What Matjaž spoke about.

17 Oct

2023

SL Speech

Schengen area: digitalisation of the visa procedure - Schengen area: amending the Visa Sticker Regulation (Joint debate – Schengen area)

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Madam President! Dear Commissioner, Honourable Colleagues. Thanks for the encouraging words and all the comments. The debate has shown how important the topic we are talking about today. With the final step in the European Parliament, tomorrow with the vote, we are completing the project of digitalising European visas. Ministers in the Council will then have to vote on the agreement. Finally, let …

17 Oct

2023

SL Speech

Schengen area: digitalisation of the visa procedure - Schengen area: amending the Visa Sticker Regulation (Joint debate – Schengen area)

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Mr. President! Dear Commissioner, Honourable Presidency, Colleagues. Today is the end of a positive story. And in these difficult times for the world and for humanity, such stories are especially welcome. Since the Commission proposal, we have been able to negotiate an agreement with the Swedish Presidency in just over a year. Both in terms of content and speed, I think we've done a great job. Dig…

4 Oct

2023

SL Speech

Egypt, in particular the sentencing of Hisham Kassem

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Mr President-in-Office! Dear friends, dear friends, dear friends! Egypt has been moving far away from democracy in recent years, and we must not turn a blind eye to the serious violations of human rights and the demolition of democratic standards by President al-Sisi. Instead of focusing on the difficult economic and social situation of the people and on rising inflation and public debt, the presi…

4 Oct

2023

SL Speech

Decent Housing for All (topical debate)

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Madam President, Honourable Commissioner Schmit, Honourable High Assembly! The European Union is facing a housing crisis. The gap between income and housing costs, not least the cost of living, has been widening for decades. This gap has been exacerbated by inflation, rising interest rates and rising demand. Data show that over the last decade, the average rent for a dwelling in the Union has incr…

4 Oct

2023

SL Speech

Need for a speedy adoption of the asylum and migration package (debate)

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Mr President, Honourable High Council! The number of migrants arriving on European soil is increasing again. We are also recording more border arrivals in my Slovenia. But the situation is serious, respected, in the Mediterranean, in Lampedusa, as well as in the Canary Islands. Just yesterday we marked the tenth anniversary of one of the greatest shipwrecks and tragedies of this kind on our soil. …

3 Oct

2023

SL Speech

Recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo (debate)

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Mr President, honourable high selection, honourable Commissioner Lenarčič. The fact is that relations between Serbia and Kosovo have been extremely tense for years. In the past, however, there have been some minor moves towards dialogue, still quite far from a comprehensive, legally binding agreement on the normalisation of relations between the two countries. Nowadays, perhaps for the longest tim…

12 Sep

2023

SL Speech

EU-Tunisia Agreement - aspects related to external migration policy (debate)

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Mr President. The situation in Tunisia is still very difficult. We have been calling attention to the disintegration of democracy for many years. We also draw attention to the prosecution of journalists, critics, judges, trade unionists and civil society and, of course, we demand their release. People find themselves in a very difficult social and economic situation. Many people find it increasing…

12 Sep

2023

SL Speech

Towards a more disaster-resilient EU - protecting people from extreme heatwaves, floods and forest fires (debate)

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Mr President. It didn't hurt this summer either. The catastrophes in Europe followed each other. Climate change is already here and is taking its toll every day. Slovenia has been affected by terrible centuries of flooding. More than two-thirds of Slovenia's territory has been affected by the worst natural disaster to date. Six people lost their lives. The damage could reach €7 billion. On behalf …

11 Jul

2023

SL Speech

2022 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (debate)

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Dear Sir/Madam, At the beginning of your address, allow me to convey a message of sympathy to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 28 years ago, more than 8,000 lives were violently taken away. The tragedy of Srebrenica is not only yours, it is also ours. It is a tragedy of humanity that calls for responsibility – never again. So, Honourable High Council, Honourable Commissioner Varhelyi. Some pr…

11 Jul

2023

SL Speech

Relations with the Palestinian Authority (debate)

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Dear High Council! Palestine has been plagued by severe violence for decades. Gaza is still the largest open-air prison. The third generation of Palestinians does not know peace. In recent days, we have again witnessed one of the largest Israeli military operations in the West Bank, where 12 people were killed. Any violence and any expansion of illegal settlements further threatens the establishme…

10 May

2023

SL Speech

Media freedom and freedom of expression in Algeria, the case of journalist Ihsane El-Kadi

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Mr President, honourable High Council, dear colleagues. In the European Parliament, we stand firmly on the side of media freedom. We will always stand firm for the right to freedom of expression. These are fundamental European values for which, unfortunately, journalists in Europe have already paid their lives. So I stand on the side of freedom, no matter where it is threatened or restricted – whe…

9 May

2023

SL Speech

Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – EU accession: institutions and public administration of the Union - Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - EU accession: judicial cooperation in criminal matters, asylum and non-refoulement (debate)

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Madam President. Dear High Council, it is a great honour to stand before you again today on such an important subject. It is an honour for me to stand here today at such a historic turning point, when the Union stands against the victims of gender-based violence, when the European Parliament stands in defence of women. Today we confirm the historic decision – the accession of the European Union to…

18 Apr

2023

SL Speech

The need for European solidarity in saving lives in the Mediterranean, in particular in Italy (debate)

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Mr President-in-Office! The Mediterranean Sea is becoming the largest mass grave. This year's first quarter was the deadliest since 2017. The situation in North Africa is extremely tense, especially in the Maghreb countries. Many of the world's hotspots and food gems are further exacerbating people's plight. Saving lives at sea is a fundamental obligation of international law. Any delay or obstruc…

15 Mar

2023

EN Speech

Tunisia: Recent attacks against freedom of expression and association and trade unions, in particular the case of journalist Noureddine Boutar

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Mr President, my message today goes first to the good people of Tunisia. The European Parliament is with you. The situation in the country is extremely worrying. President Saied has been self-ruling since 2021 and has dismissed practically all levels of government. People have lost their trust in the institutions. The extremely low turnout of the recent elections is a symptom of that. Crackdown on…

14 Mar

2023

EN Speech

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Strengthening the Trans-Atlantic ties in an ever challenging multilateral world

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Yes.

14 Mar

2023

EN Speech

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Strengthening the Trans-Atlantic ties in an ever challenging multilateral world

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Actually in Slovenian it was quite concise. What could the EEAS do in the next future to push forward the ambitions of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the European path?

14 Mar

2023

SL Speech

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Strengthening the Trans-Atlantic ties in an ever challenging multilateral world

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Mr President, honourable High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy! My question will relate to Bosnia and Herzegovina's remarkable progress towards the European Union. The status of Bosnia and Herzegovina today can be equated with that of Ukraine, thanks to you, to personal credit, to this European Parliament, and also to my country, the Republic of Slovenia, which h…

14 Mar

2023

SL Speech

Adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion (debate)

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Mr. President! The energy crisis and the costly situation we are facing in Slovenia has greatly accelerated social hardship and inequality. The terrible consequences are reflected in increased social exclusion. As many as 95 million Europeans were at risk of poverty in 2021. These numbers increased last year. This means that as many as one-fifth of our citizens struggle to make it through the mont…

14 Feb

2023

SL Speech

Response to the situation in Tunisia (debate)

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Mr. President! Dear, good evening. As my predecessor has already said, democracy has been under great pressure in Tunisia for more than a decade. The recent elections have not strengthened confidence in democracy and institutions, but have further shaken it. We in the Socialists and Democrats Group are very concerned about the extremely low turnout and also about the extremely low representation o…

14 Feb

2023

SL Speech

Question Time (Commission) - Strengthened EU enlargement policy to the Western Balkans

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Thank you very much for the word. Dear Commissioner! You are aware of the efforts of MEPs to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership of the European Union. I myself was one of the most exposed MEPs in this process. In its latest enlargement package, the European Commission announced the launch of a high-level political forum with Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the agreement o…

13 Feb

2023

SL Speech

EU response to the humanitarian situation following the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria (debate)

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Dear Sir/Madam, The earthquake in Turkey and Syria has turned into a disaster of the century. The area affected is so large that it could extend from Amsterdam to Paris. It really is about human hardship. Rapid assistance, which also reaches those affected quickly, is therefore crucial. For many, this is the line between life and death. The rapid reaction of all Member States and, of course, the E…

18 Jan

2023

SL Speech

Revelations of Uber lobbying practices in the EU (debate)

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Mr President. Dear Sir/Madam, In its desire for aggressive global expansion, Uber has far surpassed established lobbying practices. The method is supposed to involve contempt for the law, deception of the police. Uber also allegedly exploited violence against drivers and secretly lobbied governments. Employees should be aware that their business model is illegal in many countries. The hunters of t…

14 Dec

2022

SL Speech

The Commission’s reports on the situation of journalists and the implications of the rule of law (debate)

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Madam President! Dear High Council! Media freedom in Europe and beyond is increasingly under threat and poses a direct threat to our democracy. The media landscape in the Union is under increasing pressure due to politically oriented public funding, revenue-decreasing digitalisation and foreign interference attempts. Among other things, the European Union is not a safe zone for journalists and res…

13 Dec

2022

SL Speech

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob (debate)

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Madam President-in-Office, honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Robert Golob, honourable fellow citizen, welcome to Strasbourg, welcome to the European Parliament and welcome among us. It's nice to hear the Spanish voice here. Thank you for your great commitment to granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as possible. I believe that the efforts of Slovenian …

23 Nov

2022

SL Speech

The need for a European solution on asylum and migration including search and rescue (debate)

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Mr President. Allow me to make my message clear and loud. As has already been said today, over 25 000 people have died in the Mediterranean since 2014, of which 2 000 this year alone. Saving lives is not a crime. This is where our humanity begins and ends. Europe can no longer turn a blind eye to this challenge. The admission of unfortunate migrants to the safe harbour cannot depend on the respect…