Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, Europe's southern borders, which are also Greek borders, should be treated on an equal footing with Europe's northern borders. You know very well, coming to Greece, that my country is directly threatened by Turkey. You know it very well, the whole planet knows it. He is threatening the islands and at the same time, Commissioner, he has not lifted the casus belli. You realize that the weight that falls on our backs is huge. I therefore call for equal coverage of Europe's southern borders as well. And you also remember, Commissioner, what happened in Evros. So from Evros to Kastelorizo and Crete, where we have large flows, I ask for coverage of my homeland. We did that, we did it in the Economic Committee last year. I am asking for it now and the whole of Greece is asking for it.

Mr President, Commissioner, fires are a real scourge for the countries of the South. We live in incredible situations from Portugal to Greece. That is why we need to be realistic. In the coming days, in the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament, of which I am a member, I am tabling a proposal for the creation of a central fire-fighting body, because it is currently up to the pity of each prime minister whether to send planes. It is a central body based in the countries of the South. Also, this is not enough, the same body should record the damage, so that within 12 days, it can compensate all those who have been destroyed. Mr President, you have experienced the fires in your country and I know how much struggle you have had, like other colleagues. We must act now, because fire is the worst thing for our states.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I want to make you partakers of a huge issue. While Turkey was excluded from the financing of European funds in terms of defence, according to an official statement by the Commissioner for Defence, it is attempting, according to journalistic information, to get indirectly into these programs by buying a European company. This country, Turkey, is threatening my country, Greece. It asks for half of the Aegean, it asks for the Aegean islands and across the islands it has the largest landing fleet in the Mediterranean. Ladies and gentlemen, we must now build a mechanism to exclude Turkey for life as long as it threatens my country, Greece, with war. I am telling you this as a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Budgets of the European Parliament. It is unfair with Greek and European taxpayers' money to arm Turkey's hand against Greece.

Madam President, Commissioner, dear Mr Mureșan. I have listened to you very carefully about the multiannual financial programme. Yes, to support societies, to support our people, to support health, education and all that helps citizens. But, Commissioner, I want you to look me in the eye and answer me directly. Is the Commission prepared to put Turkey, which directly threatens my country, through the back door through the multi-year period? So he's going to get into defense? If this happens, Commissioner, it will be criminal for Europe itself, because with European taxpayers' money, a third country, which one day wants half of the Aegean, the next hour half of the Aegean islands and on the other hand occupies the northern part of Cyprus, it is unfair, very unfair for this to happen. Watch it, or we'll row in a docked boat.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, according to OLAF's official investigation, millions of products come to Europe dangerously and even with tariffs that do not reach the Member States. According to trade associations across Europe and the Greek Confederation of Commerce, millions of jobs will be lost. Watch out, watch out! Thousands of businesses will also be shut down and billions of revenues will be lost at a time when Europe and its states need revenues. We need to act now. We must act strictly, Commissioner. Let's do it now, because tomorrow will be too late. Do you know what they say in my country, Commissioner? Gordian bonds are not broken, they are cut. Do it now, because tomorrow will be too late for all of us.

Madam President, Commissioner, many countries have benefited from the Recovery Fund. I hold in my hands, Commissioner, the report on Greece. It is in the top five of the European countries in terms of absorption of Community funds and this development is very important. So let us think of something else after the Recovery Fund, namely bringing another programme that will benefit countries, benefit societies, benefit the economy, benefit entrepreneurship, support small and medium-sized enterprises and – above all, Commissioner – our people, who are in great need after the latest events.

Madam President, Commissioner, you are Spanish, I am Greek, we have common ground with competitiveness. You realise, ladies and gentlemen, that the main advantage in competitiveness is man, followed by technology. Without humans, we do nothing. Therefore, incentives must be provided. Practical evidence should be given that Europe can move in this direction, and we have enough evidence for growth, which is what is at stake, and indeed with developments that are shocking as far as the planet is concerned. The small and medium-sized enterprise, the freelancers and the ordinary workers who give their souls are at the heart of the economy. Therefore, in order to have competitive businesses we need to have happy and satisfied employees. We can succeed if in the coming years we have at the forefront the three dominant elements: technology, man and performance.

Mr President, Commissioner and friend of Greece, thank you very much. Mr Mureșan, you have achieved the impossible, that is, over the next seven years to have an economic policy that goes hand in hand with the support of states but also – at the same time – with the support of societies. Mr Mureșan, thank you very much for adopting my proposals. Greek positions on borders, but also the blockade of a third country that threatens a country of the European Union. Excellent positioning for the regions. Europe's troubled regions need to be strengthened. Dear Commissioner, for 35 years in economic reporting my master has been by the side of society. Which means what? Wages, pensions, housing, demographics, punctuality, electricity. We should support these figures for every European citizen – for every Greek citizen if you like – and we are here for the European Parliament to contribute in this direction. Thank you very much for supporting the Greek positions.

Mr President, Commissioner, Mr Serafin, as a Greek Member of the European Parliament, I am very pleased that – in addition to being a friend of Greece – you have included the suggestion of Mr Halicki and Mr Mureșan – excellent colleagues – to shield Europe's borders. And you know very well that the Greek borders are also European, and that Europe lived that difficult night on the Aegean fence unbelievable situations. With absolute clarity, Mr Halicki, Mr Mureșan and Mr Ressler have fought hard for natural disasters so that compensation can come quickly. And the third and best: measures for societies. To support the societies that brought us here with measures for housing, wages, pensions, welfare, as they said. And know something: Our people will never forget this offer.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, competitiveness for an economy is the basis of life for citizens. Their lives are getting better, we have a better quality of life, we have better salaries and we have stronger insurance. This is the fourfold on which we must now build the European economy, because from the Atlantic someone is waiting to devour Europe and its economy. Three hundred billion every year leave and go to the United States and thousands of young people, according to Mr. Draghi, leave Europe. We need to run fast. Cornerstone competitiveness, better life, better wages, better insurance and hurry quickly, because time is running out.

Mr President, we must act decisively, with social measures, because without man, societies cannot move forward. Salaries, pensions, insurance, punctuality, housing. All this, therefore, requires immediate action from us, immediate mobilization. No society can support itself unless it has man in front of all its activities. At the same time, we should support people who are threatened by artificial intelligence. They're the authors, they're the creators, they're the artists. They live a relentless copy in their works. Infinite attention, then, to move in this direction. To support people, to support knowledge, because society cannot wait any longer.

Madam President, the Recovery Fund has proved to be an excellent economic tool that has helped too many countries in the European Union to improve economic indicators and help their citizens. My country, Greece, has absorbed, or rather, is playing a leading role in the absorption of EU funds in terms of the Recovery Fund. Several states fear that in 2026 the allocation of the Development Fund funds will cease. The presence of this Fund must continue. Why is it? Many countries will be helped. Either in this way or within the five-year period it will be beneficial for the countries, beneficial for the societies, beneficial for the peoples.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Italian Commissioner, the Greek myself, and we have experienced many disasters together. Come, through the Recovery Fund, to fight a great battle. I hear the Recovery Fund ends in 2026. We are going to a new battle to support people who are in great need. You experienced the disasters in Italy, I experienced them in Greece, and my country gave three billion euros to cover these needs. I therefore believe, Commissioner, and I solemnly invite you to Greece, that we should fight together, and with all the other countries, to support all the people who are in great need. If you are a Commissioner now and I am a Member of the European Parliament here, we owe it to those people who need our support. Thank you very much and I hope that my proposal will be heard.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, this is a very serious matter. Commissioner, thank you very much for allowing me to have the report that we are presenting today adopted by a qualified majority by the European Parliament's Committee on Budgets. And that shows responsibility. It gives an efficiency step on the part of everyone, all parties, from all wings of the European Parliament. It is also time for the immediate funding of all countries affected by such disasters. And we must, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, look at it as a whole. The consequences of climate change are unpredictable, incalculable, enormous and know no borders. And it is in this context that we must move. We must use the money from the Solidarity Fund, the Regional Development Fund, and that money must not be offset. I am very pleased that this proposal that we have made has been adopted by all parties. It is the great moment of all parties in Europe to say this: Say no to these disasters. Compensation must also be paid quickly and promptly. It's something we all ask for, because disaster has no color. Disaster, when it knocks on the door of every country, is of particular importance to be embraced by everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, the European Solidarity Fund budget and the reserve should be increased immediately, and very rapidly. Commissioner, I think we are all in agreement on this. The European citizens, and my country, Greece, expect a great deal from us and that is what we will do, because my country has suffered great disasters. We will all work in this direction. That is why the primary objective of all of us is for the affected regions to experience relief and for European citizens to feel that they have real help by their side. Disaster does not raise petty politics, but calls for responsibility. We will all work in this direction. Commissioner, thank you very much for listening to me. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and I hope that this time together we will move above parties and guided by responsibility.