Speeches

Madam President, I'm sorry. A series of catastrophes is rocking Europe. I would also like to express our solidarity with all those involved. Hungary is also often affected by natural events. In September, the biggest flood of the decade crossed the Danube. It is important that cohesion funds are used appropriately also in crisis situations and that those affected have access to these funds as soon as possible. We support the so-called RESTORE proposal, through which EU funds can be used more flexibly not only for reconstruction, but also for food, essential goods and short-term job opportunities. The name of our party, Tisza, is the name of Hungary's second largest river. At the same time, we believe that a systemic solution is needed to deal with floods. On the other hand, it is important for cohesion funds to maintain their long-term original objectives, and the funds must really reach the local level to the people to whom they are owed, and our party, the Tisza Party, is committed to this.

Dear Mr President, The floods that hit Eastern and Central Europe in September caused the suffering and death of many people. I live on an island, not far from Budapest, in the middle of the Danube, so I personally had the opportunity to experience what it's like when water comes from all directions. I have experienced how much the cooperation, the joint work of the local population and the volunteers of the TISZA Party help, how important security is, that the dams are strong and high, that EU funds for investments reach the local level, the people who are entitled to them. According to the TISZA Party, the central distribution of funds is unfortunate, especially if, due to the undemocratic system and the corruption of the government, these funds disappear or do not arrive. According to a recent Commission report, funds may not reach underdeveloped areas. This poses a serious risk to the success of EU support policy. According to the report of the European Court of Auditors, centralised management is also insufficient. It would therefore be advisable to find mid-level players and to increase the decision-making power and financial independence of regions and municipalities. The TISZA Party is also working to achieve this in the European Parliament, so that Hungary can return to its rightful place in Europe.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Today, instead of discussing the Hungarian Presidency, we are talking about extreme weather events caused by climate change. As a rare beautiful manifestation of the sense of shared responsibility, the Prime Minister of Hungary and the leader of the opposition, who is also our fellow Member, the President of the Tisza Party, Péter Magyar, are in charge of flood defences. Péter Magyar is also working on the dams together with thousands of our volunteers. I would especially like to thank them for their work. They are very much needed, as 33% of Hungary's territory is endangered, with nearly two million people on it. Here in Strasbourg, it is our job to work on European unity for recovery and defence. I would like to thank my fellow Members for their openness and commitment to put this topic on the agenda and show solidarity with the population affected by the floods in Central Europe, including the Hungarians. Thank you for the quick reaction of the Commission. MEPs from the Tisza Party will work closely with the Commission to ensure that Hungarian citizens also receive support for damage control and protection as soon as possible. At the same time, we cannot ignore the need for systemic, long-term solutions. Our party, the Tisza Party, which is also the name of Hungary's second largest river, is committed to strengthening Europe's water security and adopting a new strategy for water resilience in Europe. It is also important to make good use of cohesion and restoration funds to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. I would like to ask the Commission to review the use made of the funding provided over the past 14 years in the light of how infrastructure has been tested in the current emergency.