Speeches

The ÖVP delegation welcomes the efforts to set the EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The promotion of women's rights and the strengthening of gender equality are important concerns that we support. The report contains many valuable approaches, which we support in principle. At the same time, however, there are individual aspects which, in their current version, contradict the national legal situation and also concern issues which, in our view, fall under national responsibility and should therefore not be decided at EU level. For this reason, the ÖVP delegation decided to abstain from the final vote. Despite our support in principle for the report's key concerns, this decision also reflects our conviction that national competences must be respected in specific areas.

Mr President, dear colleagues, nearly three years after the military coup in Niger, the democratically elected President Bazoum and his wife remain detained by the military junta. They have been without proper access to lawyers or communication to the outside world. I had the chance to work with President Bazoum when I chaired the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism of the International Parliamentarian Union, and he was a strong partner. As a result, now the situation in Niger is deteriorating. President Bazoum was an important partner in our work against terrorism, against organised crime and also against irregular migration in the Sahel. Therefore, we must send a clear message today: President Bazoum and his wife must be released immediately and Niger must return to constitutional order and credible democratic elections.

Madam President, colleagues, Russia has started to recruit non‑Russian nationals, particularly from African countries. This practice is deeply alarming because many of these young men have been deceived by false promises of lucrative and safe jobs or educational opportunities. So far, more than 1 700 African citizens from 36 countries have been misled into fighting for Russia, mostly without prior military training. I think the international community cannot remain passive. As the European Union, we must first strengthen monitoring of these recruitment networks and bring their actions to light. Second, we have to collaborate with African governments to raise awareness, prevent recruitment schemes and help them get their citizens back. And third, implement sanctions against individuals and entities complicit in these trafficking and recruitment operations. It is time to act.

Mr President, dear colleagues, never forget this. The mullah regime in Iran, which is still in power, is a terror regime. UN sources reported that, in January, they killed more than 35 000 of their own people. Iran funds terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthis. Iran arms Russia with drones. And Iran was close to becoming a nuclear power. We should not forget, Iran has in its constitution the destruction of Israel. On the other side, we have the UN Charter, which proposes, how I see it, to protect human life, but not to shield regimes that slaughter their own people. When the Security Council is paralysed by vetoes coming from Russia, a strict formalist reading of the Charter betrays its own spirit. Therefore, Israel and the United States were legitimate to start this operation.

Mr President, dear colleagues, we must strengthen and deepen our relationship and our partnership with Canada. Canada is one of the most trusted partners and a close friend of Europe. And our cooperation is built on shared values – democracy, human rights – or our commitment to a rules-based international order, which is so important in these days. Our cooperation is deeply economic. Since the provisional application of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union and Canada, our economy has increased by around 65 %, reaching EUR 80 billion in goods trade annually. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, recently highlighted that middle powers gain strength by acting together. That's the most important thing in days like this. Let's do exactly this. Acting together for rules-based international order – this is the task for Canada and the European Union.

Mr President, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, we must always keep at the top of our minds that the future of the European countries that share our values lies in the European Union. Enlargement remains a strategic investment in peace, stability and prosperity in Europe. This has been our shared commitment, especially for the Western Balkans, since at least the Thessaloniki summit of 2003. Enlargement is a two-way street, and the EU needs to do its part just as the candidate countries, of course, have to do their reform agenda. Montenegro is the frontrunner in the accession process. As the EPP's shadow rapporteur for the country, I closely follow the country's reform efforts. And when a candidate country delivers the necessary reforms in line with European values, we also have to keep our promises. That's our task.

Mr President, dear colleagues, Iranians continue to live under systematic oppression. Arbitrary detentions, killings and constant persecution are daily realities for those who challenge the regime – journalists, students, women and human rights defenders. They are particularly at risk. The use of arbitrary detention is a deliberate instrument of state repression. Citizens are imprisoned without fair trial and, in many thousands of cases, killed solely for peacefully expressing their views. The death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, and the deaths of thousands in January 2026, show the brutality of the Ayatollah regime. We have to do everything to bring Iran to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. This totalitarian regime is a threat for its own people, for the Gulf area, for Israel and for the whole of Europe.

Madam President, dear colleagues, the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is deeply alarming. Hundreds of thousands of people are suffering from violence, displacement and extreme poverty. Entire communities live in fear, and vulnerable groups, especially women and children, pay the highest price. Therefore, we must be very clear: the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be fully respected. Any support for armed groups by external actors is unacceptable and only prolongs the suffering of the civilian population. What the region needs is not further escalation. It needs diplomacy. The European Union should actively support regional mediation efforts and work to prevent a direct confrontation between the states there. Europe has also its own responsibility. Yes, we have a demand for critical raw materials, but that must never contribute to conflict and instability. We must ensure transparent and conflict-free supply chains in line with our values and our strategic interests. Therefore, the European Union should strengthen humanitarian assistance. We have to support political mediation to stop mass displacement because of ongoing violence against civilians. We should support the people and we should do everything so that military groups are not supported.

Mr President, what we see in Sudan today is the collapse of the state. For years, civilians have been paying the price through hunger, displacement, sexual violence and the killing of thousands of people. More than an entire generation is being pushed to the brink, while humanitarian access is deliberately obstructed. Civilians are being actively targeted through attacks on hospitals or markets. External actors, state and non‑state, that pursue their own strategic interests in Sudan are supplying weapons and financing armed groups. What should be the answer? Europe must, therefore, act with strategic clarity. First, by demanding an immediate and verifiable ceasefire with clear consequences for violations. Second, by using sanctions and accountability mechanisms against those responsible, also against those external actors who enable them. Third, by supporting a civilian‑led political future for Sudan, not as a distant aspiration, but as a condition for lasting peace. Together with the United States and the Gulf countries, we have to stop this humanitarian catastrophe.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the situation in Syria is fragile and complex. First, especially in north‑east Syria, the UN reports that more than 170 000 displaced people need humanitarian assistance. Second, another big issue are the detention camps like Roj and al-Hol. I had the chance to visit an Austrian woman with her two children in the Roj camp. Over 28 000 people are in these camps. Some 8 000 are foreigners. We have to have security in our minds. Many of the people are brainwashed by ISIS. And third, we have to see the difficult situation of the Kurdish people. They are by far the largest minority in Syria, with more than 2 million people. The Kurds have played a big and a key role in the fight against the terrorists of ISIS. We should not forget this and their rights and security must be ensured. What we need is a sustainable ceasefire, a ceasefire that ensures security, the respect of international law and the protection of civilians. We have to support the Syrian Government, but we have to be also on alert.

Madam President, today we are confronted with a disgrace that shows the true nature of the Chinese Communist Party: the conviction and imminent sentencing of Jimmy Lai is not justice, it is political revenge. His trial was a shame. Let us be clear: this isn't just about Jimmy Lai, it is about the Chinese Communist Party that suppresses dissent wherever it exists – targeting journalists, minorities and human rights defenders – and is responsible for more than 1 000 executions each year, more than any country on this planet. Jimmy Lai must be released now, and the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities must also be held accountable.

Madam President, let me start with the key point. The election was in line with modern international electoral standards. Voter turnout was high and there was no evidence of systematic irregularities on the election day. Nasry Asfura won the presidential elections. He is a successful former two-term mayor of Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. But what is deeply concerning, however, is the reaction of the current left-wing government. There is a visible reluctance to accept the outcome, combined with attempts to delay or politically reinterpret the result behind the scenes. This is particularly dangerous in a country where politics, state structures and organised crime remain closely intertwined. Honduras is a fragile state, and political uncertainty further increases the risk of instability. This case also underlines a broader strategic lesson for the European Union and the international community, as I see it. Sustained political engagement with smaller Latin American countries matters, and we have to invest in these countries. In the case of Honduras, based on what we have observed on the ground, there is no factual or procedural justification for a recount. The elections were fair and the democratic will of the Honduran people is very clear. It must be respected. Nasry Asfura is the new president of Honduras.

Madam President, dear colleagues, India, the world's most populated country, is already our partner. We are not at the beginning of a partnership. The EU-India trade exchange is substantial. We reached, in 2024, an exchange of goods around EUR 120 billion, and our trade has tripled in the past two decades. This is precisely why we must now conclude a comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement. Significant progress has been made. Two thirds of the negotiating chapters are already finished, but we must be honest: the most difficult chapters remain unresolved and EU-India relations must go beyond a trading level. We need strong partners in a future-orientated security and defence partnership and we have to deepen our technology cooperation. I think such a strong partnership can be built on open and constructive dialogue, and also the European Parliament should play here a role. The European Union and India share an interest in stability, peace and the rules-based international order. I think this is an excellent foundation for a good agreement.

The concept of the European People's Party has been very clear since the founding fathers. Of course, we see the European Union as a structure that respects subsidiarity. But on the big issues, we need European decisions. And this Commission has now shown that we are doing everything we can to strengthen the business location again. Yes, there have been excessive regulations in the last period, but we did not have the majority that we now have in the European Parliament. We are making full use of them to strengthen ourselves economically. However, this does not include tariff increases, as Trump intends and for which you are concealing yourself.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, To begin with, let me be clear: Our full solidarity is with the people of Greenland. Sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected without exception by all the countries of the world, and there must never be a decision over the heads of the people of Greenland and Denmark. What I do not understand here is that the so-called patriots for Europe are silent when it comes to Patria, the homeland of Greenland. When it comes to not continuing the downward spiral from the US through additional tariffs when it comes to prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, the patriots remain silent. This is the big difference between the centre parties and populist parties. When it comes to the matter, they keep silent. This is about us acting strongly and collectively as Europe. We have to be self-confident and united here. Yes, willingness to dialogue, but dialogue only works if both sides are willing to enter into an honest, open conversation. As the largest single market on this planet, we as the European Union have considerable economic and political power. We can't talk ourselves down. We must now make full use of our strength.

Madam President, dear colleagues, this report shows that human rights are increasingly under siege across the world and civic spaces are shrinking. The EU has long prided itself on being a global standard bearer for human dignity, freedom and the rule of law. Our actions, more than ever, must match our convictions. A deeply troubling trend is the resurgence of the death penalty across the globe. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has been raising awareness of an alarming increase in the use of capital punishment in 2025. China remains the world's leading executioner, followed by Iran, but the numbers have increased to more than 1000. And we must intensify all our efforts to push for global moratoriums to abolish the death penalty. We must strengthen the rule of law. We must ensure the human rights clauses in our external policies are applied consistently and effectively.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Nicolas Maduro – who systematically undermined democratic institutions and silenced opposition – is not any more in power. This is a positive step, but it cannot be seen as a solution for the future of the country. The transition to democracy can only be legitimate if it emerges from the Venezuelans themselves through free and fair elections – of course under international observation. Any solution imposed from the outside will lack the credibility and sustainability that true democracy requires. Around 8 million Venezuelans have fled their country, and over 80 % of those remaining in the country are living in poverty, 50 % of them in extreme poverty – and Venezuela was a rich country. It should become a rich country again. A peaceful and democratic transition to bring peace, justice and welfare to the people of Venezuela: that must be the aim.

Mr President, dear colleagues, 30 years ago, the Dayton Peace Agreement was an essential step to stabilise the situation in the Western Balkans region, but it also left Bosnia and Herzegovina with a difficult political situation. I had the chance to observe elections in the country several times and I witnessed these difficulties. Unfortunately, there have been rising tensions. At a time when the country needs stability, economic development and progress towards EU integration, it is being held back by dangerous separatist tensions, and we have to see these tendencies. Milorad Dodik is now banned from any political activities for six years by the state and constitutional courts of Bosnia-Herzegovina. I think this was necessary and it is positive, but nevertheless, we have to see Dodik still plays a very negative role. All Western Balkan countries are a part of Europe and should be a part of the European Union, and it is our responsibility to contribute, to stabilise the political system in the region and to strengthen our cooperation. It is in our interest, but of course, also in the interests of the people of the region. So what should we do? We have to work hard so that all of these countries have a realistic perspective for membership of the European Union, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Madam President, colleagues, when children are no longer safe in their schools, a nation's future is under siege. What happened in Papiri, Nigeria, is a tragedy that must shake us all. Children must be able to learn in safe schools, and schools cannot become a battlefield. Nigeria continues to face horrific violence, not only from Boko Haram, but also from bandits turning kidnapping into a business. And since President Tinubu took office, at least four mass school abductions have taken place. And yes, religion plays a role – Christian communities and schools are deliberately targeted. A classroom must never be a place of fear. It must be a place of opportunity. Nigeria has to act and we have to support Nigeria in its efforts.

Mr President, colleagues, over the past year we have been witnessing a decline in the state of democracy in Georgia. While Georgia achieved candidate status for EU accession in 2023, the country is sadly currently experiencing backtracking on its path toward European integration. A key concern is the increasing repression of the free media. Yesterday, we were able to award the Sakharov Prize to Mzia Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist who was imprisoned in January 2025, and is widely considered to be Georgia's first political prisoner since independence. This case, unfortunately, also fits into a pattern of worrying developments, such as undermining of the judiciary, the intimidation of the opposition and, as has been mentioned, a closer and closer relationship with Russia. Georgia's ratings in international democracy monitors have sharply declined. It is not too late, I would say, for Georgia to return to a strong European path, as was the case just a few years ago. The government must follow European values, especially the rule of law and media freedom, and we have to support human rights defenders and activists in Georgia who risk a lot to defend European values.