Speeches

Thank you for the attempt to speak in my language. I think we need to look at the ocean as one. It is one ocean: what happens from one side of the ocean will affect the other. It will affect communities. It will affect people. It will affect our livelihood. Therefore, we need to look at it not only as a European Union; we need to look beyond. We need to work with different countries, with different regions in order to see that we all together protect the ocean that is there for our own livelihood, and for generations to come, but also to bring communities together and to protect our livelihood. And therefore we need action. Commissioner, I beg you on pollution and seeing that we can prevent pollution from its source.

Ms President, for us Maltese, the sea is not just a photo background, it is our home, it is our life, it gives us the air we breathe, it feeds us and it shapes our identity. But today coastal communities are impacted by the fact that they are remote and detached, by pollution, by rising sea levels, by more severe storms and by disappearing fish, and therefore that the Ocean Pact should protect nature as well as its people. Coastal communities and its fishermen should be part of the solution. Not only the scenario. Dear Commissioner, we are waiting and still waiting for action to tackle pollution from source to sea, to safeguard our ocean. For those who depend on it, let this pact be a promise of a comprehensive Ocean Act. Not a patchwork of intentions, but a bold and binding blueprint to protect our ocean, to stop overexploitation and to deliver for nature, for fishers, for our islands and coasts, and for generations to come.

Madam Chair, I would like to reserve a few seconds of my time for silence. (The speaker paused for 15 seconds) Why was the Union so silent and passive? This is genocide. This is an emergency: the killing of tens of thousands of people like us Palestinians, including children; the establishment of humanitarian aid to so many people. These are criminal atrocities. I condemn the statements of the Israeli government and welcome the developments of the Council. But we have to do more. We need to be strong and we need action. There is no true peace without justice.

Thank you for the question because it brings me to something that is very important and I'm going to answer in English so that there's clarity. We are talking about the aid needed for our country, which is detached from the rest of the continent, in order to continue to prosper and grow our communities and invest in their well-being. What you are saying means that the EU policies need to cater more for the realities of our detachment from the continent, and see that we can continue to invest in our communities, because we are detached from the single market, we are detached from the continent, we are detached in connectivity and we need to continue and enhance the communities of the island of Malta, which do not have resources and do not have space in order to prosper our communities and economies. (The speaker declined to take a blue-card question from Daniel Freund)

Sir President, Malta is a resourceless island. We have a long history of suffering in order to become a nation. In armed wars and during the pandemic, our islands found the strong spirit of its people and a citizenship programme that saved it from bentness. A programme that has saved jobs, built social housing and invested in the communities that shape its identity. A programme approved by the Commission and amended where necessary. And today we are discussing an allegation about people using this programme to circumvent sanctions on Russia, on which action has begun. But I recall, that suddenly after the invasion of Ukraine, Malta closed this programme to Russian and Belarusian citizens and did so voluntarily twenty-six days before the Commission asked Members to act. I am confident that the Maltese government will improve this programme in respect of the decision of the European Court. But my call on this Parliament is never to fail to respect the sovereignty and realities of one of its youngest members. Because despite our small size, this programme can help us continue to move towards further progress and opportunities and the strengthening of the well-being of thousands of Maltese and Gozitan families.

Mr President, Europe is failing its isolated peoples. In European islands, competition is not a case of numbers, but a case of human realities. It is becoming more difficult to improve basic services for the well-being of peoples. Competition policy must be a means of social protection and justice. More flexibility is needed, so that islands get more direct and targeted aid, thus more effective. Friends, because regions, and thus peoples, are far from the European economic centre, they should not be condemned. We need more incentives to attract investment, particularly in the connectivity aspect. For isolated regions in Europe, reliance on low-cost travel, which is often low-cost or non-existent during the winter months, is growing. This is why we need affordable and reliable connectivity alternatives, as otherwise the people of Europe's islands will remain increasingly far from the continent, far from opportunities and far from Europe.

Mr President, dear colleagues, thank you to shadows and colleagues who engaged in this important and overarching work. Floods devastate communities, droughts dry up livelihoods, demand for water continues to increase. These are not abstract threats – they are lived realities. To address some comments made, yes, dams are needed when they are environmentally sound and properly managed, but our fight against floods and droughts is more efficient when combined with nature-based solutions in order to store water, to protect against floods and enhance climate mitigation. Friends, we must even go further. Storing water is not enough. We must be using it smarter. We cannot just extract more and more water. And the answer is efficiency, reuse and innovation, modern irrigation, water recycling, soil regeneration, less water-intensive crops. These are not some buzzwords. They are tools which we must deploy across Europe. They are practical solutions to support our communities and farmers to transition towards our shared resilience. And alongside quantity, we must also address quality. We cannot talk about water resilience while turning a blind eye to pollution. Today, the ecological status of our waters remains far from acceptable. Chemical pollution threatens biodiversity, food safety and our public health. We need stronger enforcement and we need to stop pollution at its source. And we must update our standards to reflect reality. That is, PFAS are everywhere. That is why I call on you to support amendments for a more ambitious phase-out of PFAS. And to that end, I reach out that all these critical goods need targeted funding. Funding for our citizens, for our families, for our children, our parents – like mine that are here in the visitors' gallery – thank you – for people in cities, islands and mountains. Wherever you are, you must not be left behind. This is about the lives of all of those people that require water for their own life. Because water is life. And, Commissioner, I did my best to deliver. After tomorrow, the ball is in your court.

Madam President, water is life – for our people, our economy and our environment. But across Europe, this vital resource is under stress. Groundwater and rivers run dry, droughts intensified, floods become more frequent, and still our water policy remains scattered, sectoral and unreactive. This is why the Parliament has been proactive in presenting its position for a European Water Resilience Strategy. This is a concrete tool to deliver people-centred solutions because here we are talking about the lives of Europeans. First, we must be revolutionary in the way we value water: it's not infinite, but it's essential. We are proposing EU-wide sectoral water efficiency and abstraction targets set at basin level, grounded in data and adapted to local realities. We must be water-smart and prioritise what matters most: safe drinking water, public health and sustainable food. Responsibility must be shared. No region should be left to cope alone. This is how we turn solidarity into action. From farmers modernising irrigation to cities fixing leakages, industries deploying circular water technologies to cleaning pollution for a better ocean and safer water. And that is why we call for a dedicated water resilience fund in the next MFF, because water resilience is not a cost, it is an investment in our security, competitiveness and fairness. Technology must be at the heart of modern water management. We must seize the full potential of digitalisation and innovation and, to that end, let's be bold. Smart systems, real-time data, predictive modelling – these are not luxuries, they are the backbone of efficient, future-proof water services. Here I will be speaking a bit in my mother tongue. We are of the south, that is, the peoples of the Mediterranean, we have lived decades with water shortages, drought, groundwater that does not regenerate. Local realities that we have lived and grown from. We have a great deal of them because we have innovated and invested in order to count every drop, because every drop counts. And now is the time to share with you what we have learned, the solutions we have found. Because the realities of the Mediterranean are no longer just our problem but of many other European peoples. So, let's support our cities, regions and islands. In adopting these tools, let's equip our systems to react faster, waste less and plan better. And for this to work, we must start at the top. We must integrate water into every policy decision of our Union. No regulation, no investment plan and no national strategy should proceed without asking, 'How does this impact water – the resource we need for our livelihood, for the flourishing of our industry and for the strengthening of our economy?'. Water cuts across sectors, borders and generations. So, dear friends, we must mainstream water in all of our decisions. This is the definition of resilience. Our future, Europe's stability, prosperity and health, depends on water. The time to act is not tomorrow. It's now, and ambitiously. Water is life and this is our shared responsibility to protect it. So let's build a water-resilient Europe together.

Sir President, this is the beginning of an important process by which we will decide how billions of euros will be spent for seven years. We will decide how our future and that of our children will look. And this is a crucial moment, in order to make a Europe that is fairer and closer to all, with more social justice, a more sustainable environment and a policy that looks at people's realities. And so we need to focus on people's lives; clean and affordable energy, quality education, health, access to food, and a roof over the head of all. And to do this, we must continue to invest in people and massively. That is why I stand firm on my principle: Investment in defence should never be made at the expense of social and environmental needs. And when this expenditure is made it must be done in full respect of the principle of neutrality which is embraced close to the hearts of various European peoples. They can't be ignored, thank you.

Mr. President! What's the ocean for me? The ocean is not just a resource for me. It is the lifeblood of entire communities. This is all about our daily realities. In Malta, the sea defines our economy, our culture, our food, our identity. We are at the border of the impact of illegal fishing and aggressions by third countries and the impact of climate change. We know what needs to be done and hope that not only will you listen to us, but you will give us what we need. We need an ocean pact that is fair, sustainable and ambitious. But this can only be done if the human being is at the center of this covenant: the citizen; It depends on a clean sea. Dear Commissioner, we spoke many times. I trust in you and believe in your intentions. But now give us ambition. Commissioner Kadis, Commissioner Roswall, tackle pollution from source to sea. The time is now. Gives us action. Dear Commissioner, we spoke many times. I trust in you and believe in your intentions. But now give us ambition. Commissioner Cadiz, Commissioner Roswall, tackle pollution from source to sea. The time is now. Give us action.

President, do we want peace or to continue the war? As a socialist and as a representative from a country, a neutral Member State, I have traumatising worries, working only to create a war economy. From a single European market of peoples, goods, services and capital, we are transformed into one of destroying and non-combining ammunition and armaments. Yes, it is clear that there is a need and a serious fear of invasion on the territory of the Union. Especially now with the uncertainty coming from the other side of the Atlantic. And so I understand that European governments must join in joint efforts when it comes to their personal investment in defence. A sensible argument, but we cannot do so at the expense of the ambitions and hope of European citizens. Friends, at the same time and with the same strength, let's invest in people, in people's lives and not reduce them. Let us base the European economy on well-being and not on war, peace and not destruction.

President, Commissioner, European competitiveness should be a concept that strengthens the position of the Union, but also that lifts our citizens, communities and families, from metropolitan cities to our smallest island. Competitiveness and the environment go hand in hand, indeed, with simplification that strengthens the well-being of the citizen and not simplification without a resulting ecological responsibility, which risks our single market and humanity. A lack of ambition and regression is an attack on future generations. Let's be ambitious in water resilience in the ocean pact and the Mediterranean pact. Let us work together to solve our economic problems, ensure social justice and fight for better well-being for future generations.

Mr President, desertification is not a story from far, far away. Its serious implications have long been affecting the Mediterranean region due to its unique ecosystems, economic dependencies and limited natural resources. In southern Spain, over-irrigation has led to soil erosion. In Crete, aquifers have been overexploited, leading to salinisation. In the neighbouring Sahel region, desertification has displaced millions of people, increasing migratory pressures towards Europe. And in Malta, increased pressure on desalinisation plants raised energy consumption and costs, which are passed on to households and businesses. Today this is not a story only for southern Europeans. It is also a story shared with other Europeans from temperate and humid climates like Bulgaria. In fact, last year 45 % of the EU's territory faced drought, threatening food production and water security. Desertification is about humanity, our dependence on water for survival, and our need for water security and food security. Therefore, our response must be people-centred. The fight against desertification demands global cooperation, but it also starts at home in this very House. We need to dramatically increase our political commitment to water – we need to preserve our lands, help our nature to recover and conserve our water. And, dear Commissioner, we need to act now, with an ambitious European water resilience strategy before it is too late. As rapporteur of the Parliament's initiative, I call for decisive action to protect our people and resources and build a sustainable future of a liveable world for future generations to come.

Mr President, this is a discussion about the people, about the Maltese fisherman who is seeing fewer fish in the traps due to changes in fish migration, about the farmer in the Greek Islands who is seeing his olive trees bury under constant heat, about the family in Sardinia forced to ration water, even during the winter months. For those who regard the Mediterranean as their home, the situation is very severe as the region is warming 20 percent faster than the global average. This is the present history of the Mediterranean. A crisis that requires decisions on water resilience, on our farmers and fishermen, on our livelihoods. Last year was the hottest year in history. This is an existential threat that calls for immediate and swift global action in unfound political rhetoric. Colleagues, cooperation is non-negotiable. Will we be remembered as the leaders who turned the tide or as the ones who let it sweep us away? The clock is ticking, and the thermometer is rising. Let's not delay any further.

Mr President, a strong European competitiveness should go hand in hand with a Green Deal that is both ambitious and fair for all. The Green Deal reflects our collective commitment to a sustainable future for us and our children. But we cannot ignore the fact that its impact exists on small economies and vulnerable communities. Small countries and islands face unique challenges. Impact assessments are a crucial tool, but unfortunately they often fail to reflect Malta's specific realities: our limited space and resources, dependence on imports by air, sea, and direct effect from extreme elements. And so, dear Commissioner, that several Maltese and Gozitans feel that the Green Deal has ignored us. And so, looking to the future, I am calling for comprehensive and fair impact assessments to be carried out for each Member State in order to truly reflect the realities of the country. A green deal that is for all means inclusion, balance and safeguarding to our local communities. Let's build a Europe with a future, sustainable and competitive where no one is left behind.

Mr President, then, explain to me a few of you: is it saying that the right to freedom of speech should not have any structure of responsibility for our actions on social platforms? Tell me, do you want to have a right without responsibility for your actions? Do you want a false profile to have a right, without responsibility, to spread lies, to spread half manipulative truths and to spread distantly without any accounting? Do you think that our young people were ruined as I was when I was younger? Cyberbullying throughout childhood! That's what you want?

Madam President, access to clean drinking water is a human right. Yet this right is increasingly under threat. Across Europe, pollution, climate change and deepening inequalities are putting this right at risk. We must act now to improve access to drinking water while safeguarding sustainability and equity for all citizens across the EU. Research now reveals the alarming presence of PFAS – the 'forever chemicals' – in 94 % of EU drinking water samples. Malta, like other islands and peripheries, tries to balance unique challenges while still maintaining EU standards. We are water-stressed and we must acknowledge that we have areas in the EU which do not have clean drinking water or drinking water at all. Dear Commissioner, I have said it before and will repeat it again: we need a holistic and legally-binding European water resilience strategy. The time is now to establish robust EU standards, but with the needed flexibilities to adapt to local realities. We must act boldly, tackle pollution at source, effectively implement EU water quality standards across all Member States for both surface and groundwater, invest in resilient infrastructure and ensure affordability. No one should have to choose between paying their rent or their water bill. No one should have to choose between water and their health. Water is not profit – it's a lifeline for people. Europe must lead in safeguarding this fundamental right.

Mr President, plastic is everywhere: it is in the food we eat, the water we drink and the seas that once symbolized freedom and purity. The world is drowning in plastic, and we are running out of time to act. I just had lunch before this debate, and I can’t even be sure if what I ate is free from plastic. Every single day, the equivalent of 2.000 truckloads of plastic waste is dumped into the ocean. By 2050, our ocean could have more plastic than fish. That is where we are at, right now. Think about that for a moment. It is not just about visible litter, it is about invisible poison. It is about the toxic chemicals leaching into our soils, our ocean and yes, our bloodstreams. It is also about the carbon emissions from plastic production, which today are even higher than those of aviation. We must take tangible action now: the Global Plastic Treaty, which is being negotiated right now in South Korea, is our chance to turn the tide. This is not just a meeting, it is our world’s defining moment. But it can only be so if we take bold action with tangible action. We need ambitious, legally binding targets to cut plastic production. We need to end single-use plastics globally, ban harmful chemicals and hold accountable those who profit from this crisis and I call on those few states blocking this from happening to be ambitious and think about our common future and that of generations to come. And yes, a one-size-fits-all approach will not work, but I believe that good governance and sustainable mechanisms must guide this treaty. We must ensure equal access to alternatives and avoid creating additional burdens on our consumers and businesses, particularly our SMEs. An upstream approach is critical, addressing the entire lifecycle of plastics, from production, to use, to its disposal. And as you said, dear Commissioner, by focusing on product design and linking production with pollution, we can prevent waste before it even happens, and we can only do this together and for everyone. A just transition must ensure that no one is left behind: from waste pickers, that collect around 60 % of recycled plastic, to the impacted communities bearing the burden of our waste and our activists fighting the good fight, such as the Maltese swimmer Neil Agius, who is beating plastic one stroke at the time. This is not a European problem, this is a global crisis, but Europe has the power to lead and we have shown that bold action on climate is possible. Colleagues, this is not just about protecting our ocean, it is not about cleaning up our beaches, it is about protecting our future, our health, our humanity. Let us fight for a global treaty that does not just manage plastic pollution, but ends it.

Madam President, this is embarrassing. We are discussing the future of our ocean when the plenary has practically already ended, when most MEPs have already gone. Is this the attention our future deserves? This is a clear statement that our ocean, our future, is not a priority for the leadership of this Parliament. Dear colleagues – whoever is left – the ocean is in peril, with climate change, unruly destruction of our biodiversity and our fishers desperately trying to survive. It is vital to have a properly‑managed international network of marine protected areas, not just for biodiversity, but for the survival of our coastal communities that rely on a healthy ocean for their livelihood. We can't let this failure continue. The time to act is now. Let us deliver an Ocean Pact that truly protects our ocean and safeguards our livelihood. Empty promises won't cut it. We need binding targets like real funding, and the international political will to deliver, through marine protected areas, for our ocean, our communities and our future.

Mrs President, when a journalist dies, part of democracy dies. These were the words of my colleague, the Honourable Ruotolo. This is because journalism is an integral part of upholding the right. Malta is the first Member State to adopt anti-SLAPP rules and has made steps forward aimed at protecting journalists. But we can never say that enough has been done. There is always something to strengthen. There is always something to improve. Malta should therefore continue to strengthen its work so that freedom of expression is never threatened, and should do so for as long as it takes. The European Union must also protect journalists, and we can do this by promoting factual and dignified journalism that is under threat in a global context. Colleagues, my call is to upgrade our tools in a context of reality capable of undermining serious journalism. As much as social media help spread the news, increase the risk of misinformation, and in the context of artificial intelligence, our efforts must look at new realities so that truth is conveyed, so that truth is our justice.

Mr. President, we often feel comfortable talking about mental health only when it is something far away from us and our family. But today I would like to say to you that I go through moments of sadness and anxiety. If you're feeling like me, if you're suffering in silence, I understand you. But we need to learn to talk. Many times I thought I was alone, but the numbers say otherwise. According to this year's Eurobarometer, two out of three people in Malta felt that they had emotional or psychosocial problems. Then more than half of them, did not seek professional help. Why? Because there is still shame, there is still fear. Let us be the voice of those who are afraid to speak up. Let us offer a hand to those who are silently suffering, and so I call on you friends to ensure prevention. How? By legislating in all sectors, we put the well-being of every individual at the centre of our work. By legislating to make a better world for future generations.

Mr President, I am the son of Gozo, a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The Maltese and Gozitans are directly affected by the impact of climate change. Extreme weather events are no longer just environmental issues, but now also have a major social impact. Climate change is having a disproportionate impact, especially on vulnerable people. Basic rights that we are used to, such as access to water and electricity, are no longer guaranteed. And this situation is evolving into a social crisis that is seriously impacting our communities across Europe and beyond, in particular our farmers and fishermen. Malta is not alone in this situation. All European islands and peripheral regions are in a very precarious situation, because our already limited resources are now being impacted to a much greater extent by climate change. As a Gozitan, I appeal to the European Union not to leave any island alone in this situation.

Mr President, today we are facing an urgent public health challenge. One that knows no borders and calls for a joint European response. The spread of Mpox has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. This situation should not be overlooked, even though experts are currently saying that the risk in Europe is still low. We have already seen the devastating impact of this virus in other regions, especially in the Congo, where children account for more than seventy percent of reported cases. This should remind us of the vulnerability of marginalised populations and the urgent need for global solidarity. We need to do more in Europe. European Mpox cases are a warning that we must act now to ensure our preparedness and prevent further spread. The lessons learned from COVID-19 are clear. Proactive and coordinated measures save lives and even resources. The Union shall ensure transparency and facilitate cooperation between all Member States. In addition, we must combat the stigmatisation of patients. This virus should not become a source of discrimination or fear, especially among the LGBTIQ+ community. We want to ensure support for all those seeking diagnosis and treatment. This is more than a medical challenge. This is a European challenge of solidarity, resilience and respect.