Speeches

Madam President, thank you very much. Achieving the green transition requires very large investments, otherwise it will not be possible to replace fossil fuels. Here, the RRF could play a crucial role, but it is clear that the fund has not fully met expectations for green investments. The Court has carried out a specific audit which shows that several of the investments that claim to be climate or green are, in fact, not fully so. It is clear that many of the projects financed by the Fund had come about anyway. They were already planned. The Fund acts more as a budget support than a catalyst for new investments. The RRF also suffers from a lack of traceability. It is difficult, sometimes impossible, to control how the money is spent. More than 300 cases of misused funds are being investigated by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). In addition, a large number of cases are being investigated by OLAF. It is money that is unlikely to have been spent properly and benefited the green transition. It is crucial that the EU is able to draw lessons from this.

Madam President, thank you very much. In recent weeks there have been attempts to start peace negotiations, but Russia does not want peace. Russia is responding with brutal attacks on civilians in Ukraine like never before. Russia rejects Ukraine's offer of a ceasefire. Instead, according to President Zelenskyy, Russia now has the audacity to propose that Russian prisoners of war be exchanged for kidnapped Ukrainian children. This is how an imperialist regime that is morally bankrupt argues. Faced with these provocations and faced with the US refusal to support Ukraine, it is our task to increase support – increase financial support, increase political support and increase military support that will allow Ukraine to liberate its occupied territories and survive as a democratic, independent nation.

Mr President, thank you very much. This debate gives a clear picture of what happens when the Commission opens up already adopted environmental legislation in order to weaken it, delay it or simplify it. Immediately, like a letter in the mail, various groups on the right take the chance to try to weaken, roll back or tear up already adopted environmental legislation. This creates significant ambiguity and uncertainty about the green transition. This time I think it will go well. I think we will vote against the amendments from the extreme right tomorrow. We will be able to simplify the legislation on CBAM, but still cover 99% of the emissions concerned. It is a good result, it is a perfectly acceptable result. It is right for the CBAM to focus on the really large emitters, but the Commission is on a dangerous path when, in other proposals, it calls pure weakening for simplification. It risks weakening our actions to save the climate and we don't need to. Instead, we need reinforcements.

Madam President, thank you very much. Anyone who can prevent genocide has a duty to do so. Anyone who can prevent genocide and does not do so has a co-responsibility. There is Sweden today, there is the European Union today. What is happening is genocide. The children who starve to death do so because of conscious decisions, paramedics trying to save lives are murdered in cold blood by the Israeli military, snipers shoot unarmed civilians and Israeli ministers speak plainly. They're talking about ethnic cleansing, about expulsion. We have a duty to act, to terminate the Association Agreement, to stop the arms trade and to bring the war criminals to justice.

Madam President, thank you very much. I welcome the European Commission's proposal to ban the import of fossil fuels from Russia. But honestly, it should have happened a long time ago. There must be an end to fossil imports that feed the illegal war. Recently, the United States has tried to conduct so-called negotiations. From the so-called negotiations, we can learn two things: The first is that the US is an unreliable partner, prepared to betray Ukraine and prepared to betray international law. The second thing we can learn is that Russia does not want peace. Russia seeks every argument to continue the war, to continue the killing. It leaves us no choice but to step up support for the struggling Ukraine, to tighten sanctions and to keep our promise: Russia is out of Ukraine!

All Swedish parties will vote for Joakim Medin's freedom. I think that is a good thing and I welcome it. I hope that we can have a very strong majority in the European Parliament tomorrow. I also welcome the voice of the Sweden Democrats, even though we never usually cooperate with the Sweden Democrats otherwise, because we stand so far apart. That is also why we do not usually write joint amendments. But tomorrow we will all vote for Joakim Medin's freedom. That's good.

Mr President, thank you very much. Last Wednesday I was in Ankara. I was in a court of law. Joakim Medin was on trial. Joakim is a Swedish journalist who has been arrested in Turkey and now faces 12 years in prison. Why is Joakim Medin threatened with 12 years in prison? Because he's a journalist, because he's written about Turkey. There is no basis other than those accusations against him. It is completely unacceptable for Turkey to imprison EU citizens, Swedish citizens and journalists who have done nothing criminal. Tomorrow, this Parliament can take a stand for Joakim Medin's freedom. I hope we will. I would like to thank all the Swedish parties in the European Parliament that support the demand that Joakim Medin should immediately be allowed to go home to his wife in Sweden. We expect the Swedish government to do more, and we hope that the European Commission will do more, to bring Joakim Medin home.

Mr President, thank you very much. This day corresponds to Christmas Eve for the Committee on Budgetary Control. But not everything is family fun and cohesion in the European family. We can only regret that the Council of Ministers still refuses to cooperate with the European Parliament so that we can give them discharge. It's still not possible. As far as the European Commission is concerned, we have growing problems with irregular payments, not least with regard to cohesion policy. Things are moving in the wrong direction. But the most serious thing about the European Commission is the management of the Recovery Fund (RRF). Here we have a huge financial instrument where we lack traceability of how the money is used. Criticism has been sharp from the Court of Auditors. The cases that lie before the European Prosecutor count in the hundreds, but we still miss the fact that the European Commission takes this very seriously. As far as the European Parliament is concerned, we will be voting in favour of discharge. Over the years, there have been significant improvements in the management of the old pension system. But we do not have a report to consider. It was voted down in committee because the right-wing groups did not want a strong ethics body. I think it is a defeat for the Committee on Budgetary Control that we cannot agree on a stronger ethics body after the scandals that we have seen. As far as the agencies are concerned, we are voting in favour of discharge for most of them, but in the present case there is too much influence for lobbyists and too little independence. In other cases, there is a lack of financial management. As far as the Asylum Agency is concerned, the decision is postponed, and it is necessary after the wrongdoings that have been revealed. We are tabling a joint amendment with, among others, the EPP and the Greens to get to the bottom of this. It's necessary. Last but not least: We all recognize a political campaign when we see it. Now we see a political campaign against environmental organizations. I would like those who show such concern for environmental NGOs to show the same concern for undue influence in the case of large companies, which also often receive money from the European Union.

Mr President, thank you very much. It is not just the climate that requires us to phase out our dependence on fossil fuels. Russia’s oil and gas exports are financing the brutal war of aggression in Ukraine. We need a decommissioning plan with dates (order to the European Commission!) for the use of fossil fuels. We should also make it clear that there will be no reopening of Northstream in the future, as Russia is likely to want. We want to make it clear that sanctions against Russia will continue as long as the last square metre of Ukrainian soil has not been returned to a free Ukraine. We can also do more with regard to the Russian shadow fleet. Up to 50% of Russian crude oil exports now go through the Baltic Sea, and it must go through Danish or Swedish waters on its way out to the world market. Together we can put a stop to it.

Madam President, thank you very much. Future jobs in the automotive industry will not be created with yesterday's technology. As the European Commission now weakens and postpones environmental requirements, companies that have not done their homework will benefit. Instead, it is time to support the transformation of the automotive industry. It is time to give tax rebates to anyone who buys an electric car made in the European Union – a cheap electric car. When China provides state aid, we must be able to support our industry. However, when the support is paid, there must be good working conditions, collective agreements and that it does not go to dividends. We need to reform an electricity market that pushes up electricity prices to two or three times what is paid in competitor countries. It is necessary and it can be changed. Everyone who has worked in a car factory knows that.

Madam President, I would like to thank the two rapporteurs, Sven Mikser and Siegfried Mureşan. You've been working in a very inclusive way, you've been working with the highest possible speed and you nevertheless achieved substantial improvements of this facility, especially when it comes to the part that is grants and when it comes to the pre-financing. That is really needed now, at a time when Russia used energy as a weapon against Moldova, at a time when USAID withdraws essential support for the country. The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted with great unanimity a number of amendments that would have improved the transparency and the auditing of the facility. Most of them were not taken on board because the rapporteurs wanted to have a swift negotiation with the Council. I can understand that, but the challenge is still there to strengthen the auditing in Moldova and to make sure that taxpayers' money is used in the best possible way. I am sure that we will have many opportunities to come back to that debate on strengthening the national auditing system in Moldova.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Trump's policies remind me of childhood bullies in the schoolyard. Those who attacked the lesser and the weaker. It is a policy that benefits the world's richest men and affects the world's poor. But just like in the schoolyard, the answer must be solidarity and standing up for what is right and proper. We must continue to defend international law. We must continue to reduce our own climate emissions and strengthen international climate cooperation. We also need to respond to Trump's tariffs and provocations, and we can do that by imposing tariffs on the most climate-damaging. By introducing climate tariffs earlier than planned, we can respond offensively to those who do not take responsibility for the future of the planet.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. We've got an American president who knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing. Trump seems to think he can negotiate with Putin about Ukraine's future. We must insist that at every negotiation it should be Ukraine that decides what they want to do and Ukraine that sits at the table. Our task is to strengthen Ukraine and its struggle for freedom, to increase support – political support, financial support and military support. Russia is not entitled to a single square meter of Ukrainian land. Putin is a war criminal, not a statesman. We can do more. whereas Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine continues to be financed by fossil fuel exports; Tankers still pass through the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. It's time to stop them, to squeeze Russia where it hurts the most. Long live the free Ukraine!

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Sweden has major problems with gang violence, shootings and explosions, often linked to drug trafficking. This requires more resources for the police and the judiciary and sometimes tougher penalties. Weapon laws need to be tightened. Crime has become entrenched in neighbourhoods with low incomes, overcrowding and social problems. There is a clear link between school failure and crime. Children are recruited into criminal gangs. To break that trend, vulnerable neighbourhoods need to be lifted with investments. We need more adults in school. It is no coincidence that Swedish cities that lack vulnerable neighbourhoods and work preventively have lower crime rates. This requires an active policy that the current Swedish government unfortunately lacks. Unscrupulous privatisations in welfare have opened up new opportunities for criminals to earn revenue. This development must be broken, society must regain control. The Swedish parliament has had a right-wing majority for more than 17 years. Today we have a government run by a racist party. We need a new government with a comprehensive policy for greater equality, investments in suburbs, investments in schools, the fight against crime and to increase security in society.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. Last week's murder of ten people in a school in Örebro is the worst violent crime in Sweden's modern history. We grieve and we share despair with those who have suffered and with those who live in Örebro. But we also thank those who immediately stood up and reacted. We thank the teachers who locked the classrooms and protected their students. We thank the police officers who rushed right into the danger. We thank the medical staff who rushed to the hospital to staff the operating theatres. We are not yet sure of the killer's motives, but we know that most of the people who were murdered had their roots in other countries. And we know that many immigrants in Sweden are afraid. They wonder: Are we safe? Are we welcome here? The growing racism in Sweden has strongly contributed to a hardening social climate. It is high time to reverse this trend.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your This debate is a demonstration of the hypocrisy of the right. Thousands of lobbyists from large companies and trade associations dominate Brussels. As children, they are housed by the European Commission and have direct influence on the drafting of legislative proposals. I recognise the industry's amendments when they are tabled by right-wing Members here in Parliament. MEP Hohlmeier, who just spoke on behalf of the EPP, has a well-paid assignment for the German agricultural company BayWa, a company supported by the LIFE programme. People's movements and environmental organisations have a fraction of companies' resources even though they represent millions of citizens, not individual companies' profit interests. The imbalance is total, the lobbyists of big business are the real problem of democracy, yet it is the influence of the popular movement that the right wants to limit. Madam President, I would like to thank you for your I call it hypocrisy.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! Belarus will hold elections on 26 January. The election is taking place against the backdrop of violent repression in the country. In Belarusian prisons, leading representatives of the opposition are imprisoned, others are in exile. whereas Belarus lacks free media and freedom of assembly and organisation; The conditions for free elections are completely lacking. Lukashenko, the country's de facto dictator, knows that he would not win a free and fair election. The Belarusian opposition continues its courageous work for democracy and for the country not to be devoured by Russia. It is the opposition that is hoping for freedom and democracy, the activists of the human rights organisation Viasna, those who organise free trade unions, those who are in prison for demanding genuine free elections. They are the ones who carry the promise of a better future for Belarus.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! The Russian shadow fleet is an urgent threat to the security and environment of the Baltic Sea. Last week, a huge tanker loaded with 100,000 tons of Russian oil with engine failure drove in the storm off the German coast. At the end of December, the Finnish authorities boarded the tanker Eagle S, which is now under investigation for destroying important cables for electricity transmission and internet between Finland and Estonia. The tanker loaded with Russian oil had major deficiencies in maritime safety. The boarding of Eagle S shows that countries around the Baltic Sea can intervene against these oil shipments that threaten the Baltic Sea environment, break sanctions and fund Russia's illegal war against Ukraine. We must act now, before there is a major accident. More boats need to be blacklisted. Ships passing through national waters must be inspected to ensure that they are safe and insured. The Russian shadow fleet must be stopped for the sake of the environment and for the sake of Ukraine.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Commissioner Schinas opened this debate by expressing his enthusiasm for the outcome in Cali. I don't share that enthusiasm. I believe that the result was disappointing and that, unfortunately, the European Union contributed to that disappointment. The necessary promised funding from the rich countries was not enough. Very many countries, including many EU countries, had not made the strategies and plans on which the work is based. At the start of the negotiations in Cali, the European Commission announced the postponement of legislation on deforestation, which is so important for both climate and biodiversity. It takes more than that if the EU is to be a driving force in trying to counter the serious crisis we have for biodiversity and the widespread global extinction of species. There were some good things happening in Cali, too. There, decisions were made on new forms to give indigenous peoples and local communities influence over politics. Very welcome, but for that we must thank the Colombian Presidency in particular, not the European Union.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. The climate crisis is aggravating rapidly. New temperature records are broken one after the other, and as temperatures increase, extreme storms such as the one that recently hit Valencia worsen. In the face of this, there is only one responsible thing to do and that is to act quickly. Rapidly to reduce emissions, and in Baku also to finance the necessary climate investments, the single most important task at COP 29 in Baku. It is crucial that the COP in Baku succeeds, but it is a mistake to schedule this climate summit in Azerbaijan. It is a corrupt, authoritarian oil state that oppresses the country's climate activists. We must also address this in Baku and I would like to mention in particular the case of Gubad Ibadoghlu, a brave man who has criticised the oil industry and stood up for human rights. Human rights and climate action should go hand in hand.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Through my kitchen window, I see the Baltic Sea, an ocean that already has major environmental problems. Beyond the horizon, the disaster threatens – the Russian shadow fleet. These are huge oil tankers. They're old, they're worn out. We have already seen several serious incidents. Many of the boats are uninsured or insufficiently insured. Many have unclear ownership. They usually violate sanctions against Russia. This is how Putin's war is financed. This must be stopped – for the sake of the environment and for the sake of Ukraine. Let us realise that the measures that have been taken have been inadequate. Russia is going around them. We must dare to take the step and deny access to the Baltic Sea for boats carrying out illegal traffic. We have to do that together.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. I would like to begin by thanking the Court of Auditors and its President, Tony Murphy, for their work. It's a sad read to read the annual report. The error rate is increasing, not least in the area of cohesion policy. But what stands out, what is particularly serious, is the criticism of the recovery fund RRF. Because there is no error rate here when you cannot track the payments. On the other hand, there are findings from the Court of Auditors that a significant green washing. What would have gone to climate investments goes to something else. whereas 233 cases have already been brought before the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO); We know this is just the beginning. In fact, there is very little link between the pandemic and the recovery fund. What we see before us is a kind of budget support for measures that would probably have been implemented anyway. At least to a large extent. The most serious thing here is that in the face of this very thorough and serious criticism, the European Commission is almost dismissive. The European Commission is shying away from criticism of the construction of the recovery fund, and instead it seems that consideration is being given to constructing future long-term budgets in a similar way. After these evaluations, after the devastating criticism of the RRF, all such plans should be put where they belong – in a trash can.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. Moldova faces crucial choices in the upcoming presidential elections and referendum on its relationship with the European Union. Faced with these choices, it is clear that Russia is aggressively and improperly trying to influence the choices that the Moldovan people should make. Media campaigns take place in Russian-language media and social media controlled by Russia spread pure inaccuracies and lies to influence voters. We see direct attempts to influence voters by giving them money. In the background are powerful oligarchs acting on Russia's behalf. In addition, Russia exerts significant influence over the so-called breakaway region of Transnistria. Our task is to support Moldova in having truly free and democratic elections. It is the Moldovans, not Russia, who will decide the future of the country. Transnistria is part of Moldova. The Russian troops should leave the country as soon as possible. Dialogue is needed to reconcile the different parts of Moldova. We acknowledge the great efforts of the Moldovan authorities to make it easy for Moldovans, also abroad and in Transnistria, to vote. Our job is to respect their choices. We support the joint resolution, but we lack clearer wording on the social conditions in Moldova, which are very difficult. Issues such as poverty, the minimum wage and social development must also be part of the discussion on moving closer to Europe. Moldova has made great efforts during Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and has taken in many refugees. A stable and democratic Moldova is important not only for the future of the country, but for the whole region.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your As a former car worker, I am concerned that Europe is lagging behind in the green transition. In China today, more electric cars are produced than fossil cars, and they are cheaper than the old cars. In the United States, generous tax rebates are given to those who buy an electric car, and the policy works. The EU, on the other hand, has an old-fashioned dogmatic ban on this type of state aid – in practice, a ban on an active industrial policy that speeds up the transition and allows us to impose demands on companies. That is what we need, together with another electricity market that leads to reduced electricity prices. That's how we can compete. The European automotive industry will not be able to cope with the jobs of the future with yesterday's technology. The technological and climate transition is an absolute necessity. What is lacking is the possibility of pursuing an active industrial policy in order to cope with it.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your The subject of the discussion is the Hungarian national card. Another provocation from Viktor Orbán. Another proof that Hungary would never have been allowed to become President of the EU Council of Ministers. Hungary facilitates the entry and residence of Belarusian and Russian citizens into the European Union. At the same time, Russia’s horrific and illegal invasion of Ukraine is taking place in full force. We know, it is well established, that Russia has engaged in extensive espionage in a number of EU countries and that there are concrete risks of sabotage. whereas Russia is fuelling destabilisation campaigns, political conflicts and spreading lies; As a result, several EU countries have chosen to expel a large number of Russian diplomats, for good reason. Hungary has not done that. Instead, they open the back door into the European Union. In addition to the outright inadequacy of this, it also threatens free movement within the Schengen area. This inevitably leads to a discussion on freezing the Schengen Agreement for Hungary. Viktor Orbán is increasingly appearing as Putin's Trojan horse in the European Union. He is delaying support for Ukraine, continuing to import gas to finance the Russian war of aggression. He visits the war criminal on the spot in Moscow when the war criminal should be in prison. At the same time, we see how the rule of law has been eroded in Hungary. It no longer meets the requirements of a well-functioning democracy. Madam President, I would like to thank you for your It is time to use the tools contained in Article 7. Time to freeze all financial aid to Hungary. Time to suspend Hungary's voting rights in the Council of Ministers and put pressure on the country. Enough of the provocations. Orban has made it part of his political repertoire, saying economic migrants threaten security. It's usually been wrong, but now it's right. These economic migrants are threatening the security of the EU.