annual report 2022 (debate)

Mr President, High Representative, dear colleagues, from the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the coercive behaviour of the totalitarian Chinese Communist Party to the Iranian nuclear threat, we are facing a multitude of serious global security challenges. We can no longer afford to be discussing empty concepts or engaging in an unnecessary battle between the EU institutions and NATO. Instea…

14

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Prospects for the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine (RC-B9-0552/2022, B9-0552/2022, B9-0553/2022, B9-0554/2022, B9-0555/2022, B9-0556/2022, B9-0557/2022)

Madam President, I welcome today’s vote on the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. We must continue to work with our allies, especially the United States, to continue supporting durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians, but also across the regions through the Abraham Accords. However, let me also stress the importance of education in building durable peace based on respect and to…

13

Dec

2022

SK Speech

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A long-term vision for the EU's rural areas (A9-0269/2022 - Isabel Carvalhais)

Madam President, I welcomed the report on the long-term challenges for rural areas in the European Union, as up to 30% of the European population lives in these areas and we need to address the living conditions and well-being of these people. Rural areas face reduced access to basic infrastructure, education and jobs, as well as an ageing population, and the outflow of people to cities. It is the…

13

Dec

2022

SK Speech

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Towards equal rights for persons with disabilities (A9-0284/2022 - Anne-Sophie Pelletier)

Madam President, this report has given us a comprehensive view of the problems faced by persons with disabilities in the European Union. These are not only environmental barriers, but also barriers to the labour market, education and healthcare. And although we are bound by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, changes are very slow. I welcome the fact that the report calle…

13

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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

Madam President, colleagues, Georgia used to be a front runner in reforms within the Eastern Partnership countries. That’s why it is all the more frustrating to observe the negative trends impacting the country’s developments. We must acknowledge that the progress in some sectoral reforms has taken place, but we cannot ignore the overall state of democratic processes and rule of law. Political lea…

13

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Question Time (Commission) - “Protection of strategic infrastructure from China's influence”

I do understand. And thank you for the answer that the Member States have to do also their homework. But maybe I will focus on the question of Nuctech bidding for protection ... for providing technology to in order to protect our external borders. Because I believe that this is where exactly the EU can act. And if there is any attempts to do something about this bit and how we are going to resolve…

13

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Question Time (Commission) - “Protection of strategic infrastructure from China's influence”

Mr President, Commissioner, it is not long since some people in this House were still arguing that Nord Stream 2 is not a geopolitical weapon. It appears that we have not learned our lesson. Just months ago we have passed an important directive on the protection of critical infrastructure. But yet today, Huawei covers nearly 60% of Germany’s 5G network, Cosco owns 67% of Piraeus. Nuctech is biddin…

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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New EU strategy for enlargement (A9-0251/2022 - Tonino Picula)

Mr President, for too long we lacked the vision and political will to utilise the transformative nature of the enlargement process. The consequences of this failure are there for us to see. Non-democratic regimes are challenging European peace and security, threatening the stability of our neighbours and using malign investments to roll back years of democratic reforms. Reclaiming this vision and …

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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Recognising the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism (RC-B9-0482/2022, B9-0482/2022, B9-0483/2022, B9-0485/2022, B9-0486/2022, B9-0487/2022)

Mr President, I welcome today’s resolution recognising the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Putin’s Russia is waging a brutal war against the Ukrainian people. It is bombing civilian targets, including homes, hospitals, schools and churches and systematically attacking Ukrainian critical infrastructure. It is breaking all international conventions governing warfare and committin…

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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The continuing repression of the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus

Mr President, colleagues, while Lukashenko’s illegitimate regime enables Putin’s aggression against Ukraine, it continues to oppress and terrorise its own people. There are now at least 1 450 political prisoners and tens of thousands more who are suffering under the regime’s oppression. In particular, I would like to highlight my brave friend Pavel Seviarynets, who has been held in inhuman conditi…