What Reinier spoke about.

21

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens (debate)

Madam President, Mr Letta, a good idea is 1 % of starting a business. Last week, I met entrepreneurs overflowing with ideas to create a climate‑neutral economy – from reusing the heat produced by a warm shower to heating your home with small modular data centres, there is an abundance of good ideas. But the idea is only 1 %; the other 99 % is the execution. Mr Letta, your report shows how competit…

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia (debate)

Mr President, Kartlis Deda – mother of Georgians; her statue on top of Sololaki Hill in Tbilisi shows the spirit of Georgia. In one hand a bowl of wine, because guests are welcomed like family; a sword in the other, because if you come in bad faith, they will resist. Sakartvelo: a country whose proud people speak an ancient language, and can tell you beautiful stories about their diverse people an…

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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Strengthening Moldova's resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration (debate)

Mr President, as a member of Volt, the European Movement, I've been part of many elections across our continent. Volunteers are usually the backbone of election campaigns, but in Moldova, for some political parties, that backbone is Russian money. In September alone, EUR 15 million from Russia was spent on bribing people and distorting the elections – in one month! That's 30 times more than the ye…

17

Sep

2024

EN Speech

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Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States (debate)

Mr President, today, exactly 80 years ago, my grandfather ran outside and looked up at the sky. He saw hundreds of men descending with parachutes: the start of Operation Market Garden. In this huge effort by the Allied forces to free the Netherlands, thousands of soldiers lost their lives to bring democracy, freedom and peace. A fight for the same causes is now being fought on our continent. But n…