Speeches

Madam President, When you look at the relationship between the European Parliament and the Commission, you have to look at the figures: We are 720 MEPs here in the European Parliament, the Commission has 30,000 employees. Therefore, the balance of power is fixed. We need three things. Firstly: Full transparency. It cannot be the case that a Commission President does not disclose her SMS with Pfizer. Secondly: We need a real right of initiative. We MEPs must be able to table bills ourselves and then vote on them, and the Commission must then also comply with these laws. And thirdly, as a regional representative, I say this: We need the principle of connectivity. If the Commission adopts regulations, it must give the municipalities, the Member States, the Sach‑ and human resources to ensure that these laws are complied with.

Madam President, time for summertime to stay. Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, We turn the clocks, but what's the gain? Twice a year, the same old pain. Politics can talk for hours on end, yet time itself refuses to bend. We call it progress, but let's be fair: this policy is stuck in yesteryear. Summertime, wintertime, what a loss: whoever thought this up wasn't thinking of us. Saving energy, that was the plan. But what's been saved? Honestly, none. Only nerves that tremble, bodies that strain, kids still asleep when alarms complain. And Europe stays silent again. Let me be plain – I won't pretend – we free voters say this must end. People want stability, not stress, not this twice-yearly time-travel mess. And here's the best part: this isn't just the feeling, it's a fact, cold and clear, written in black and white, right here. The Commission asked the people once – 2018, remember the year? Millions replied loud and sincere, 'We don't want this anymore. Get rid of it.' But Ursula looked away, and Europe, well, it lost its wit. The answer lying on the table, but no one dares, or no one's able. That's no progress, that's Brussels sleepwalking under neon light. From Bavaria to Bohemia, from Rome to Madrid, people are saying, 'Enough of this, get rid!' The farmer knows when the sun will rise, without Brussels twisting the skies. We speak of progress, we praise mankind, yet we can't make up our European mind. A Union that can't decide on time should start listening to its people's rhyme. So, friends of the hour, I'll say it clear: who wasted time loses gear. Let's fix this, simple and fair, the people are tired and rightly aware. Only summertime, no more wintertime – I want living time! One clock that simply stays true. No tricks, no spin, no political déjà vu. For if we can't yet change the world, then let's at least count hours well. Europe, wake up, you've overslept, it's time for summertime to stay. To Ursula: who does not move with the times, goes with the times, as time goes by. I'm Joachim Streit, I've no tears in the eye to say, 'Winter is coming, make summertime stay, Time change, goodbye.'

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank Sandro Gozi for his really excellent report and may add the following comments: The idea of introducing a right of initiative for us MEPs, for the European Parliament, is essential. Because only that makes up the free mandate of a member of parliament, that he can also change things himself, where he realizes that laws are going badly. That is, we must have the right to repeal laws or to introduce our own. Important for me as a former mayor and mayor: the principle of connectivity – whoever orders must also pay. I say the same as a member of the Committee on Budgets. And if the EU adopts laws that cost money locally, in the municipalities, in the cities, then you have to give this money to the municipalities. And the third point: Unanimity principle. It cannot be that leaders like Orbán lead us around the ring in the arena with the unanimity principle and then buy their vote with money. That is why it is very, very important that we come to the majority principle here, with the exception of EU enlargement: Then all Member States should agree.

Madam President, Commissioner! If cohesion funds account for one third of the EU budget, then that is a very important point to which we are allowed to speak today, and it also impresses me as a member of the Committee on Budgets. It is very, very important that we bring together the multitude of funds and make it easier – easier for those with local responsibilities. That is why I am glad, Commissioner Fitto, that you are co-responsible here, because you are a regional politician from birth, and as a regional politician you know exactly what politicians want on the ground: They don't want centralism, they don't want complicated procedures, they don't want to be dependent on the politics of their home country, but they want to draw up a plan with the people on the ground, how their region should be built for the future. That is why we must be careful not to adopt a centralised approach to cohesion policy, as Mrs von der Leyen would like, but in principle we must remain where cohesion policy has always been, namely with the municipalities. This means: Subsidiarity; It will be decided locally. And secondly: What I want is a connection. If the EU wants something that does not yet take place on the ground, then you also have to give the means, both for the staff and for the things.

Madam President, This citizens' initiative offers us the opportunity to highlight the treasures of our regions, our cultural and geographical heritage. Just think of the wine route in the Palatinate, the Moselle, the Nahe, the Lahn region, the Westerwald and the Eifel and many more – these are our treasures, which are sustainable destinations. We need more of it. We need other EU-supported destinations in Rhineland-Palatinate and throughout Germany. This is where our untapped tourism potential lies. It's certainly not all gold that shines, but you have to lower the quorum here. We have so many goals that we can be proud of. With the help of the EU, we will make these stars shine. And as free voters in the future government of Rhineland-Palatinate, we will also invest one euro per night in the marketing of tourism. Tourism is a leading economy of the 21st century.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the rapporteur for his report. The European Investment Bank is a key instrument for achieving European objectives. Your AAA rating is the basis for cheap and long-term financing and must be maintained. I support the strategic roadmap focusing on competitiveness, innovation and security, but new tasks need to be tackled in an economically viable, risk-aware manner and with sufficient capital buffers. The quality of investment is crucial. Risk capital in particular needs clear criteria and verifiable impact. And Northvolt shows the risks of industrial-policy-motivated investments. I am in favour of setting up a committee of inquiry in Germany to investigate the role of the Federal Government and Federal Minister of Economics Habeck. Economic viability and genuine competitiveness must be at the centre of attention. And as a former district administrator, I say that access to European Investment Bank funds, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises and structurally weak regions, must be simplified, but made efficient and accountable.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the rapporteur for his report. The European Investment Bank is a key instrument for achieving European objectives. Your AAA rating is the basis for cheap and long-term financing and must be maintained. I support the strategic roadmap focusing on competitiveness, innovation and security, but new tasks need to be tackled in an economically viable, risk-aware manner and with sufficient capital buffers. The quality of investment is crucial. Risk capital in particular needs clear criteria and verifiable impact. And Northvolt shows the risks of industrial-policy-motivated investments. I am in favour of setting up a committee of inquiry in Germany to investigate the role of the Federal Government and Federal Minister of Economics Habeck. Economic viability and genuine competitiveness must be at the centre of attention. And as a former district administrator, I say that access to European Investment Bank funds, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises and structurally weak regions, must be simplified, but made efficient and accountable.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, The EU is at a crossroads: Do we want a Union of Responsibility or do we want a Union of Permanent Debt? The attitude of the free voters is very clear here: We say no to the debt union. The Corona Fund was a one-time exception in a historic crisis and not a free pass for ever new joint loans. What began as an exception must not become a habit. Every new common debt undermines budgetary discipline, shifts responsibility to future generations and jeopardises Europe's stability. This is neither generational nor sustainable. Sustainability no longer means debt, but sustainability means reform. That is why we are committed to a Europe that remains strong on its own: clear priorities, courage to reform and responsible fiscal policies. I will not agree to a debt union.

Mr President, Mr Fitto, Executive Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen! What better way to say about cohesion policy than by being a local politician yourself? There are three keys for me, and they all have three to do with responsibility. First, responsible action. Second, responsible decision-making, and third, responsible management. If you see that 5.6 % of the money is simply flowing away in action, then with an EU budget of 190 billion, that is around 10 billion euros; It is necessary to put a stop to this. Secondly: responsible decision-making. We need to let the local people participate in our decisions so that we are better prepared for the conditions on the ground. And thirdly: Knowledge of location is the soul of service. Funds must also flow directly into regions and not take the detour via the state or the state states. That is why, Mr. Executive Vice-President Fitto, I would like to invite you to Germany, to Rhineland-Palatinate, to my homeland, to the Eifel, and I would be delighted if you accept this invitation.

Madam President, Dear Commissioner, Ladies and Gentlemen! From 25 years of experience as mayor and district administrator, I know what it's like to work with people with disabilities, but also their families and relatives. There is always a lot to do, and what we do is always too little – whether it is about recognising the degree of disability, whether it is about the European Disability Card, training people dealing with the disabled, education, women or work. With us in the district administration, we had the quota of 9% almost twice as high as it was provided for by law. And it's still too little. I also want to talk about supporters today. With us there is the association Lichtblick. Rudolf Rinnen, the chairman, has raised hundreds of thousands of euros in over 20 years to support disabled people – whether with dolphin therapies or to help their relatives when the loan installments could not be paid or clothing was to be procured. This is also where we have to look, because without these people, working with people with disabilities would be impossible.

Mr President! Dear colleagues, Trust is the currency of democracy and that trust is at stake. If allegations of corruption in the civil service are not relentlessly clarified, then our political order is in danger. No one is above the law – not national governments, not public institutions, nor the European Union. The unpublished text messages from Commission President von der Leyen on vaccine procurement are a prime example of what citizens rightly criticise: Intransparency, lack of accountability and fear of unpleasant questions and their answers. According to the latest polls, two-thirds of Europeans do not believe that corruption at the top is being seriously persecuted. It's not just shameful, it's dangerous. We must finally stop glossing over grievances and obscuring the truth. Leadership must be earned every day. Because one thing is clear: If you want to trust democracy, you have to trust it.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen! The Russian Shadow Fleet is estimated to have at least 600 tankers. And I voted in favour of this resolution today. Because the Russian Shadow Fleet are old ships that often sail without insurance and often change their name and flag registration. These ships are therefore a major threat to the environment and the seas – I am thinking in particular of Germany and the North Sea and the Baltic Sea – and also violate the spirit of the EU sanctions regime, because in this way Russia is undermining EU sanctions and calling at European ports. It is essential that we entrust the European Public Prosecutor's Office with the task of investigating these offences as well, and to place the whole thing under sanctions on the issue of environmental protection. Ladies and gentlemen, the Russian Shadow Fleet is violating European law, and we must put an end to that.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen! With the recent election of Donald Trump, it is more important than ever to close the investment gap in security in Europe, strengthen productivity and further strengthen climate action to sustainably consolidate the EU's strategic autonomy. Against this background, I would like to present to you today the proposed amendment to the Statute of the European Investment Bank and explain why I consider it necessary. Specifically, the application concerns the so-called gearing ratio the bank, which currently stands at 250%. In the case of normal commercial banks, it is above 1000%. This ceiling represents the ratio between the outstanding loans and the guarantees of the Bank and its subscribed capital. Under the current proposal, this ceiling is to be increased to 290% following the unanimous decision of the Board of Governors. The request is based on a recommendation from the Capital Requirements Review (CAF), an independent review of the resilience of multilateral development banks mandated by the G20. The recommendation for the EIB is therefore to give it greater flexibility in defining its risk management in order to fill the investment gaps in Europe. This is also necessary as the requirements of modern financial standards must be met and the necessary capacity of the EIB to act in a complex geopolitical environment is required. At the same time, it is still important to me that the unanimity requirement is maintained in order to ensure that any future adjustment of the gearing ratio is shared by all Member States, thus maintaining a balance of power. So I ask for your approval and thank you for your attention.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, dear President Murphy! I am very concerned about the recent results of the Court of Auditors' report. An error rate of 5.6% is well above the acceptable threshold and poses a threat to sound financial management. These figures show that European policies can no longer follow the ‘more money helps more’ principle. The error rate for the RRF is even higher; These are the grants and loans for reforms in the Member States. If around a third of the payments do not meet the stipulated conditions, this is a scandal and there is an urgent need for action. There is an urgent need to review the efficiency of all programmes and ensure that every euro serves its purpose. Caution is needed in view of the rising debt of the EU, which has now reached 460 billion euros: Europe must not become dependent on additional debt. Instead, we need sound financial planning and clear priorities to ensure stability. I therefore call on the European Commission to review and discontinue inefficient programmes. Less bureaucracy and more efficiency must be our goal.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! Our thoughts are with the victims of the tragic flood disaster in the affected areas. I myself was operational manager for a similar flood in my home district of Bitburg-Prüm in 2018, and I was allowed to be a member of the flood inquiry commission after the tragic floods in Rhineland-Palatinate in 2021. We have no problem understanding these floods. What is happening here is a classic Vb situation, but it is amplified by the fact that the Mediterranean is warming more and more. What we are experiencing now, we will experience more often, so prevention is important. This European Flood Awareness System is very good and prepares the people and the disaster forces for it. However, it is also important to further strengthen civil protection on the ground. Preliminary measures such as retention areas and rainwater retention are very important, also because in these times the tide is usually followed by a drought and the water, which is collected at high tide, can also be used for hot summers and for irrigation. Important for me...