What Ana spoke about.

13

Mar

2023

Speeches ES

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Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

Madam President, I would like to begin my speech by calling for the diplomatic immunity of MEPs to be respected and for there to be no interference by third States in the performance of their duties. On 20 February he was part of the official mission of the Delegation for relations with Palestine of the European Parliament and was authorised to enter by the Government of Israel. My surprise was that when I arrived at the Tel Aviv airport they asked me to enter, they had me for several hours without information and, finally, they expelled me, as the president knows. It is unacceptable, disproportionate and unjustified: a diplomatic and institutional affront. Not to me, as a Galician MEP, to the European Parliament. Israel has not humiliated me, it has humiliated the European Parliament, and this cannot be condoned. Enough with Israel's impunity, which even decides who should enter Palestine. Madam President, it is imperative that we Members of the European Parliament are free to carry out our work when we participate in official delegations. We cannot allow other States to interfere in our international relations. The European Parliament must defend the members who defend human rights and not the corrupt who walk freely around the world. Madam President, I would like to thank you for your efforts and your solidarity.

15

Feb

2023

Speeches PT

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European Central Bank - annual report 2022 (debate)

Madam President, President Lagarde, the increase in the interest rate of the European Central Bank last year and in the course of this year is a fraud, a real scandal. This increase, translated into street language, can reach 300 euros per month more in the mortgages of families that, like Galicians, have fewer and fewer resources. The ECB manufactures poverty by promoting policies that favour the interests of big capital and run counter to social majorities. The ECB manufactures poor people, families who can hardly afford to pay the mortgage or who are left without a home or work, or with precarious work. Rescue banks and leave abandoned people like mine. Have some social sensitivity to what people are suffering from. The ECB is responsible for impoverishing policies and austerity, for policies that increase public debt in the EU to save private banks, such as Spanish banks, which won the past year more than ever. Against this injustice, we advocate a bank-funded bailout to help those affected by the interest rate hike. Stop making poor people, Mrs. Lagarde! Stop making poor people!

13

Feb

2023

Speeches PT

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, Galicia's natural connection with Portugal, and therefore with Europe, is hampered by a lack of support and investment. Many words and promises, but we remain periphery because of the political will of the State, Europe and inefficient governments, as recently seen at the meeting of the presidents of Galicia, Asturias and Castile and León or in the few investments of the Spanish State, by creating coordinators for the Atlantic Corridor with false promises. Time passes, one decade and another, and the Vigo-Porto rail connection continues without being on the core network of the Atlantic Corridor of Goods. For now, it is only a priority for the Portuguese government. For us, it remains a historical demand of Galicians and Galicians as a structuring development of the Atlantic axis, as a bridge with Portugal and Europe, as a source of territorial and economic development. After much pressure, here in Galicia and also in the European Parliament, the European Commission has proposed that the Vigo-Porto section be part of the extended core network. But that's not enough. We must be treated equally. (The President took the floor from the speaker.)

13

Feb

2023

Speeches ES

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Following up on measures requested by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of European institutions (debate)

Madam President, in December, in the face of the current money-grabbing scandals, Parliament decided to set up a committee of inquiry into cases of corruption by third countries and MEPs, as well as a transparency committee, for Qatari interest representatives not to accede to Parliament and a call for an EU-wide ban on donations from third countries to MEPs and political parties. We debated again in mid-January, but no decisive action was taken. At the end of January, 30 MEPs wrote to President Metsola calling for speed and action by the European Parliament and conveying that this corruption scandal was not limited to Qatar alone. There are increasing indications that Morocco would have acted in the same way, interfering in the democratic process of the European Parliament, after payment to MEPs, which shows that Morocco is also involved with MEPs in a corruption network organized for years to influence European decisions. Several Members of Parliament are being attacked in the networks for denouncing this. Even last Thursday, the Moroccan House of Representatives dedicated a session to us with names and surnames, pointing the finger at several MEPs who denounce this interference and questioning the European Parliament. Integrity is a value that has been lacking here and it is time to recover it with firm and forceful measures that put an end to corrupt practices, those inside and outside.

13

Feb

2023

Speeches PT

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

Madam President, we mourn for the lives lost. Our solidarity with the families of the dead and the wounded. All help is little in the face of so much misery and broken and missing lives. Refuge, drinking water, food, blankets. Yes, Commissioner, the EU's response was swift. Now, the priority is to organise shelters in the affected areas and more humanitarian aid. Because what is unacceptable is that Erdogan is hampering humanitarian support tasks by maintaining the state of emergency against the Kurds and the crackdown that blocks roads, the press and social media. Let us support the Turkish, Kurdish and Syrian peoples. Humanity first!

1

Feb

2023

Speeches PT

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, in Galicia, where I come from, more than 7600 girls and boys lack a pediatrician. In 194 municipalities there is no pediatrics service. There is a tendency towards centralization that leaves part of the territory without services. In addition, the situation continues to worsen as more than 25% of active paediatricians are over 63 years old. Paediatric care is an essential service to ensure the quality of medical care for children and adolescents in need of specialized care. The deterioration of public health in the Spanish State is a fact. Health expenditure in relation to Gross Domestic Product is below the European Union average and in Galicia the situation is worse. There are protests for the basic right of our girls and boys to be treated equally to other places in Europe and to have a pediatrician in every municipality.

18

Jan

2023

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Small-scale fisheries situation in the EU and future perspectives (debate)

Madam President, I welcome Mr Pimenta's work on his report. My country, Galicia, is a maritime people, where women and men work in small-scale fishing and shellfishing, shellfishing, and in the cultivation of mussels, which feeds many families, has low environmental impact, uses sustainable fishing gear and respects the biological cycles of different species. With these characteristics, small-scale fishing, despite its size and importance, is the least supported segment, receiving the lowest share of European funds. We cannot allow the EU to endanger this important and job-creating sector that guarantees fish supplies. The future of small-scale, coastal and artisanal fisheries depends not only on sustainable and long-term measures, but also on immediate, significant and public measures. The future of small-scale fishing requires recognising its nature in the future CFP and excluding it from the fishing rates and quotas that Brussels decides, and also having a stronger voice in Europe.

18

Jan

2023

Speeches FR

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Situation of journalists in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi

Madam President, Morocco is experiencing an unprecedented regression. I denounce the undermining of press freedom in Morocco and we call for the release of Mr Omar Radi, Moroccan journalists, Nasser Zefzafi, political prisoners from the Rif and political prisoners from Western Sahara. We denounce the constitution of the intimidating discourse, the torture and the lack of guarantees of the prisoners. There is no freedom of the press in Morocco. In recent months, Morocco’s secret services have arrested journalists, bloggers, rappers and social media users in response to the crackdown on dissent and free opinion in the press. I express my full solidarity and support to the Support Committee and human rights associations in Morocco, as well as to the Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero. The style of Morocco’s dictatorial regime is corruption, espionage, interference and intimidation of free voices, tactics that touch Europe at its heart. Freedom for petitioners. Freedom for journalists. End of impunity in Morocco.

18

Jan

2023

Speeches PT

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The storming of the Brazilian democratic institutions

Mr President, Brazil took to the streets to defend democracy in the face of very serious events never seen before in Brazil's history. The coup movement tried to illegally reverse the outcome of the last presidential election, which gave the victory to President Lula da Silva. Supporters of former President Bolsonaro invaded and deprecated the buildings of the three powers in Brasilia, in an unprecedented attack on Brazilian democracy. The exercise of democratic rights and freedoms must take place with respect to democratically elected institutions. As President Lula said, political differences cannot justify criminal acts or question the results of democratic elections. Since the European Parliament, I want to reiterate the confidence in Brazil's democracy, in the strength of its people, who will prevail against violence, fascism and the extreme right, which does so much damage to coexistence and peace in the world. Democracy has returned to Brazil. President Lula said yesterday: Brazil is tired of a lot of sadness, a lot of hatred and a lot of anger. Lula the president, and we with Lula.

17

Jan

2023

Speeches ES

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New developments in allegations of corruption and foreign interference, including those related to Morocco, and the need to increase transparency, integrity and accountability in the European institutions (debate)

Madam President, this weekend I was in the Saharawi refugee camps, at the XVI Congress of the Polisario Front, in that inhospitable place where the shame of Morocco's geopolitics, with the consent of other European powers, has left the Saharawi people in very harsh living conditions. The illegal occupation of Western Sahara by the occupying power, Morocco, a systematic breach of United Nations resolutions, causes Morocco to also act in the European institutions to avoid any debate on Western Sahara. We have seen this in the European Parliament's Committees on Fisheries, on Agriculture and Rural Development, and on International Trade. This explains their behavior: the creation of corruption networks protected by ambitious MEPs who want to have perks, holidays and influence of power. He comes to the European Parliament to try to influence by buying wills and here he has accomplices. This is denouncing and this House has to get to the bottom of this scandal with a special committee of inquiry. The Moroccogate is the scandal that starts this network of corruption, not the Qatargate. Of course, many of us will not be silenced, because Morocco cannot continue to have this impunity in the European Parliament or in the other European institutions. He is guilty of illegal occupation, murder, torture, repression and violation of freedom of expression.

16

Jan

2023

Speeches PT

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, many Galician families tighten their belts because of rising prices and credits. More than two hundred thousand mortgaged families who, in July, see Mrs. Lagarde raise Euribor rates. The European Central Bank has never had pity, now raising the interest rates that impact the portfolio of the peoples at high speed. After years firmly anchored below zero, and after reaching record lows, Euribor interest rates began in January a steep rise path that is unfair and antisocial. An average of EUR 200 per month further drowns households, while banks increase earnings. The rescued banks, the abandoned families. A mortgage redemption fund is needed for people on low incomes, who spend more than 30% to pay off the credit of their habitual residence. A fund that must be negotiated with the banks, because it is they who must contribute 75 % of the funding.

14

Dec

2022

Speeches PT

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Tackle the cost of living crisis: increase pay, tax profits, stop speculation (topical debate)

Madam President, consecutive increases in consumer prices, particularly in products such as fuel and food, are contributing to an increase in the rate of inflation. You know the Commissioner, how much do eggs, potatoes, milk, fish, meat and light cost? Essential goods are a luxury for many families, for large families, for single parents, for students, for people on low incomes. We are in a social emergency. Workers earn less and live worse, wages do not rise. Self-employed and producers? Overloaded. Vulnerable households? Overloaded. And the Commission wants to return to austerity. In my country, Galicia, poverty has increased. The price crisis is having an unprecedented impact on the lower classes, aggravated by dependence on the productive, fisheries and agricultural sectors and aggravated by a lack of government support. This is again a major fraud against the population. The rich are getting richer and the multinationals are getting richer. This has to end, because a lot of people are on the way. Now the Commission should lower the types of interest. We need structural changes in the economy. Whoever has more should pay more. On Sunday, in the streets of Santiago de Compostela, the demonstration for the price crisis will again say that we need alternatives.

13

Dec

2022

Speeches ES

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Turkish airstrikes on northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (debate)

Mr. President, where is Mr. Borrell? He should be pushing Turkey to stop its attacks. It should make clear that they do not credit Turkey's narrative about safe zones and security threats from the Rojava autonomous administration and that the Turkish attacks are completely unjustified. It should be supporting Rojava to implement an internationally protected no-fly zone. It should be actively working to promote the renewal of peace negotiations. Because Turkey carries three invasions in northern Syria, two of which resulted in the occupation of areas formerly occupied by Rojava. With the Turkish invasion and occupation these areas ceased to be safe places, where different communities lived together in harmony and women could participate fully in society, to become now one of the most violent places on the planet. We have forgotten the struggle of the Kurdish people against ISIS. We've forgotten so many things. What is happening cannot be justified, because the Kurdish people have fought against ISIS and this region is once again becoming a threatened and violent area.

13

Dec

2022

Speeches PT

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Prospects for the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine (debate)

Sir, President. To demolish apartheid, not the houses and schools of Palestine. To demolish Israeli apartheid in occupied Palestine. This cruel system of domination is a crime against humanity. Two states are needed to put an end to the denial of the fundamental rights of Palestinians, who face very difficult living conditions. In order for there to be two states, the human rights of the Palestinians must be recognized and laws of a segregationist nature, as well as Israel's geographical hegemony, must be repealed. Any peace dialogue must be accompanied by an end to settlement expansion. Europe must not be complicit, it must condition policies of cooperation to put an end to these crimes. All solidarity with Palestine.

13

Dec

2022

Speeches ES

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Suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (debate) (debate)

Mr. President, what a scandal! You can't do business with politics. But who do some MEPs think they are? Gods? We are representatives of our peoples, not sellers of votes or influences. Ethics, responsibility, integrity at work and, above all, transparency must be the way to exercise our mandate. Our political group denounced corruption practices many times. He denounced that we were being harassed by many lobbies. And the big groups did nothing. There are foreign interferences such as those of Qatar, Morocco, Israel or Turkey. This is nothing new, ladies and gentlemen. We already demand a commission of inquiry and zero tolerance against corruption. By the way, I am very surprised that the Spanish People's Party is not present in the House today. I'm very surprised. M. Rajoy.

23

Nov

2022

Speeches ES

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

Mr President, how much cynicism and, above all, how much hypocrisy in this House. When I left, in 2019, I thought something had improved, and three years later we were still the same or maybe worse. There is no European disembarkation protocol, there are no legal and safe routes, NGOs continue to be criminalised and, above all, the criterion of the first port of disembarkation has not been removed. That's totally immoral. I've been lucky enough to have been on a rescue ship. And I say luck, because I've seen tragedy on the front line. I've seen Libya's coast guard deter the ship Open Arms when we were wandering for ten days, until the Spanish state gave the authorization to enter the port of Barcelona after being denied in the ports of Malta and in the ports of Italy, with a populist government in Italy, and even more populist is that of now. Therefore, these speeches by these people on the far right are immoral and we have to put it that way, Commissioner. Both the Commission and the Council cannot be allowed to fail in this new attempt and to continue to criminalise those who save lives, work that is decent and deserves our respect.

22

Nov

2022

Speeches ES

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Promoting regional stability and security in the broader Middle East region (debate)

Madam President, first of all, I would like to congratulate the rapporteur, despite criticism from the far right in this House, which is not present, by the way. They come, they listen, they let go of their roll and then they do not stay when it is necessary to stay out of respect for the debates and all the ideologies present here. So, first of all, we value positively strengthening multilateralism in the region and stability. But while we're talking here, there's something going on. Turkey is bombing Rojava, it is bombing civilians who have fought ISIS terrorism. While we are here, rights are being violated in Palestine. I know this well because I was kidnapped by Israel in the international flotilla. Ladies and gentlemen of the EPP who have just spoken: Israel is not a rule of law. Israel is a state that engages in illegal occupation. We therefore need - and I am writing to the Commission - democratic clauses in the agreements and full respect for human rights. Human rights continue to be violated in the region, violated in Yemen, violated in Palestine, violated in the Gulf. We need clear democratic clauses in these agreements. Otherwise, they won't have our agreement.

22

Nov

2022

Speeches EN

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EU response to the increasing crackdown on protests in Iran (debate)

Madam President, all my support is with the bravery of Iranian women. Protests in Iran and around the world are fuelled by the murder of Kurdish Mahsa Amini, by the murder of children, by opening fire against civilians. No woman should be murdered for what she wears. Women, life, freedom! Control over women’s clothing is an oppression of choice and a form of asserting power over women’s bodies. The same patriarchy and autocratic forces are repressing women in all the world. Ten days ago, I contacted Mr Borrell about the situation of Ana Baneira, a Galician activist arrested at a protest in Iran. Mr Borrell, can you tell me something about this person, about this Galician woman?

21

Nov

2022

Speeches PT

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, fighting depopulation, strengthening the economy of the northwest peninsular, improving infrastructure are some of the measures that we have taken years to defend for Galicia on the part of my political party, the Galician Nationalist Bloc: include Galicia in the Trans-European Transport Network European Corridor. But not only does this claim of Galicia exist: Castile-Leon and Portugal also claim this and consider it a strategic infrastructure for the development of the territories. But we must avoid confusing and manipulating with sterile controversies. Pressure through the Atlantic corridor is not incompatible with the Mediterranean corridor and vice versa. They should be treated as two complementary strategic projects of the Spanish State for Europe. Trying to eliminate one at the expense of the other is nothing more than defending the discrimination of territories, in this case the peninsular northwest. Equal treatment between the Atlantic Corridor and the Mediterranean implies an increase in investments in the Atlantic Corridor.

21

Nov

2022

Speeches ES

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Situation of human rights in the context of the FIFA world cup in Qatar (debate)

Madam President, goal. FIFA has scored a goal, the goal of money and the goal of corruption. Who cares about the lives of working migrants, women or LGBTI people in Qatar? Of course, FIFA doesn't care. We do care. That is why, last week, the Human Rights Commission organized a hearing with a Qatari minister and several NGOs who came on purpose to talk about the very serious situation, Commissioner. Sport is more than money. We do not like to have relations with a slave, homophobic and macho country. We care about those lives. That is why I support the "Boycott Qatar" campaign, such as this photograph that is being promoted by many groups, including athletes, including football players who defend human rights. Turn off the TV, turn off the TV during the World Cup. Boycott the Qatar World Cup.

10

Nov

2022

Speeches PT

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Racial justice, non-discrimination and anti-racism in the EU (debate)

Mr President, the resolution on the rise of neo-fascism, neo-fascist violence in Europe has warned that several European parties are openly fascist and xenophobic, inciting hatred and violence in European society, such as the far right of this Parliament that we have just heard. To be racist is to be a coward. Lula, the President-elect of Brazil, says that racism is a disease and that, as president, he would fight racism; It is important to have anti-racist speeches in politics. Racism kills, abuses, blames others, pays less for equal work, uses and abuses, discriminates, uses and mistreats the institutional. Racism is a European problem. In Spain, one in four young people admit to racist behaviour in networks. Educating to combat racism is our duty.

9

Nov

2022

Speeches PT

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, I want to send all the support to the workers of the Galician Platform of the Service for Attention to Addiction and Home Care in my country, the SAD, which has been speaking last week in different Galician villages about a collective agreement that goes against their interests. They call for a fair, dignified arrangement that does not make this sector even more precarious. A feminised sector, low-paid work, a key sector in the pandemic. A help sector that has become a business, a job that does not have recognized occupational diseases, in which people are treated like machines and not as essential workers for people who need habitual help. These workers in this Parliament have denounced their cause, calling for fair working conditions. These resolutions of the European Parliament warn of the increase in poverty of these workers and call for an end to their situation, reported on several occasions/actions by the workers of the Home Care Service. We are with you, SAD workers.

9

Nov

2022

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Order of business

Madam President, I would like to remind you that this Sunday marks 20 years since the sinking of the Prestige oil tanker on the Galician coast. The oil spill produced by the rupture of the hull and the negligent management of the government produced a catastrophe with environmental, economic and social damage. The European Parliament has spoken, calling for greater maritime safety in the temporary committee that has been set up here. I remember this tragic event for Europe.

20

Oct

2022

Speeches ES

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Commission implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 of 15 September 2022 determining the existing deep-sea fishing areas and establishing a list of areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known to occur or are likely to occur (debate)

Madam President, these days Regino and his partners, Burela's shipowners of the skewer fleet affected by the Commission's decision, wrote to me, which do not explain how no arguments were presented before to be excluded from this decision. The impact of this measure on more than a thousand ships – four thousand crew – and the impact on the auction halls of my country, Galicia, with the potential loss of sales: It's a mess. With this veto on Galician fishing, hundreds of crew members will lose their jobs and part of their salaries, not only in bottom fishing gear, such as the longline fleet of the Great Sun or the trawl fleet of the northwest Cantabrian Sea, but also in small-scale fishing gear, with 2 100 affected in this fleet segment. They are seafaring people and regions affected by a disproportionate and unfair decision. This veto deserves an urgent suspension: the urgency of bringing an action in Luxembourg. Commissioner, pass it on to the Commissioner, who we have not yet seen, and it is a shame that we have not seen him yet. And there are two problems. The first: The European Commission does not care about fishing. The second: the environmental and economic problem. From the political organization in which I am a member – the BNG – we will always be in favour of preserving environmental resources and biodiversity. But that too has been violated here. The environment, available resources and fishing capacities have been violated, as the social impact has not been taken into account, updated data have not been available, the distinction between towed, bottom, mesh and longline gears has not been made. The Galician fleet has suffered many scraps. There is going to be overfishing and that is going to cause an environmental imbalance. And from here we will always vote against the veto, as we did in 2016.

19

Oct

2022

Speeches PT

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Fighting sexualised violence - The importance of the Istanbul Convention and a comprehensive proposal for a directive against gender-based violence (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I belong to a feminist party and we therefore want to pave the way for ratifying the Istanbul Convention and welcome the proposal for a directive. In my country, one in four women who suffer from sexist violence is smaller. We need trials of violence, economic, social and labor aid for the victims. I am proud because my party has promoted in the Galician parliament the law of vicarious violence or among couples in which men accuse women through their children. I'm very proud. The far right denies gender-based violence. Aren't you embarrassed, ladies and gentlemen of the far right? We have already said this in this Parliament in 2018 in the resolution on advancing neo-fascism in Europe. Neo-fascism is full of denialists of gender-based violence.