Speeches

Mr President, the right to petition is one of the fundamental rights of every citizen and its functioning is important for participatory democracy itself. Every year, many petitions concern precisely the status of persons with disabilities in the European Union. They point to the obstacles they face on a daily basis, inaccessibility or discrimination. Based also on these petitions, we are able to respond in a more targeted way to their real needs in our policies. And although the right to petition is declared for everyone, its use is linked to how accessible the petition processes themselves are. It is also important to inform citizens in this regard, but also to ask how many people can actually exercise this right. That is why, once again, I would like to call on us not only to remain ambitious in ensuring the accessibility of the right to petition, but also of all other areas, but to move on to action. Let us implement properly and timely adopted legislation, such as the Web Accessibility Directive and the Audiovisual Directive. Let's stop hiding behind the many exceptions to the adopted accessibility rules. Last but not least, let's use all available finance, innovation, digitalisation and technological advances to make our society inclusive, barrier-free and ensure full participation for everyone.

Madam President, across the world communist totalitarianism is responsible for some of the worst crimes in human history. These crimes are real and they are still occurring today. Let us not forget that many European states still continue to suffer the consequences of communist totalitarianism – murder, terror and oppression, communities destroyed, families torn apart, no basic freedoms. These are but some of the deepest traumas left upon us. My great uncle, Páter Mikuláš Lexmann, died in a communist forced labour camp for priests. Before, he was saving the lives of Jews during World War Two. My other family members were forced to work in mines as forced labour, and I grew up in a society unable to exercise the very same liberties which we today take for granted. As countless millions across Europe, and indeed the world, longed for freedom, so do the people of Hong Kong today. As President Ronald Reagan said: ‘In the communist world men’s instinctive desire for freedom and self-determination suffers again and again.’ The people of Hong Kong prize their freedoms and liberties and I admire their boldness and determination. They cherished the high degree of autonomy which, just 24 years ago, the Chinese Communist Party had pledged to uphold. The CCP has reneged on the promises to the people of Hong Kong and it has reneged on its international obligations. Across mainland China, and now in Hong Kong, it has imposed a cruel regime which is growing more oppressive every day. The UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, in their latest report on the human rights situation in China, noted that the darkness deepens. The CCP is engaging in the worst human rights abuses since the Tiananmen Square massacre. The free world cannot stand by and so, on the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party, in words and in deeds, let us send a strong message that we stand with the people of Hong Kong. We stand with all victims of CCP terror and oppression and with freedom-loving people everywhere. We cannot remain silent or pretend that what is happening in Hong Kong or across mainland China does not concern us. Today, in the interconnected world, we have a moral obligation to do our utmost for the people across the world and at least make them free to determine their own destiny.

Madam President, the EU’s Magnitsky Act represents an important foreign policy instrument that allows us to defend the values and principles on which our Union was founded and to punish those who are responsible for human rights abuses. However, I believe that it is absolutely essential that the sanctions regime also target economic and financial enablers of these human rights abuses. This is why the Member States must urgently expand the scope of the EU Magnitsky Act by drawing on the US Global Magnitsky Act and include acts of corruption within the instrument. All too often oligarchs or representatives of oppressive regimes launder money through our European cities, use the money stolen from their own people to repress them, as well as to corrupt and interfere in our democratic processes. Using the Magnitsky Act to go after the money will not only help people who wish to live in free societies, but it will also make our own free societies more resilient.

Madam President, European society is ageing. This development was preceded by complex causes that resulted in lower birth rates, but also the outflow of young people from some areas. Unfortunately, we did not respond in time with supportive policies. Today we see the growing effect of so-called sandwich parents, who, alongside children, find it difficult to manage the care of their parents because we do not have the necessary infrastructure. It's 12 o'clock. To adopt effective policies for ageing well, older people need access to healthcare and care services, but also to lifelong learning. Of course, a well-designed family policy and a fair assessment of childcare in the pension system are absolutely crucial. It is also important to highlight the great potential of new digital assistive technologies, which can significantly help seniors to live independently. The dignity of the lives of our parents and grandparents is our mirror.