What Matej spoke about.

21

May

2026

Answers SL

Watch

Need for an adaptation of the EU legal framework on sustainable biofuels (debate)

Dear Sir/Madam, As you are aware, the production of biofuels varies greatly, and we must adopt all the technologies available here. And waste is also very often used for the production of alternative fuels. And here, above all, I see an opportunity for further development, because Europe has a huge amount of waste and there is no need to scare that the production of biofuels will lead to food shortages.

21

May

2026

Speeches EN

Watch

Need for an adaptation of the EU legal framework on sustainable biofuels (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, do we want decarbonisation that works in the real world or only on paper? Sustainable biofuels are available today. They reduce emissions today. They work with existing engines and infrastructure today. Climate neutrality will not be achieved by banning technologies. It will be achieved by scaling every sustainable technology that reduces emissions today. The future is not biofuels versus electrification: the future of transport is an ecosystem with electric cars and cars with an internal combustion engine propelled by advanced biofuels, hydrogen and e-fuels. We ask industry to invest billions into advanced biofuels and refinery transformation, while constantly changing sustainability criteria and investment conditions. That won't end well. Our mission must be to provide predictability.

20

May

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

High time to deliver on the Single Market, providing certainty and predictability for EU businesses and quality jobs (continuation of debate)

President-in-Office! Europe has a huge number of hardworking and hardworking people. Many are extremely talented. We also have innovative companies. We have billions of savings in the accounts of European citizens, which also means tremendous purchasing power compared to other parts of the world. But the question is why do we not turn all these advantages in our favour, in favour of Europe's economic power. The problem is not in the people, nor is it in the money. The problem is fragmentation and lack of courage to complete what we started decades ago with the creation of a truly single market. If a European company wants to operate across Europe today, it comes across 27 different rules. It is clear that we do not have a single market, and it is precisely the deepening of the single market that is our shared urgent responsibility as all institutions, Parliament, the Commission, the Council. For let us be honest, without strong European companies, there will be no quality European jobs. Without competitiveness, there will be no social Europe. And without determination, there will be no European strategic sovereignty.

19

May

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

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

Mr President, dear colleagues. We all know that, in a way, we have become accustomed to the European Union being a scapegoat for all sorts of nonsense at the present time. Many European leaders stick to the strategy: If that's not the case, then we're blaming Brussels. But the results of this game are more or less known, and the country that has left us, at least I do not see that honey and milk flow there. Life is dynamic and things change. And historically, civilizations that did not adapt to change simply collapsed in the long run. But today America has changed, China has changed, and Russia has changed. What is the European Union waiting for? The European Union also needs change. Because if we don't change, maybe tomorrow we won't. And these changes must be a step towards strengthening our Union, not weakening it. And the first thing we need to stop is to stop pretending. We ask the European Commission to act as a responsible and efficient government, but we do not give it these powers. Member States want strategic autonomy, but they do not open their gardens to their friends, even by an inch. This Parliament here is supposed to legislate, but it depends on the grace and disgrace of the Council and the European Commission. Dear colleagues, we have a lot of work to do and we need to strengthen the European Union towards the United States of Europe.

27

Apr

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President! Following the recent elections in Slovenia, people have made it clear that they want change. And if a new government law is approved in parliament this week, as it seems, Slovenia is getting a new centre-right government, which is a good sign. Therefore, I sincerely ask you not to fall for all those who are scaring these days, arguing that with the centre-right government in Slovenia we are getting a new populist, anti-Nazi, pro-Russian government, and I do not know what kind of another government. Of course, that's not true. If anything, then the right centre in Slovenia has always been pro-European, building our common union on the foundations on which it was founded.

25

Mar

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, colleagues! I would like to inform you that we had elections in Slovenia on the last Sunday. The coalition lost 13 seats and the opposition won eight. The difference between the first and second parties is less than a percentage, which means that the chances of forming a future government are still very open. I was surprised, however, by the interview of Prime Minister Golob, who told Politica that if there is a centre-right government in Slovenia, it represents a great danger for the future of Europe. It's a big lie. If anything, then I can say very responsibly that the right centre in Slovenia has always been the most pro-European political force in the country. I very much hope that my colleagues will succeed in forming a centre-right government, because this is the best for Slovenia, a departure from the Venezuelan concept, and above all it will also be good for Europe.

25

Mar

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

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

Mr President, colleagues! Can you imagine a country in the Republic of Slovenia where the government claims that we have enough fuel for the next three months? Due to catastrophic poor communication, the government causes panic that diesel is running out at gas stations. Unbelievable, but this case speaks to you in favour of the fact that sometimes the responsibility for energy prices is also, or very often is, the responsibility of a Member State, of the governments of individual Member States through their tax policy and their communication policy. However, the European Union can do the most for our competitive energy prices if we make an intensive bet on renewable energy sources and on nuclear energy. Only a mix of renewables and nuclear energy is the thing that provides us with strategic autonomy in the future and reduces price volatility in the energy market.

11

Mar

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

Rise of political violence, notably by far-left organisations (debate)

10

Mar

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

Cutting red tape to enable a competitive and clean transition – the urgent need to shorten and simplify permitting (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues!  Lithium, cobalt, graphite, rare earths, nickel. What do these raw materials and their exploitation have in common with the European Union? A lot, but unfortunately nothing good. They are a symbol of our inefficiency and an indicator of deep economic dependence. But without these raw materials, there is no green transition, there are no electric vehicles, there are no batteries. Very easy. The future will be in the hands of those who have it. What hurts the most is the fact that the European Union has these raw materials, especially nickel, lithium and rare earths. We are literally sitting on them, but unfortunately we import them from third countries, especially China. Exploitation of ores under strict European environmental rules is not green enough for us. We do not mind, however, that these same raw materials are extracted in much dirtier ways in China and Africa, with drastic consequences for the environment and no social rights for workers. Europe, sober up! Let's stop bureaucratic and green nonsense, shorten procedures, maintain reasonable environmental safeguards!

10

Mar

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

Recommendation on enhanced EU-Canada cooperation in the current geopolitical context, including the threats to Canada’s economic stability and sovereignty (debate)

Mr. President! Colleagues and colleagues, and especially dear brothers and sisters from Canada, whom I understand as our American colleagues! We have a lot in common, we have a lot of similarities, and it is right that the European Union and Canada work together in depth. Over the years, Canada has certainly proven to be a reliable partner. Last but not least, when it came to defending our eastern NATO borders, Canada is there, Canada is in Latvia, and it helps us defend our eastern border. Last but not least, when today we also look north in the direction of the Arctic, which is becoming a new geopolitical front, because Russia and China are already protecting and asserting their interests. Canada is also very important here. But the partnership also means the courage to make decisions, and it is CETA that brings jobs and stable supply chains and less dependence on unstable regimes. It is therefore also up to us to ratify this Treaty as soon as possible.

10

Mar

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

Presentation of the Energy Package (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues!  In recent years, we have been dealing with high energy prices. We spent a lot of hours discussing these things, and we found that our electricity prices were higher than the competition in the US or China. And when things seem to have calmed down a bit, bam, a new war, a new crisis, and again, a new energy crisis is announced that will raise energy prices. And this, of course, raises the question of what we, as Europe, have learned from the war in Ukraine. The lesson is very simple: We can only rely on ourselves. Therefore, if we want affordable energy prices, then we need to build a suitable mix of renewable energy sources and nuclear energy. And that's the only thing that can make us competitive on the global stage.

11

Feb

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

Targeted expulsions of foreign journalists and foreign Christians in Türkiye under national security pretexts

Mr. President! Today it may seem that we are talking about Turkey, but we are actually talking about a much broader thing, namely whether the European Union is ready to defend its values. Is she ready to defend freedom of religion? Is she prepared to defend her Christian foundations? Under the guise of national security, Christians have been targeted in Turkey for years. People who live there legally, often for decades, start families and build local communities. Without evidence and without legal protection, they are marked as a security risk and ultimately expelled. This is not a coincidence, but a systematic denial of one of the religious communities, in this case the Christian community. The European Parliament must be the voice of persecuted Christians. This is also why I call on the European Commission once again to finally appoint a special envoy for respect for religion and belief. Europe cannot be just a market, it cannot be just an association of some countries. Europe must remain a champion of human dignity everywhere, including in Turkey.

11

Feb

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

Urgent actions to revive EU competitiveness, deepen the EU Single Market and reduce the cost of living - from the Draghi report to reality (debate)

Madam President! The Draghi report is an embarrassing truth that we have to face one way or another. Today we have an absurd situation. European savings are financed by American companies, while European companies are looking for money outside the European Union. Our citizens are saving money in Europe, while this money creates growth and jobs elsewhere, on other continents. And money does not leave Europe because we do not have knowledge or talent, but because investing elsewhere is easier and cheaper. To turn the tide, we need a true Capital Markets Union, less fragmentation and less regulation. And, as the President of the European Commission said today, we need reliable trading partners, a real single market and decisive simplification. The path is clear and right. Now is the time to work.

10

Feb

2026

Speeches EN

Watch

Building a stronger European defence in light of an increasingly volatile international environment (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, for many years, European defence has relied on the presence and capabilities of our American allies. But we must also be realistic. We cannot assume that this presence will always be there. Europe is a Union of 27 Member States, each with its own armed forces, its own command structures and its own strategic priorities. This fragmentation is a vulnerability in today's hectic geopolitical environment. We must ask ourselves a simple but crucial question: how do we defend Europe in a world that demands unity and strategic clarity? Europe needs the creation of a European army placed under the European Security Council. A European army that does not replace national forces but brings them together. An army with a common command, shared capabilities and clear political direction. This is a long process and for this reason we must begin now.

22

Jan

2026

Speeches EN

Watch

Drones and new systems of warfare – the EU’s need to adapt to be fit for today’s security challenges (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, the war we are witnessing today is not a technological revolution; it is a structural one. Drones have transformed the battlefield into a permanent zone of exposure, where movement, logistics and even survival are constantly contested. But one lesson from Ukraine is clear: drones do not replace traditional military capabilities; they reshape them. Drones are powerful force multipliers for artillery, air defence, armour or MAS. At the same time, we must be aware that over-reliance on drones without the resilience of traditional military capabilities creates dangerous vulnerabilities. This is where Europe must act – not by chasing individual technologies, but by building integrated systems, by ensuring that European industry sustains potential war efforts. War has changed: scale and cooperation now decide about our survival. Europe must adapt now or we will be defeated in the future.

19

Jan

2026

Speeches SL

Watch

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr. President! In this house and in this European Union, we often talk about equality and freedom. The question is whether it is the same for everyone. The European Union finances many, very different things, and rightly so. But lately, it has been a well-known example of organisations defending the family, human dignity and also the sanctity of life, such as World Youth Alliance Europe, or the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe, which are increasingly being squeezed out of European funding. Not because they violate anything, but because they are clearly ideologically inappropriate. This is not a Europe of dialogue, but a Europe of exclusion. That's why I'm asking for a very simple thing. Equal criteria, transparency and choice for everyone, not just the first class. Europe must be a home for all, including those who believe in life and the family.

16

Dec

2025

Answers SL

Watch

European Citizens’ Initiative ‘My voice, my choice: for safe and accessible abortion’ (debate)

16

Dec

2025

Speeches SL

Watch

European Citizens’ Initiative ‘My voice, my choice: for safe and accessible abortion’ (debate)

26

Nov

2025

Speeches SL

Watch

The situation of Christian communities and religious minorities in Nigeria and the Middle East, and Europe’s responsibility to protect them and guarantee freedom of conscience (topical debate)

25

Nov

2025

Speeches SL

Watch

European Defence Industry Programme and a framework of measures to ensure the timely availability and supply of defence products (‘EDIP’) (debate)

Madam President! We all know that peace is the foundation of everything. Peace is a prerequisite for the functioning of all social subsystems, be it the economy, health, education, pension system. And long-term peace for our children can only be secured by credible deterrence. Credible deterrence can only be achieved if the right defence capabilities are in place. What is the cost of these real defense capabilities? Nowadays, two percent seems to be too much for some on the left. But let's not forget that during the Cold War, we gave more to defend ourselves, about four percent of GDP, and yet we built extremely robust social systems that helped us establish a high level of our standard of living. Today, our European security depends on our American allies. We need to build our strategic autonomy. Therefore, EDIP is a tool to build a more robust European defence industry and EDIP means together, more efficient and European. And those who oppose a more robust European defence are actually opposed to peace and support Putin.

12

Nov

2025

Speeches SL

Watch

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President. North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan. These are just a few of the countries in the world where the massacres of Christians are taking place. In a way, our mother Europe seems to be deaf to persecuted Christians everywhere in the world. It is not unimportant that as many as 380 million Christians around the world today face various forms of discrimination and persecution because of their religion. In Nigeria alone, 41,000 Christians have been killed in recent years. Freedom of conscience and religion remains one of the fundamental values of the European Union and the least I expect from the European Commission is to finally appoint a special envoy to promote free religion outside the European Union, which has not been there since 2024.

21

Oct

2025

Speeches SL

Watch

Institutional consequences of the EU enlargement negotiations (debate)

Mr. President! What are the consequences of enlargement for existing members and for new ones? Positive in any case, and it is truly amazing how much time is spent discussing what the consequences will be. Definitely positive. The new members, of course, get additional funds because they can strengthen their development, but the existing members get, above all, new markets where they can sell their excellent products. And economic analyses have shown that after the 2004 enlargement, when ten new members joined the European Union, existing older members gained the most in net output. So the arguments of the French Member, how France is a net contributor and that this is bad for France, simply do not stand because, thanks to enlargement, France and all the older members have gained above all. More than all new members. Enlargement is positive.

21

Oct

2025

Questions SL

Watch

Institutional consequences of the EU enlargement negotiations (debate)

Mr. President! Twenty-one years ago, a major expansion took place, of which Slovenia was a part. And last year, calculations were made on who gained the most from the enlargement of the European Union, taking into account all existing old members, as well as those new ones. And France was among the three countries that gained the most from enlargement. So, I would like to know why you are opposed to something that is good for France because it brings a lot of economic benefits.

20

Oct

2025

Speeches SL

Watch

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President! Do you remember in 2004, 21 years ago, when Slovenia joined the European Union? It was the star of the entrance at the time, developed, modern, advanced. Where is he today? Unfortunately, things are going backwards, and I have to say that Slovenia is becoming a kidnapped country today. Let's just look at the police case. The police were led for two years by an illegally appointed director whose task was to clean up the police, all those who do not agree with the current government. The result is an attack on the opposition, house searches without serious grounds and criminal charges and investigations by the opposition. Things are going on. The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, which detected irregularities with the Prime Minister, is also under attack. And the third thing: This is followed by a change in the judiciary, which opens the door to politics. Slovenia is becoming a European patient.

8

Oct

2025

Speeches EN

Watch

United response to recent Russian violations of the EU Member States’ airspace and critical infrastructure (debate)

Madam President, in today's debate, we are seeing how Russia is mocking and deliberately provoking the EU. Putin is doing so because we are a democracy and because he knows our rules of engagement. Russia knows that NATO aircraft carrying out air policing can only shoot down Russian aeroplanes if NATO aircraft are attacked. The Russians are exploiting our rules of engagement so that they can use their propaganda machine to portray Europe as ineffective and slow. If they want to attack the EU, then they have made a strategic mistake. They have wasted the element of surprise. When the moment of truth comes, Europe will be better prepared for Russian threats.