Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, as the European Union, we must assist the Armenian authorities so that the upcoming elections are free and fair, facing any attempt to influence them from third countries. Unfortunately, we have seen this happen many times both in third countries and even within the European Union. At the same time, we must ensure that the government does not take advantage of its position either. We want a pluralistic and free environment where all parties can campaign without undue restrictions and obstacles. Unfortunately, in recent months we have seen worrying phenomena with the imprisonment of opposition bloggers and persecution of hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church, phenomena that are absolutely reprehensible. Finally, as we are a few days after the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I cannot help but mention the drama of the thousands of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh. It is our duty to ensure the right of return for those who wish to do so and to demand that Azerbaijan protect cultural heritage and release the last hostages still in detention.

Mr President, two months ago a court in Athens confirmed in a judgment that the government of New Democracy in Greece had set up a parastatal mechanism of illegal surveillance at the seat of the government, at the Maximos Mansion. Half of the ministers, the leadership of the armed forces, politicians, journalists, businessmen, were all under surveillance, both by the National Intelligence Service and by the illegal Predator spyware. The court asked for the espionage investigation to be reopened. All this time the convicted salesman of Predator Mr. Dilian publicly blackmails the Prime Minister of the country by talking about Nixon. Turns out blackmail worked. Yesterday, in a decision shameful of the independence of the judiciary, the government-appointed public prosecutor of the Supreme Court closed the investigation without doing a single investigative act. The government of New Democracy poses a risk to the rule of law in Greece. The European Commission can no longer turn a blind eye.

Mr President, Commissioner, international crises are constantly highlighting the Union's long-standing dependence on imported energy sources and technologies that expose it to geopolitical blackmail. As a result we have: high prices for domestic and industrial consumers, especially in regions such as Southeastern Europe and Greece, low competitiveness and energy poverty, as well as loss of domestic production and jobs. With a view to energy democracy and consumer protection, the Union urgently needs more resources for grids, storage and domestic production of renewable energy, in particular from energy communities, faster permitting, market organisation and supervision, valorisation of Europe's raw materials, technology and entrepreneurship. It is not allowed to replace our dependence on Russian pipelines and Middle Eastern oil by the ever-unstable LNG of spot international markets and China in critical mineral and green technologies. Energy autonomy is a matter of social justice, solidarity and European sovereignty.

Madam President, we believe that the circumstances require to have a more comprehensive debate on what is happening in the Middle East, and not to limit ourselves in just one of the very worrying developments in the area. Therefore, on behalf of the S&D Group, we would like to propose the following title for the debate, 'The worsening Middle East escalation in light of Israel's planned security zone in Lebanon, the recent strikes on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, and the risk of imminent executions in Iran'.

Madam President, Commissioner, two weeks ago it was three years since the Tempi tragedy, a tragedy that shocked Greece. A tragedy that could have been avoided if the government had done its job and completed contract 717 for telecommand. A contract that was signed in 2014 and should have been completed in 2016, seven years before the tragedy. Commissioner, it is for this very reason that the European Commission has a very essential role to play in ensuring that rail transport is safe and that the Greek Government fulfils its obligations. I would also like to refer to the People's Party's attempt to link two completely different accidents, in Greece and Spain, only to create impressions against the Spanish government. I remind you that in Greece two trains were on the same line while travelling in opposite directions for 20 whole minutes until they collided with each other. In Greece, a few hours after the conflict, government actors were channeling media-friendly trumped-up conversations to promote the theory of human error. Instead of a substantive investigation, we had the jamming of the site of the tragedy. Instead of accountability, we had the government majority acquitting the responsible ministers or referring them for misdemeanors. Instead of an independent investigation by an independent agency, we had a commission appointed by the government and a conclusion that was supposedly a "gospel", but which was denied by their own authors. The 57 victims of Tempi demand their vindication. This is a struggle for all of us.

Madam President, Commissioner, one of the important positive messages of the last crisis is the practical European solidarity of the Member States with Cyprus, which is facing the consequences of the military operations of the United States and Israel in Iran. With our two reports today as the European Parliament, we are putting forward a roadmap to strengthen defence cooperation. Completing the single market for defence products is a key prerequisite for the development of the European defence industry and the development of production lines in all Member States. Finally, as the defence industry becomes a key pillar of European strategic autonomy, we must be sure that European weapons will not be found threatening a Member State. This can only be achieved by strictly implementing the Common European Position on Arms Exports.

Mr President, Commissioner, over the last decade the European Union has tried to increase the active participation of consumers in an increasingly liberalised and decentralised energy system. However, the objective of placing consumers at the heart of the energy market remains largely unfulfilled. At the same time, energy prices in Greece and Europe continue to burden them relentlessly, increasing the cost of living and limiting disposable income. Today's Commission package should promote important value-added initiatives and investments in European Gross Domestic Product and employment. It is imperative that the further penetration of renewables into the energy mix has a significant impact with their low production costs on final energy prices and this is something that is not happening at the moment, unfortunately, Commissioner. Enhanced citizen participation in both the energy transition and the social dimension of the Energy Union is a prerequisite.

Mr President, this is not the first time that we have been discussing human rights violations in Turkey and I am afraid it will not be the last. As for the problems faced by Christians in Turkey, these are detailed every year in the annual progress report. Since 1971, the Theological School of Halki has been closed by decision of the Turkish state. The Turkish state continues to prohibit the use of the title of Ecumenical Patriarchate in an attempt to delegitimize and devalue this important institution for Orthodox worldwide. In addition, problems with religious institutions remain, as obstacles to their operation continue. Europe should finally put the necessary pressure on Turkey to comply with its international and European obligations and to finally stop discrimination against its Christian populations.

Madam President, Euro-Atlantic relations have been strong because they have hitherto been based on common principles and values – democracy, the rule of law, the protection of human rights, multilateral cooperation, respect for international law. Unfortunately, over the past year, following President Trump's return to the White House, we have seen a rapid departure of the United States from these fundamental values. Especially the recent events, with the almost parastatal action of ICE in democratic states of the United States that led to the unjust death of two innocent people who simply disagreed with their violent practices, awaken historical memories that as Europe we thought belonged to the past. No one, especially the security forces, can be above the law. ICE's arbitrariness must end immediately.

Mr President, drones and their response systems are now a component of the defence of the Member States. Unfortunately, the European Union is lagging behind in this crucial area. Recent overflights over airports and energy and military infrastructure in a number of Member States have highlighted our weaknesses. The aim of the report that we are tabling and debating today is to formulate a comprehensive plan to address this deficit. To proceed immediately to the development of the relevant capabilities, but also to their full integration, both in the defence doctrines and in the civil protection plans of the Member States. Methodically draw lessons from Ukraine, which is an example to follow. Moreover, we cannot ignore the strategic risk of dependency on non-European suppliers for critical components and raw materials. Strengthening the autonomous European drone industrial base, reclaiming supply chains and supporting production within Europe, is a top security and sovereignty issue.

Mr President, High Representative, in the new world we live in, the United States, as a guarantor of European security through NATO, is becoming an unpredictable partner with erratic, dangerous and grotesque decisions. It is now time for a truly common European foreign and defence policy. It is the only way that Europe can negotiate on an equal footing with the United States and effectively confront global and regional revisionist powers that want to divide the world into spheres of influence. We want a European Union with military capabilities capable of protecting the territorial integrity of all Member States. From Finland to Cyprus and from Greece to Greenland, ensuring that at the time of the crisis the mutual defence clause provided for in the Treaties is not null and void. The two reports we are debating today are based on exactly this logic and we urge you to follow them.

Madam President, High Representative, in recent weeks millions of courageous Iranians have taken to the streets demanding freedom, dignity and democracy. The theocratic regime responded to the peaceful demonstrations of the people with unprecedented repression. Thousands of people have been killed by regime forces. Tens of thousands have been arrested. Access to information and the internet have been cut off. These demonstrations are not the result of interference by foreign powers. It is the result of a long practice of violence and oppression that we clearly saw in the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement. It is a result of the significant degradation of Iranian lives with persistent shortages of water, electricity, medicines and everyday goods. They express the accumulated indignation of a society that demands a better future, a future that only the Iranian people can decide, without foreign interference and interventions. The European Union must stand firmly with the Iranian people, strengthen diplomatic pressure and, above all, extend targeted sanctions, and finally classify the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

Madam President, the need to finally put European strategic autonomy into practice is the answer to the new reality we are facing. With bold choices, more cooperation and common financing tools to reduce our dependencies, defence, energy, technology, critical infrastructure. If anyone was skeptical, the publication of the new National Security Strategy of the United States proves that we cannot rely on automations of the past. It's a loud alarm bell that we all need to hear. Let's stop hoping that President Trump doesn't mean what he says. The transatlantic relationship remains important. But it needs to be redefined on the basis of mutual respect. Respect for our common values, without accepting any interference in our democracies. That is why the only solution is a strong and autonomous Europe, able to stand in the new geopolitical environment that is being formed.

Madam President, critical raw materials are essential ingredients for sustaining the Union’s economic, environmental and digital ambitions; Basically, for our own safety. Over 80% of large European companies are exposed to Chinese supplies of rare earths. The Union’s response must be swift and dynamic in all trade instrumentalisation practices. Member States must speed up the implementation of the Raw Materials Regulation. On the part of the European Union, we must activate domestic mining projects and recycling processes, define the minimum level of strategic reserves of rare earths and proceed immediately to bilateral cooperation with countries that meet corresponding sustainability and human rights standards. Only in this way will we strengthen the Union's strategic autonomy, protecting our industrial base as a whole.

Madam President, the agreement on the leading European programme for the European defence industry EDIP is proof of Parliament's positive involvement in the negotiations. Firstly, unlike SAFE, we have strengthened European preference. We imposed strict eligibility criteria, promoting in practice our independence from third countries. Secondly, we have ensured that not a single euro from the budget goes to infrastructure outside the European Union. Thirdly, we have ensured strict and mandatory guarantees to protect the security interests of the Member States and respect the principle of good neighbourliness as a condition for the participation in the programme of European companies belonging to third countries. Fourthly, we have achieved the universal application of the principle that European money will be directed only to projects where the design authority is European and is not subject to any control by third countries. Fifthly, we provided for the institutionalisation of the European SEAP armaments programmes, European defence projects of common interest, and the creation of the Defence Industry Reinforcement Fund in the FAST programme to facilitate access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Sixthly, for the first time we have legislated concrete actions, at European level, in the event that a Member State activates the common defence clause of the European Union, the well-known Article 42(7). Ultimately, the historic EDIP programme underpins the European defence industrial base and the resilience of an adult European Union.