Speeches

Mr President, access to medicines in crises is the lifeblood of the Member States. It has to be certain - hopefully not. The EU is currently pushing for better supply chains for medicines, but there is still work to be done. The beginning of the corona era revealed our weaknesses. The tools needed were in China and the Europeans in panic. The same must not happen again. As with many other things, European factories are the answer. A strong and independent pharmaceutical industry that does not drift east or west. Europe must not be a continent that always waits for help when it is in a bad place. If anything, it's a weakness. And remember, right now is the moment of action. If action is taken as the next crisis unfolds, then it will be too late.

Mr President, one in three women report having experienced physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months. This should be a wake-up call. It begs the question: why have our streets become so unsafe for women? The Finnish police recently published statistics on sex crime rates by nationality. The results are revealing. Compared to Finnish nationals, the rates of sexual offences committed are six times higher for Somalis; ten times higher for Iraqis; 12 times higher for Afghans and Congolese; and as much as 15 times higher for Syrians. Absolutely shocking numbers. Colleagues, let us stand up for our daughters, sisters and wives. Let us make our streets safe again – let's protect our borders from the type of immigration that is harmful.

Mr President, 'many cakes are beautiful' is a Finnish proverb. The European Social Fund Plus is just such a cake. The stated aim of the fund is, among other things, to integrate foreign people into our labour market and to promote gender equality. But these can be decided better nationally, because the situation in each society is different. Through the EU, this effort costs taxpayers around EUR 20 billion per year. What have we accomplished with this kind of money? Has anyone outside this building even heard of the existence of such a fund? So when the current Multiannual Financial Framework comes to an end and I am asked what I think is the best possible future for this Social Fund, the answer is very simple: Money for defense.

Madam President, this proposed investment package is a crucial step for Moldova's EU integration. However, Moldova still faces major challenges like poverty and inequality, requiring real development beyond financial figures. These are challenges we must not forget. Yet their greatest threat is Russia. The terrorist state does not only focus on Ukraine. No. They are trying their best to destabilise Moldova, an EU candidate country. This is why our job is to ensure that not a single cent of this facility benefits those who seek to undermine Moldova's sovereignty. While the facility is a positive step, the ultimate goal is to ensure long-term stability and prosperity in the region. Moldova's future lies in Europe, where democracy and security prevail.

Madam President, companies are the backbone of the European economy. However, Brussels has been shutting off the engine of Europe by being the champion of overregulating. These new Omnibus proposals cut regulation and limit sustainability reporting to major corporations. A small step forward, but nowhere near enough. The real obstacle remains massive climate regulation compared to our competitors. Let's face it, too strict policies are killing our competitiveness and putting jobs at risk. What Europe needs is not endless directives from Brussels, but policies that will give Europe the chance to win. It is time to break the chains of too strict climate regulation, let businesses thrive and restore Europe to the top of the global economy.

Madam President, 1 300 km. Imagine that your country would guard the longest EU border against a country that is attacking in Europe. A border that is as long as it is from Tallinn to Vienna. That's what Finland is doing for the security of whole Europe, and with an economy of a population of just 5.5 million people. Let's face it: for Europe, Russia is the single biggest threat. The EU regions bordering Russia are on the front lines. This is not about cohesion. Keeping these regions inhabited and armed is crucial for our security. The border regions need to have infrastructure to ensure military mobility and border protection capabilities. I urge the Commission to create a special instrument to support these regions that are guarding the whole Europe for us.

Mr President, what is the EU's competitiveness? Well, bad for it. Highly ambitious climate obligations and the EU regulatory tsunami have been driving Europe to the edge of the bog and beyond. The U.S. and China are spending, but what should Europe do in this situation? Well, the salons of this house have even pondered whether GDP, known as the most common measure of the economy, is no longer a viable measure. In this way, the paint poles will be shifted when it becomes clear that the green dreams did not bring the promised massive economic growth. The next solution is to stop looking at GDP figures. Is it time to go back to reality? Europe needs the vibrant traditional industry that has been our strength in the past, and that will also bring about the traditional economic growth that we will be able to cope with, for example, China.

Madam President, when we were voting on this Commission, I warned you – I warned that you could not act surprised when the new Commission comes out proposing something that will not make Europe great again. Now we have the Commission Work Programme. The Commission also must have heard the screaming demands to start deregulating here in the EU. But in this Work Programme, the Commission refuses to even use that term. The EU has been a heavyweight regulator for years, but now the Commission agrees only to talk about simplification. Isn't it quite hilarious that yesterday, when the Commission published their programme with mentions of simplification, on the very same day new EU regulation came into effect regulating what kind of plastic bags people in the EU countries are allowed to use and on what occasions. Dear Commission, you still have a long way to go.

Madam President, Serbia is facing yet another crisis and not without reason. After the tragic collapse of railway station structures causing several deaths, we have witnessed a strong movement against corruption in Serbia. Following massive student-led protests, the Prime Minister eventually resigned himself. A political crisis can sometimes act as a turning point for countries. It seems that Serbia's youth is not satisfied with their country's path filled with corruption, breaches of rule of law and disgraceful Russia sympathies. Serbia is a country that has been an EU candidate for 13 years already, a candidate that we all know is far from EU membership. I sincerely hope that the strong voice of the youth will change the course of Serbia for a better future.

Mr President, the EU's Middle East strategy is doomed if it follows once again the failed path of endless spending of taxpayers' money and weak diplomacy. We must learn from President Trump: his strong ultimatums immediately brought swift results in the region. Hamas doesn't listen to soft EU diplomacy talk, we need to be tougher. Also, money-wise, why should we waste billions of euros on another continent when we have major crises on our own continent? We face growing crime, illegal migration and economic decline, yet we have poured massive amounts of money into an area that is filled with radical Islam. You could say Europe has been stupid. The EU must prioritise our own security and our own economic strength. Let us finally put Europe first: our people, our borders and our future.

Mr President, for three long years, Ukraine has stood on the front lines of freedom, facing the brutality of Putin's criminal regime. At the same time, Putin's Russia has shown the world its true nature: it's a terrorist organisation with a flag. Putin thought the war would be over in three days. He also thought Europe would turn its back on Ukraine. He was wrong. What has Putin on his side besides countries like North Korea? Some MEPs here demand our defence capabilities to be restricted, repeat phrases from the Russian playbook and are betraying European values for cheap gas. To them I say, you will go down in history as traitors. The defenders of Ukraine will be remembered as heroes of Europe.

Madam President, a trade war with our most important international partner is a highly undesirable outcome. Instead of trying to intentionally wage it, we could at least hear what President Trump has to say. I think we should, even without Trump's statements, cease all LNG imports from Russia, increase our defence spending and cut off our dependencies on China. Because the sad truth is, what other alternative do we even have? Lean more towards China and still hold on to Russian energy? We all should understand the fatality of that road. And we must remember – currently, we need the US more than they need us, and that is why we only stand to lose from a potential trade war. But President Trump is a deal-maker and there are deals to make for Europe too.

Mr President, in a society that is civilised, there can be no place for violence or discrimination against women. What else is it other than discrimination when we are stealing from girls and women the opportunity to experience the joy of succeeding in sports, scoring a goal or being the first to cross the finish line? And if not violence, tell me what it is to put those same girls and women to fight against a far more physically superior opponent in the ring, or forcing them to take a tackle that can cause pain unlike anything they have ever witnessed before on the field? This is what we do if we allow transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. It is absolute madness. I will defend true equality and that is why I will always speak loudly for keeping men out of women's sports.

Mr President, when the terrorist organisation Hamas took innocent Israeli civilians hostage, the pain of relatives can only be imagined. Imagine if you had to constantly think about whether the person you love will ever come back to you, and if so, what kind of atrocities you have experienced. This is something that many and many families in Ukraine are currently thinking about. Will my son ever walk through that door again? If he doesn't walk, what will his last moments be like? When we strengthen European security, whether it is the ramp-up of defence or the eradication of terrorism, it is not just a matter of political decisions. It is a question of protecting European families. When Europe is called upon to take a hard line in the face of such threats, the Left is still opposed. I cannot comprehend, and so I ask, what is wrong with your values?

Mr President, Sweden has been a country that many people looked at with admirable eyes. Since then, this happy and prosperous people's home has been ruined in such a way that it is no longer recognized as its former home. Unrestricted migration has been allowed to swept across Sweden like a tsunami. It has corrupted neighborhoods into no-go areas, made streets insecure, and caused an epidemic of gang crime, coloured by explosions and shootings, which, according to the Swedish Government, is no longer even under control. Imagine in what chaos the country has to be that the Prime Minister has to say this: The situation is no longer under control. But those eyes are starting to open now in Sweden too. You see, according to the Prime Minister, a tightened immigration policy must continue in order for Sweden to survive. This is a guideline for the whole of Europe. Let us not repeat the terrible human test in Sweden, but let us tighten up the immigration line so that Europe can survive.

Mr President, the role of the European Central Bank is not to pose or signal virtue, but to maintain stability and control price increases. But this week this hall is going to vote on a paper trying to bake in the bread of the central bank who knows what raisins that don't belong there. Advertising the digital euro, lobbying for gender quotas and surprise, surprise the Greens' climate agenda. Now some rats. We in Europe have huge numbers of people struggling with the cost crisis and rapidly bounced mortgage interest rates. When it comes to the European Central Bank, couldn't we focus on its core business and not start sneaking in these left-wing favourite children, such as gender quotas or climate issues, too? For me, at least, it is more important to take care of Finns' salaries and wallets than to take care of the gender on the central bank's board of directors.

Mr President, the biggest sin of the imprisoned Boualem Sansal was to criticise a religion that should not be criticised. Islam does not know freedom of speech. Salman Rushdie was murdered two years ago. Iran's Ayatollah had issued a death warrant for him in the '80s. Rushdie's crime: Writing a book that satirically describes Islam. Jyllands-Posten's Mohammed cartoons led to worldwide turmoil and the magazine became a target for jihadists – because of the cartoons. In the case of Charlie Hebdo, Islam cartoons had an even darker consequence: massacre in a French newspaper. The bloodwork didn't stop there. Later, teacher Samuel Paty was alleged to have shown his students these cartoons. A week and a half later, a Muslim who arrived in France as a refugee cut Paty's head off with a meat knife. When has Europe seen enough to conclude that the Islamization of Europe needs to be stopped?

Mr President, citizens are being sold the argument that we need massive immigration to support Europe. But which of these vendors is willing to tell us what will happen to Europe? Not only are there huge security problems, but massive low-cost immigration is also reshaping our labour market. We are creating entirely new classes where places are filled with immigrants. In Finland, for example, food couriers are a group of workers consisting almost exclusively of immigrants. Is this the kind of society you want to create? A society where there are jobs for immigrants and then there are jobs for the native population? This is what you are building when you are looking at cheap labour migration to Europe. In my view, it is far from what Europe should be.

Mr President, the right to strike is an important means for workers to influence their working conditions. It is a right enshrined in the constitutions of many countries. Political strikes aimed at opposing government decisions are a completely different matter. In five EU Member States – Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Spain – political strikes are explicitly prohibited. It is easy to understand why this is the case. This ban protects democracy. In a democracy, decision-making must take place through elected representatives. If the democratically made decisions do not please the trade union batons, then let them run for office themselves. This is how simple and good our free system is. Left-wing politicians are respectfully pro-democracy, but I have never heard of them opposing political strikes. Can't you really admit that political strikes are a violation of democracy?

Mr President, relations between the EU and the Western Balkans are overshadowed by Serbia's pro-Russian spirit, the tensions caused by the region's history and its much less developed economic conditions. However, the EU's strategy towards the region seems to be a patch of money for the countries and hopes for the best in terms of their eligibility for the EU. However, wishful thinking and simply distributing money does not make these countries eligible for EU membership. You have to take off your silk gloves and hit the table with strict conditions, not just rhetoric and rhetoric. Let's start with this: Albania is curbing its rampant crime, which is currently spilling across Europe. Serbia commits to breaking away from all ties with Russia and joining the EU's joint coercion against Putin. Wouldn't they like it now? Well, let's look at advancing the EU's path then again when we start agreeing.

Mr President, the coldest season is at the door and there are critical moments in Ukraine. Recently, Russia carried out one of the largest attacks on Ukraine's energy system, launching 93 missiles and 200 drones. This is an indication of the kind of war that Russia is waging every day. It's a war against civilians. In order to put an end to these attacks, too, Ukraine needs stronger support. Russia must be weakened globally. New EU sanctions against Russia were announced, including for the first time the listing of actors involved in Russia's hybrid influence abroad. I'm asking why only now. Russia has continued its offensive for almost three years, carried out hybrid attacks on the rest of Europe, and it is only now that we can extend sanctions to such a group. The EU needs to do better.

Mr President, without freedom of speech we have nothing. Look at that title: Mis- and disinformation in social media and their risk to the integrity of elections. Here we are discussing ways to increase censorship in social media so that we have free elections. This is North Korea's way of life. Changing TikTok's Chinese ownership base may be required from a security point of view, but here we are talking about all social media and cutting off the dissemination of information, whether anyone thinks it is wrong or right. If only the right information can be disseminated, there is only one truth, and someone has to define it. It goes against all the principles we believe in. How envious I am to the United States, because they understand that the body of democracy also includes thick skin. The phrase “Migration will save Europe” is disinformation. But let it spread, too, and if the people believe it, then they will suffer the consequences, as it is now. Democracy will knock out those who spread disinformation when the people get enough.

Mr President, after years of war in Syria, Assad's criminal regime collapsed in just 11 days. The years have been devastating. Since the start of the civil war, around 4.5 million Syrians have fled to Europe. We have witnessed a massive wave of people making their way to this continent, but now we are in a new situation. Many European countries have already ceased processing asylum applications from Syrians. Some are offering money to Syrian refugees to encourage voluntary returns. Times are changing. Syria might not be any more a country to flee from. When this is confirmed, what's next? It is time for returns. I encourage you, Syrians in Europe: return with pride and build a brighter tomorrow for your own country.

Mr President, when the war began and people fled, it was said that they should be protected as long as these conditions prevail. And now that this Assad regime has fallen, I am sure many people rightly think that it is the right time to return home. Instead, you talked about using the situation here to promote hate speech. I think this is realistic talk. Do you think that Syria can be built from outside Syria? I personally think that Syrians who return to Syria can go to build the country from the inside, that they are needed to build Syria.

Mr President, it often seems that the EU budget has become some sort of common piggy bank. A piggy bank that can only be used to make money for all kinds of needs when the economy of one's own country has not tasted it. Are we really going to create a machine in the EU that can brew hundreds of millions of euros, if not billions, now also to make up for the natural disasters that are being proposed? The EU has not done this. We have escaped on an unhealthy footing if, even in the event of a natural disaster, a massive distribution of EU money is expected. I want the economy in my own country to be managed in such a way that natural disasters can be dealt with from its own purse. And that is what I want to demand from all the other countries. We need less Europe, more responsibility.