What Dainius spoke about.

8

Jul

2025

EN Speech

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2023 and 2024 reports on Georgia (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, I fully support the report on Georgia as it is in full compliance with EU values and EU law. Georgian institutions have been captured by the authoritarian criminal oligarch regime. The Georgian Dream follows the Kremlin's manual of repression. They act as bandits and speak as bandits. Recently, the last formally remaining opposition for Georgia …

8

Jul

2025

EN Speech

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Situation in Belarus, in particular the release of political prisoners (debate)

Madam President, fear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the recent release of 14 political prisoners gives us little hope. More than 1 000, including EU citizens, still remain behind bars in Belarus. They are still subjected to systemic torture and inhuman treatment. No doubt, our line to demand the release of all political prisoners and to ensure accountability for the crimes against humanity must r…

8

Jul

2025

EN Speech

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Preparation for the 2025 EU–China Summit - Tackling China's critical raw materials export restrictions

Madam President, dear colleagues, as the President of the Commission emphasised yesterday, when we go to China to defend our interests, Europe must show strength. This strength only comes through our unity, and unity must be based on our common values. Therefore, we must have in mind several important aspects. Firstly, China's position in Russia's war against Ukraine – China's support to the aggre…

19

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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The United Kingdom accession to the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, we cannot defend the rule of law externally, failing to follow it in our own decision-making. The third country's accession to the Judgements Convention is a test of our compliance with the EU Constitution, the founding Treaties. The EU acceded to the Judgements Convention with Parliament's consent. Indeed, the consent to be bound by international …

18

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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Media freedom in Georgia, particularly the case of Mzia Amaglobeli

Mr President, dear colleagues in Georgia, we are witnessing the attacks on the rule of law, independent media, NGOs, freedoms of assembly and association. The Georgian nightmare is rapidly transforming the country into autocracy. A single-party system, apparently, is not compatible with pluralistic democracy. Several times, our Parliament has already demanded the immediate release of all political…

18

Jun

2025

EN Answer

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Freedom of assembly in Hungary and the need for the Commission to act (debate)

Thank you very much, dear colleague, for the question. As a lawyer, I can assure you that sovereignty doesn't mean the free discretion which international commitments are to be fulfilled or which are not. It is inseparable from the proper fulfilment of all international obligations, including those stemming from the EU membership in a goodwill. And if no, if somebody wouldn't like those obligation…

18

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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Freedom of assembly in Hungary and the need for the Commission to act (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, regrettably, Hungary acts as a Russian Trojan horse within the European Union, eroding our fundamental values from inside and weakening our common security. The Orbán regime echoes Moscow's disinformation and anti-LGBTQ policy. According to the classification adopted recently by the Venice Commission, Orbán's regime can be described as an electo…

17

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European Union is more than a market. It is founded on the rule of law, inseparable from pluralistic democracy and fundamental rights. These values are not optional. They do not have different meaning. They define who we are. Now, across the European Union, we are witnessing a dangerous trend. The abusive rule by law, replacing the rule of l…

16

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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The human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, we have heard many right words about the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, including immeasurable human losses and sufferings. Regrettably, we have also heard extreme right and left representatives aligning themselves with the aggressor and spreading Russian lies. There is no doubt that the aggression is the gravest international crime, no doubt that Russ…

7

May

2025

EN Speech

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EU support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, today we can recall the commitment made 80 years ago at the end of the Second World War: any peace must be grounded on international law. And indeed, the legal order established then was built on the same core principles: the prohibition of aggression, a respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, self-determination of peoples. The duty not to recognise forceful annex…

2

Apr

2025

EN Speech

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Immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus - threats from the Investigative Committee (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, recently, we marked the Belarusian Freedom Day, anniversary of the proclamation of democratic Belarus in 1918. Peaceful Belarusians who commemorated this day publicly in Lithuania, Poland, Germany and elsewhere abroad are now being persecuted by the so-called Investigative Committee of Belarus with threats of imprisonment and confiscation of their …

2

Apr

2025

EN Speech

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Recent legislative changes in Hungary and their impact on fundamental rights (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, I think today we are not debating on elections in France or Romania, but what is most important. What I would like to emphasise is that the latest criminalisation of Pride marches – together with the authorisation to use facial recognition in order to persecute peaceful protesters in Hungary – is not only a simple breach of the freedoms of assembly and expression;…

12

Mar

2025

EN Speech

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Frozen Russian assets (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, lex semper dabit remedium - the law must always provide appropriate remedies against any breach. This maxim fits the best in seeking the legal solution on the frozen Russian assets. The legal and moral imperatives in this case, indeed, are more than clear. There is no doubt that Russia, as an aggressor, must stop the war and provide the full reparation to Ukraine. Th…

11

Mar

2025

EN Speech

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Roadmap for Women`s Rights (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, the fight for women's rights is not just a political choice. It is also a choice between civilisations or between inclusive, participatory democracy and authoritarianism, usually accompanied with violence and sexism. However, progress on gender equality in the EU still seems to be uneven and fragile. A new EU-wide gender-based violence survey exposes that violence ag…

11

Feb

2025

EN Speech

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Continuing the unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s war of aggression (debate)

Mr President, there are only two ways to achieve long‑lasting peace in a war of self-defence against aggression: victory or capitulation. However, only in the case of victory against an aggressor can we see legitimacy restored and justice achieved. This means the full restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty, full reparation for all the damages sustained by Ukraine, punishment by a special tribunal of…

21

Jan

2025

EN Speech

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Further deterioration of the political situation in Georgia (debate)

Mr President, today we can ask ourselves, is it worth being an ally of the European Union? The reality before us suggests a painful answer. Those who stand under the EU flag and fight for our values face violence, silence and even sometimes, betrayal. In Ukraine, people are dying for the European aspirations. In Georgia, citizens striving for democracy suffer from brutality. Just last week, as it …

18

Dec

2024

EN Speech

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11th year of the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and the deteriorating human rights situation in occupied Crimea, notably the cases of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov

Mr President, dear colleagues, as we discuss today the occupation of Crimea, I want to draw your attention to one specific aspect of the aggression against Ukraine. This is the involvement of the Russian judiciary in the crime of aggression, which is the gravest possible discrediting of justice. The judges of Russia's so-called Constitutional Court authorised the annexation of five Ukrainian terri…

17

Dec

2024

EN Speech

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Russia’s disinformation and historical falsification to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, Russia's war of aggression is not only brutal attacks against civilians. It has ideological background, often called the 'Russian world' concept. It rather deserves to be named 'Russo‑fascism' or 'Russo‑Nazism'. This ideology can be traced back to Russia's glorification of the Soviet crimes of aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. I recall …

27

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Recent legislation targeting LGBTQI persons and the need for protecting the rule of law and a discrimination-free Union (debate)

Madame President, dear colleagues, the European Union is a promise to uphold democracy and human rights. However, as regards LGBTIQ persons, we are still falling short of this promise. We failed to create a common European area of human rights, where dignity and family life of each person is equally recognised and protected. In some EU countries, including my own country, Lithuania, same‑sex coupl…

26

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia (debate)

Madam President, I have just returned from Ukraine. I have a strong impression from the front lines that, despite of our statements of solidarity, Ukrainians increasingly doubt the reliability of Western and European commitments. Ukraine still struggles to secure even the basic weapons and ammunition it urgently needs. Meanwhile, Russia seems to be successful in implementing its strategy of war of…

25

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, today we confront an uncomfortable truth. Gender-based violence against women poisons Europe's fight for democracy and human rights. Nowhere is this more evident than in the brutal Russian war against Ukraine, where violence, including sexual violence, is being used systematically as a weapon of war. The crimes of aggression and gender-based violence are not isolated…

13

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Georgia's worsening democratic crisis following the recent parliamentary elections and alleged electoral fraud (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, while discussing the current situation in Georgia, we must follow two key principles. Firstly, massive election fraud, bribery and intimidation of voters, well documented by local and international observers, are grave breaches of such universally recognised democratic principles as fair and free elections. Consequently, the will of the Georgian people is presumed to…

22

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, today we are discussing the UN General Assembly resolution, which is used by the People's Republic of China to ground its claims to Taiwan. This is the most deplorable resolution in UN history. It is inconsistent with the UN aim to be a universal organisation that respects equal rights and self-determination of all peoples. The resolution has settled only the issu…

22

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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Establishing the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and providing exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, Russia's criminal aggression against Ukraine is the grossest possible breach of international law. Such an extraordinary situation undoubtedly requires extraordinary measures and solutions. Therefore, I welcome and support today's Commission proposal to employ the profits from immobilised Russian assets. However, in my opinion, this is not yet the …

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, Georgia now is at the front line. We all are witnessing the attack against European values by the current Georgian Government imposing Russo-fascist narratives. This is evident from the Foreign Agent Law, anti-LGBT legislation, the abolishment of gender quotas in elections and the so-called 'family values package'. Not a single recommendation of the Venice Commission…