Speeches

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Mr. Minister, I'm sorry. It is high time to say here in this House that the European Union cannot only be a payer, but above all it must be an active player who creates solutions for security, but also for security in the Middle East. This situation in the Middle East is the most difficult in many years. The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 brought chaos, led to bloodshed, but we are also waiting all the time for the release of all the hostages of the terrorists. I want to make it very clear that we must pursue an active policy. It is also a policy that supports democratic processes, civil society, but also responds to humanitarian crises. The Gaza Strip is currently in such a crisis. And a very important thing - when Americans withdraw their development aid, humanitarian aid, we have to take responsibility. It is also our responsibility, ours, our generation to the world and to these people.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Mr. Minister, I'm sorry. Three years of war and three years of unwavering support from European allies. Our goal is for Ukraine to win, for Ukraine to recover and be a strong European country. Ukraine strengthens Europe, makes it stronger, safer and will be economically more powerful. Three things I want to talk about. Firstly, it is a common migration strategy and the imminent demographic crisis in Ukraine. At least 7.5 million citizens have left Ukraine in these three years. In order for Ukraine to develop further, these people must return to Ukraine. The demographic crisis is huge. The average age has increased sharply. The second is support for veterans. Commissioner, this is a very important matter. When this war is over, there will be 2 million veterans. You also need to help them financially, socially, psychologically. They'll be treating trauma for years. And the third issue is support in political dialogue. When Ukraine is...

Madam President, this debate is very timely because substantially the US President raised tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. In Europe, the steel industry accounts for 300 000 jobs and indirectly for up to 2.53 million. In my country, Poland, 18 000 people work directly on steel. The United States is our key strategic partner. We share common values, strong economic ties, and a commitment to global stability. We must remain focused on the fundamental goal: supporting a fellow democracy in its defence against an aggressive autocratic regime. Its failure would be a strategic defeat for us all. Allies should not be burdened by excessive tariffs. Let me quote Ronald Reagan, who said these words in the times of fight between the free world and the evil empire: 'Our peaceful trading partners are not our enemies. They are our allies. We should beware of the demagogues who are ready to declare a trade war against our friends – weakening our economy, our national security, and the entire free world.' Let's focus on common enemies instead of seeking enemies among the allies. The US and the EU must stay the course.

Mr President, Mr Commissioner, dear colleagues, the worsening political situation in Georgia demands our immediate attention. Just one month ago, I visited Tbilisi with a cross-party delegation of seven MEPs and I have to tell you very openly that the last Georgian election was stolen, and the only legitimate representative of Georgia is President Zourabichvili. The European Parliament has reaffirmed its support for the Georgian people, but what we need now are actions. First of all, Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream officials must be sanctioned, including asset freezing. We need action. We just have to stop talking. I strongly condemn violence against the people and threats against the President. I ask the Commission, I ask the Council: do your job. You have to be with the Georgian people. Georgia is a candidate country. We need them.

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, Mr. Secretary of State! The High House! Unfortunately, the Belarusian regime is an authoritarian dictatorship, a state where the death penalty is carried out and the Belarusian people are held hostage in the hands of the usurper Lukashenka. Currently, according to the ‘Viasna’ association, 1,254 political prisoners are being held in prisons. Many of them are participants in the 2020 protests following the fraudulent presidential elections. But among these prisoners is also Andrzej Poczobut. Andrzej Poczobut, about whom the Polish delegation will always talk, remind, was imprisoned for fictitious charges and is still being held. He's Polish, he's Belarusian. The European Union upholds values and must uphold them - this is a fundamental task. We want to say one more thing clearly. No one in this room, no one in Europe, the Polish Presidency will recognise the so-called presidential elections that Lukashenko and his regime are organising this weekend. Lukashenko's regime is also a collaborator of Putin. Let's remember that. It's a live Belarus!

Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Mr. Secretary of State! America has chosen, and we have to do our part. I want to make it very clear that Europe is entering a new era of relations with the US, and we heard many plans during President Trump's inauguration. It is known that this cooperation will be difficult, but it creates an opportunity if we as Europe remain united. The issue of security is the most important for Europe, and the defence of Ukraine is the most important for Europe's security. Peace in Ukraine is a priority for all, for Europe as well as for the United States. Russia doesn't want it. It is Russia that continues its criminal, brutal aggression. Peace in Ukraine will only be real if Ukraine is independent and sovereign, with real security guarantees. But there will also be peace when these decisions are made by Ukraine itself. I want to make it very clear that we must also do our work in Europe. First and foremost, the European Defence Union must become a reality. You should stop using words, use the so-called "soft talc" and move on to the real power that the European Union can create. Europe's security has never depended so much on us. And this is also the chance of the Polish Presidency. The aim of the Polish Presidency, this question is also addressed to Minister Szłapka, is to maintain the unity of Europe, to maintain unity for security, and we treat security primarily as an investment. What must be our relationship with the new administration in America? Pragmatic and partnered. But the issue of security must be at the heart of our common attention.

Mr President, thank you very much. Hostage-taking is an indisputable war crime that we cannot tolerate either in the European Parliament or in the world, and anyone who commits these acts must be held accountable and judged fairly. This is fundamental, both morally and legally. This ceasefire that is taking place is very important. And this is also the success of American diplomacy, which should be continued and protected. From the very beginning, I was part of a very narrow group of national parliamentarians who, despite the pressure and difficulties, were involved in the release of the hostages. A month after the Hamas terrorist attack, I was in Israel, I was in Kibbutz Kfar Azza as President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and I called for the release of the hostages. Among the hostages who were murdered was Polish citizen Alex Dancyg, born in Warsaw. But in this group of 33 hostages, who are to be released in the coming days, there is another Polish citizen Oded Lifshitz. I hope this release will happen. I want to emphasize a very important thing. The European Union must also play an increasingly important role in resolving international conflicts and building global peace. It is our responsibility, it is our values that require us to defend life, freedom and human dignity.

Commissioner, I would like to assure you that the new Minister of Justice, Attorney General Adam Bodnar, has decided that the National Prosecutor's Office will revert to all cases dismissed for political reasons. The fact that today I had to say that the former Deputy Minister of Justice would be prosecuted with a red notice from Interpol is a disgrace to that government. We stopped the theft. Poland will never be a country like Hungary, where power makes itself an oligarch, where politicians make money from their public service. Never again!

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. The European Union is at the forefront of international organisations when it comes to developing and implementing anti-corruption solutions. And although the Union's action in this area could be better coordinated and more effective, it cannot be said that the Union ignores this problem. The European Union directive is an important step towards a unified anti-corruption policy. The aim of the directive is to harmonise standards for the prevention and prevention of corruption, including preventive measures. There is a commitment to carry out regular assessments to identify sectors of public life that are particularly vulnerable to corruption, as well as plans to respond to these risks. In all these areas, Poland has a lot to do. What has happened over the past 8 years under the Law and Justice Party is a denial of any standards of integrity and honesty in public life. An absolutely reprehensible period was the time of the pandemic, purchases that were made in violation of the law and economy. I want to say very clearly that Polish law is strict, but in recent years the party prosecutor's office has not applied it effectively, because such cases, where their names appeared, were dismissed, protracted and did not reach the judicial stage. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Polish prosecutor's office has today requested a red notice from Interpol against the former deputy minister of justice, PiS deputy Marcin Romanowski, who was sentenced to three months' pre-trial detention. We will prosecute such people everywhere in order to bring them to justice.

Madam President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. The high house! This war has been going on for 1,028 days. But the lie trying to justify the aggression and subsequent crimes of a terrorist country like the Putin regime began much earlier. It started with falsifying history, a lying narrative about defending the Russian-speaking population, and ended with a special military operation, another big lie. Putin's full-scale war brought death, rape, terror, mass abduction of Ukrainian children, bombing of schools, hospitals and old people's homes. Absurd narratives have been created about the threat to Russian security posed by NATO enlargement. Appears whataboutism, It aims to diminish Russian war crimes by showing that others are waging wars as well. For years, my country, Poland and the Baltic States have been portrayed as enemies of Russia. The government in Kiev has been represented in the same way for years. We cannot ignore these signals. We must counter Russian propaganda, fight troll farms on social media, but above all, we must debunk the Russian false narrative.

Mr President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. The Digital Services Act (DSA) was intended to be a European safeguard against online disinformation. Recent events have confirmed that this regulation is not enough. The elections in Romania are a foretaste of what other member states, including my homeland, Poland, may face in next year's presidential elections, soon and on a much larger scale. Social resilience is one of the key challenges for the new Commission, but also for the Polish Presidency. No country, no social media, no money pumped into the Chinese platform can influence the democratic electoral process with impunity. The system does not protect our society from lies and disinformation. It is our shared responsibility to learn from this bitter Romanian lesson. We should think about what to do with entities that do not control the flow of information and interfere so strongly in our daily choices. I would like to point out that it is very important what tools disinformation uses. This is deepfake, this is manipulated data, this is misappropriated information. They fall into people's mistrust and ignorance. They have a powerful influence on attitudes and elections. We need to make sure that these social media provide information that is true and respond to false information and lies.

Madam President, thank you very much. Ombudswoman, please! This is a very important debate on the 2023 report, but I want to take this opportunity to highlight the role of the European Ombudsman in defending our common values of transparency, impartiality and the rule of law. I would also like to point out that there is a need for greater visibility for this office. In the future, we will elect a new spokesperson or a new spokesperson at this session of Parliament. I would like to say that cooperation with non-governmental organisations plays a very important role. Every citizen has the right to make a complaint. But I want to draw attention to the need to cooperate with non-governmental organizations dealing with the interests of the elderly, the interests of people with dependency, disability, in the crisis of homelessness. An important new role for the Ombudsman should also be to draw attention to migration and asylum issues.

Mr President, thank you very much. Representatives of the Commission! I would like to hear one message from this room today, which is a paraphrase of the fight for the rights of Polish women: You will never walk alone. You will always have your allies in this Parliament, in the European Parliament. The high house! For too long, the Iranian regime has used violence to silence the voices of women demanding dignity, freedom and equality. The murder of Mahsa Amini was not an isolated incident. It was the result of a regime that sees women's autonomy as a threat. Since then, countless women have been beaten, detained and executed for exercising their basic rights. These repressions do not take place in a vacuum. The authorities in Tehran act as part of the axis of evil, forming alliances with other authoritarian regimes that undermine the global order and stability. The links between Iran, Russia and Korea should worry us all.

Dear President, Commissioner, Colleagues, In 2020, during the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, Marian Turski said: “Never be indifferent when any minority is discriminated against.” And I have the impression that he also addressed these words to representatives of some political circles in this Chamber. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am concerned about the legislative changes taking place in Bulgaria or Hungary. Populists, nationalists, and people of ill will exploit affection for non-heteronormative people and objectify minorities for political purposes. Our task, the task of this and future Commission, is also to uphold human dignity, to uphold human rights. I want to say very clearly: Such actions violate the obligations under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Treaties. And attacking one group opens the door to further violations against other groups. Failure to respond at EU level risks setting a dangerous precedent. I would like to talk about Poland, about my country. For 8 years, the situation of non-heteronormative people was dramatic. The government used scorn on these people, treating it as politics, as government policy, through hatred and division. I want to make it very clear that there are good changes that I want to talk about. Yesterday, the Council of Ministers of Prime Minister Donald Tusk adopted provisions that hate speech against people on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity will be prosecuted ex officio. There are good changes.

Dear Madam President, Madam President of the Commission, This is a very important moment for Europe's security. And it is a crucial and historic moment that we are appointing a Commissioner for Defence. Today, Prime Minister Tusk is in Sweden for a meeting of the prime ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries. He talks about security, because we are preparing for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. What is important, Madam President, is, above all, the renewal of the dialogue between the European Union and NATO, as you are already doing. We have to be strong. We have to be together. And this is a strategic partnership of key value. But also the challenge that will be the challenge of the Polish Presidency is to renew and formalize the dialogue with the United Kingdom, our key NATO partner in Europe in the area of security and defence. What are the plans in this regard? And can your cabinet confirm the direction I have been talking about today?

Madam President, Vice-President Borrell, dear colleagues, as the new standing rapporteur on the United States for the Foreign Affairs Committee, and in the light of the outcome of the American election, I think there are a few things we need to keep in mind. First, we must maintain our strategic partnership with the United States. NATO is a key guarantor and Article 5 cannot be questioned by anyone. This is what the NATO Alliance is all about. But we must remember, especially in this House of democracy, we are the EU. We are a political union and we cannot be divided. We must demand to be respected in this transatlantic relationship. This is what a true relationship should look like. The first test of this should be Ukraine and our shared commitment to supporting it until victory is achieved. We must finish the job before 20 January. No more red lines for Ukraine using Western weapons. And both the United States and European countries must speed up the delivery of weapons that Ukraine desperately needs. We are ready to stand the course. We are ready to cooperate with the new elected US officials.

Madam President, thank you very much. Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland decided to liquidate the consulate of the Russian Federation in Poznań due to the facts revealed by the Polish services related to the arson that is taking place in Poland and behind which Putin's regime is behind. But we also want to talk about actions that we can take in the collective interest at the level of the European Union. We need to build resilient societies, we need to build resilient states and a resilient community. A very important element that I also want to talk about is building resilience in our neighbours. This is also a guarantee of our safety. I would like to ask the Commissioner, do you also see a role for the European institutions in this area (for all of us at the moment, Moldova is an example of building such resilience and an important point of reference)?

Madam President, dear colleagues, Iran is a leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing financial, logistical and military support to militant groups. It allocates USD 700 million annually to train a fund the regime's various proxies, including Hezbollah and Hamas. They conduct terrorist activities across Europe and the Middle East. The Iranian regime also supplies drones and missiles to Russia for its terror war against Ukraine and trains Russian soldiers on occupied Ukrainian territory. There has been recently an increase in Iran-linked threats, a rise of Iranian intelligence activities in Europe. We need to urgently address state-sponsored terrorism by Iran to protect European citizens. We need to advocate for sanctions targeting Iranian officials and entities implicated in terrorism. We need to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group.

Mr President, thank you very much. The High House! For 970 days, Ukraine has been fighting not only for its own freedom, for its own sovereignty, for its territorial integrity, but also for our security – the security of the 27 Member States. Today, the European Parliament decides whether to accept the proposal of the G7 leaders. Absolutely, yes. The need to use this macro-financial assistance. It is also necessary for Ukraine to be able to benefit from those funds that have been frozen. But the following question arises: Is that enough? In my opinion, it is not only necessary to freeze, not only to take over, but simply to hand over to Ukraine. These funds have to work. Not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, but today, so that Ukraine can win this war. Winter is approaching, which will be a very dangerous time for Ukraine due to attacks on critical and energy infrastructure – Ukraine may be deprived of electricity. This help is needed, it is temporary. Let's give the green light, but let's work on more courageous decisions in the future.

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, The law-abiding Poland is back. It came back a year ago, and Article 7 no longer applies. For six years, the European Commission has been conducting proceedings against Poland for serious infringements. But I also want to talk about other things, about what we've been able to do over the last year. First of all, we want Poland to be free from corruption. That is why Poland joined the European Public Prosecutor's Office. This is a very important step in restoring the rule of law. These are changes in the National Prosecutor’s Office – a competition that was open and which is the first step before separating the functions of the Minister of Justice and the Prosecutor General. It is a free media – public media, which is now open to all political actors. It is, finally, the Supreme Audit Office, which can function because it has a staffed college of this Chamber. But we have a lot of work ahead of us. And I want to say very clearly: The government is determined on October 15. We're going back. But we are also returning as an example to other countries – for example Hungary Orbán – that change is possible, that it is needed, that it really depends on the strength of the people, on the strength of the voters, whether we return to the place that is intended for us – in free, fair societies and in free and fair governments.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. This will be the most important election in 20 years and will determine the direction of this country for the next decades. In Georgia there is an atmosphere of harassment, an industry of contempt for political opponents, for the opposition. This has to stop. We also need to change the law. What Georgia does not need is draft laws and laws on foreign agents that are inspired – in fact within the Russian Federation – that can actually be a blow to civil society, or laws that can be a blow to the LGBT community. All this means that the election on 26 October will be a major one. This also shows that the European and Euro-Atlantic path of Georgia must be unwavering, and this is worth mentioning. On the other hand, power, especially power that violates standards, which also violates democratic standards, has an impact on how it is perceived also here in the European Parliament. And it is worth mentioning one name: Mikheil Saakashvili, former president, third president of independent Georgia – he is still a prisoner and his fate must be defended here. This is one of those politicians who put Georgia on this European path. Let Georgia stay on this European path.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Today, one message has to come out of the European Parliament: Moldova will be a member of the European Union. This path is irreversible. The resolution prepared by the European People's Party and parliamentarians of the Civic Coalition from Poland is a strong voice of support on the European road and our opposition to attempts by Russia to interfere in the upcoming elections and constitutional referendum. The invasion of Ukraine by a terrorist country such as Putin's Russia has accelerated the weakening of Russian influence in the country. This provokes the fury of the regime and entails unprecedented pressure and illicit blackmail. The FSB director mentions Moldova as a country that could become another state affected by armed conflict. This is an attempt to create a chilling effect on society. At the beginning of September in Chisinau, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk assured President Maia Sandu and the Moldovan Parliament of our full support for accession. The Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union will treat enlargement of the European Union as a priority. What lessons do we need to learn from this? We as Europe, we as Europeans, must consistently build social resilience, fight disinformation and attempts to interfere in democratic electoral processes, build energy independence and build a strong European defence union. You have to move from soft conversations to hard power.

One contemporary authority, Holocaust survivor Marian Turski, formulated the eleventh commandment: Don't be indifferent. And we in Poland are not indifferent. And in Poland we remember. A year ago, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. The victims were civilians, including children. Those who have been champions of peace and reconciliation for years have also been attacked, kidnapped and killed. Among them was Alex Danzig, a murdered, Warsaw-born Holocaust historian. There is no justification for an act of terror. The Jewish state has the right to exist, and challenging this fact is an expression of anti-Semitism. But what is worse, there is also the phenomenon of denial undermining the veracity of the pogrom on October 7. I also want to say that there are also innocent victims of this war, and I express my sympathy for the tragedy of Palestinian civilians. I also join in grief with the family of the Polish volunteer Damian Sobol, killed during the attack of the Israeli armed forces on the humanitarian convoy. I hope that a political solution will be found that will enable the Israeli and Palestinian people to coexist in peace, enjoying freedom and equal rights. I demand the unconditional release of all hostages.

Mr President, thank you very much. High European Parliament. With this resolution, which we have prepared together, we bear witness that we believe in a free and democratic Belarus, but we also bear witness to the fact that we do not forget the political prisoners of the Lukashenka regime. 1332 people are on the list of the Center for Human Rights Vysna. We remember Ales Bialiatski, we remember Mary Kalesnikava, we remember Siarhei Tsikhanouski, but on this long list there is a particularly important name for us Poles - Andrzej Poczobut. He is a Polish Belarusian journalist, social activist and activist of Polish unions in Belarus. A person who was responsible and involved in the promotion and protection of Polish cultural heritage in difficult political conditions. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in a penal colony. Today we call for: release Andrzej Poczobut! But let us also remember about a free and democratic Belarus. Alive Belarus!

Madam President, thank you very much. Mr. Commissioner, I would like to thank you. The topic we are talking about is very important. This is organised crime, which poses a serious threat to the internal security of the European Union. Poland, its location on the eastern border of the European Union makes it a transit country and is, so to speak, a very strong space for smuggling, possible smuggling. The hybrid war in Belarus targeted the EU, but also Poland, and was a perfect example of how organised crime groups benefit from such situations. That is why it is so important to strengthen the tightness of our external borders and to control who enters the European Union. But there is another subject on which I would like to raise, Your Majesty, and on which I would like to inform you. This problem is corruption. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the European Parliament of the 10th legislature, together with the Council, work towards an anti-corruption directive together with the Commission. The Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union is also an opportunity, an opportunity to accelerate this work. We're ready to go. We are also ready to talk to the civil society sector, Transparency International and Polish and European NGOs to bring this matter to an end. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that we, as the Polish delegation in the European People's Party, are pleased that our representative, the representative of the Polish government, Piotr Serafin, will also have the fight against fraud in his portfolio, a very strong, strong portfolio that he has received outside the budget. We very much want to strengthen the work not only of Europol, but also of OLAF. This must be our guardian of our funds, so that they are never embezzled again.