Speeches

Mr President, this debate is very strange to me in general. There would be no more problems. We try to judge and look for how something is wrong in every country. In the United States, a citizen with a revolver obviously goes towards the officers and orders him to stop. They do not follow their instructions, he is shot. Another case is driving with a car. They also do not follow the instructions of officials. Officers also use force. Are they doing the right thing? They are enforcing the law. Look in Germany, when the masses, just the squares, enter with cars and people die dozens. And is that normal? It seems to me that, in Europe too, officials must treat such criminals very strictly and responsibly, so that such stories do not happen again and innocent people do not die. It seems to me that Europe, deal with your problems, because you also have problems and look less at countries and especially America.

Dear rapporteur, when I became a Member of the European Parliament in this term, I was very shocked by the bureaucracy. And not just me. I had to work my advisers for six months, and when one of them had to be fired, I also fired for six months. I have not seen it, and I think there is no bureaucracy in the world. Now my local advisors have to write reports, how many letters have been written to me, how many times have I responded. I shall be inspected again and those inspectors shall be inspected again. How much and when will you cut that bureaucracy, at least in Parliament?

There is such an experience in life. Draghi uncovered Europe in his report, revealing its problems: A huge bureaucracy has been created that is destroying Europe. If the manager works badly in the company, the shareholders retire him. You have been the dominant political force in Europe for 30 years, which has created this bureaucratic apparatus. Wouldn't it be better for you to resign? This is a political force all over Europe, because you will certainly no longer solve these problems.

Mr President, the Commissioner has spoken and called for: "Let's wake up Europe's sleeping giant". EU countries have pledged to spend at least 5% of their budgets on defence by 2030. However, in 2025, last year, five European Union countries, which are small in size, did not make a difference of half a percent. Eleven European Union countries spent around 2% on defence, and only five countries, including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Poland and Greece, spent more than 3% on defence. Raising a giant is very difficult, but it is a giant. And if one country spent all of its budget, especially a small one, on defense, it wouldn't solve the problem. Europe needs solidarity and there is a lack of solidarity. Also, if we look at the war in Ukraine, we accuse America of doing little, but Europe is doing even less. Take a look at: Trump is urging India not to buy Russian oil, and we are signing a free trade agreement with India, without even demanding that we give up Russian oil. Let us be united and principled.

Mr President, the European Union's social policy must be very responsible. Today, the unemployment rate in the European Union is more than 6%. I believe that social policy cannot promote unemployment, especially the war of those who arrive from poverty to the European Union. On the other hand, employers must pay wages that ensure a decent working life. And the European Union must aim for a minimum wage of at least 60% of the average wage. This will encourage a person to work because he will live a dignified life out of it. Today, the level in some countries of the European Union is below the minimum wage by as much as 40 percent of the average wage. A responsible policy. And I think the issue of housing is very topical, and it's getting more acute. Here too, the European Union must make efforts to ensure that young families can buy their own homes.

Mr. Colleagues. (Language interrupted) I want to ask you if you (Some words have not been heard.) on Europe? Do you think it is right to appoint a director and dismiss a two-thirds public vote? Why have you not been disturbed by this law, which has been in force for twenty years, and the director of the council has been secretly appointed and dismissed? You want to save your director! What kind of democracy are you talking about? You are the LRT, not Lithuania, you are the Conservatives.

I am very pleased with your observation. When in Hungary - see some changes in Tusk. How did he come to you in Poland? That is, Orban... And when Tusk came to you in Poland, he fired half of the journalists from the public broadcaster overnight. Where was the European Union? Where was the European Parliament? Where's he? This is a double standard, not an institution of democracy! Isn't that what you think? We have to remove all the posters! I will come and tear it where it is. démocratique! Where: genderique!

I want to ask you, do you really sincerely believe that your proposals seek justice and democracy, freedom of the media? Do you think that the public broadcaster is free today? Honestly, when you put your hand on your chest, tell me, isn't it overwhelmed by the Conservatives?

Yes, dear colleague Petra, why do you not propose that staffing arrangements in the European Parliament should also be changed with regard to the appointment and dismissal of officials? Today there is a secret ballot and a simple majority. Suggest that here too, in order to dismiss or appoint an official, there should be a quorum... a requirement of two-thirds of all MEPs. Why do you have double standards? Is there no democracy in the European Parliament? You're in the majority. Propose amendments.

Dear Vyteni, since we speak Lithuanian, I want to ask a question. As you know, the law has been in force for 20 years, that the director of the LRT is appointed and dismissed by a simple majority vote by secret ballot. At the end of their term, the Conservatives, seeing that they were in trouble with the election, changed the law to vote only in public and, in order to be forgiven, to vote in public with two-thirds of the vote. Is it democratic? What do you think?

Madam President, honourable Commissioner, I would like you to really listen to my speech. You can only look at the title of these resolutions – the attempted takeover of the Lithuanian public broadcaster. It is already taken, and it is taken by the Lithuanian Conservatives, who are in the EPP group, and they serve... The public broadcaster serves the Conservatives of Lithuania. I want to tell you, as a Member of the European Parliament and President of the party: I've never been invited to LRT TV. During the election campaign, I, the party chairman... was summoned for protection and removed from the LRT studio during the election. Is that democracy? What kind of democracy are you talking about? He has already said: Chairman of the ruling party Remigijus Žemaitaitis, the director of the LRT was told, will not be invited to the LRT. Isn't she overwhelmed? It needs to be freed, but there is no political force. I would also like to say that an audit of Lithuania has been carried out and it has been found that around 90% of all funds are being used fraudulently in violation of the Law on Public Procurement. Approximately 30% of employees were employed without a competition. Is there no need for change? Change is needed. I think it's time to look at it objectively. And in Lithuania there is no democracy, and there is little democracy in Europe, only the stands are big, that there is democracy here.

A representative of this majority in the European Parliament, do you not see your mistakes in the European Union? European leaders gathered on 18 December. What did they decide? Oh, nothing. And look at the expropriated funds, active Russians. What decision do you make after two years of debate? No, you didn't give it to Ukraine. You just plepat what Trump says, but you're not doing anything. See your mistakes and be determined.

Mr President, the European Parliament looks weird and has a very vague debate: Cuba, Greenland, Venezuela. Who hears you? Nothing. You don't hear any international voice. Do you want to be heard? Follow American politics, that is, Trump's. Rejoice, Communist gentlemen, to overthrow the dictator who expelled 8 million people from his country, who imprisoned and persecuted the people. You are crying, you are judging Trump, but you are not judging the dictator. What happened to you here? What you want, tell me. For you, Trump is worse than all the dictators. I congratulate Trump for his determined policies, for speaking little and doing a lot, and so must Europe. Then Europe and other nations will be respected. Now nobody respects you, nobody respects Putin, nobody respects China, nobody respects America, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

Madam President. Yes, honourable MEPs, there is certainly a great danger, cyber-attacks, as well as other online crimes, especially against minors. But Europe often uses these evils to suppress freedom of speech. Musk’s X platform does not restrict freedom of expression, but the European Union has fined her €120 million. However, Zuckerberg, who runs Facebook, publicly stated that he has more than 20% of the income of those who cheat people, especially the elderly. There has not been a single MEP in the European Union who has expressed concern or that Europe has imposed fines. He seems to be a genderist. This is the most important thing for Europe. When you're so inclined, you can say whatever you want and rob. Really, people, that shouldn't be the case.