Speeches

Mr. President, the great digital public square has revolutionized our society, opening up enormous opportunities, but also exposing us to serious risks. This debate is crucial because, unlike those of us who fight for a public, healthy and quality debate, respecting the freedom of expression of those who use disinformation as a mechanism of social manipulation, today we find ourselves with serious vulnerabilities associated with the bot farms that have operated on TikTok during the elections in Romania. The European Union provided itself in the previous legislature with legal tools to combat this type of situation through the Digital Services Act and is already acting. This regulation provides a framework for demanding transparency and accountability from digital platforms. It is essential that these tools are used not only to react to incidents, but also to prevent the manipulation of future democratic processes. Digital skills education and the promotion of critical thinking are fundamental pillars for citizens to be able to discern between the true and the false in the digital information tumult. I therefore advocate a policy of freedom of expression that is inclusive and equitable. For us to build a true digital democracy in Europe, we need platforms that are transparent, that implement the Digital Services Act and that fight foreign interference. We Spaniards live it in Catalonia and today it is Romania who suffers. Because diversity of ideas is the essence of democracy, but manipulation is the root of its death.

Madam President, Commissioner, welcome. I would like to begin by sending a message of solidarity with the victims of the island of Mayotte, whom we hope this reform can also help with reconstruction. Today, the European Union responds urgently by mobilising cohesion policy to tackle the social emergency and immediately rebuild regions devastated by climate events such as the one in the Spanish Levant. A reconstruction that must leave aside climatic ideologies that in the past rejected works that would have mitigated the devastation in Valencia. While the Spanish Government hijacks the aid funds and conditions them on the approval of their budgets, from here we make the funds available to those affected. In the face of the petty politics of the one who hid herself as Commissioner Ribera, we show that there is a responsible policy. Ladies and gentlemen, today the European Union will go ahead with an emergency measure, but we cannot continue to draw resources from the piggy bank destined for the future of our regions because a Europe without regions is a Europe without a future. We know that this reform will hardly be enough to repair all the damage, but it is a traction engine so that States can start working with the backing of the European Union. The Union undertakes to advance up to 25 % of the money and to co-finance 95 % of the measures needed to alleviate and rebuild. It is now the turn of national governments. It's your responsibility.

Madam President, in the European Union more and more households are finding it difficult to heat their homes and the percentage of those unable to do so has risen to 10%. One in ten European households suffers from energy poverty. Despite the dramatic situation described by the numbers - but suffered by people - our institutions have, on many occasions, legislated under a climate ideology that, instead of solving the problems, contributes to the fact that the cost of living of families does not stop increasing. The Draghi Report has already pointed out that one of Europe's weak points is the price of energy. This problem is not only affecting households, but it is also drowning our industry and destroying our competitiveness. We all know that among the reasons for the increase in energy prices is obviously the infamous Russian invasion of Ukraine and that, in order to lower energy prices, we should make use of all the clean and cheap energy sources at our disposal. But then, I ask you, why have you made the minister who has made Spain the main European partner for Russian gas and the biggest anti-nuclear activist vice president for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition? It is time for this Parliament to react. Let's face the energy crisis with common sense and effective solutions. The climate doesn't understand ideology.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your words of support and I ask that what happened in Valencia not be forgotten. There are still many missing people to be found and those affected to help. Two months ago we defended it in Parliament, following the floods in central Europe and the fires in Portugal: we must make sure that the financial aid reaches the last affected. If we really want this to be the legislature of European housing and competitiveness, let us start by giving confidence to those who have lost their homes, so that they can soon resume their lives, and to those who have lost their businesses, so that they can generate wealth again. Let's put water and its management at the center and promote an investment plan that allows its management in times of drought and its containment in times of crisis. Ladies and gentlemen, do you really believe that anyone who went into hiding and did not want to take responsibility for this tragedy can be a Commissioner? Her name is Teresa Ribera.

Mr President, it is time for competitiveness and innovation to once again be the guiding principles of our European project. However, in a world of unstoppable technological development we must take into account a fundamental premise: leave no one behind. Digital inclusion is not just a matter of access, but of competences. Therefore, it is essential to implement training programs that train citizens, especially the most vulnerable. We must ensure that our educational institutions offer programs that develop digital skills, preparing us for the coming transitions and market demands. Investing in digital education and attracting talent and investment should be the social basis of the new European competitiveness. With these measures, we will not only ensure growth for all citizens, but we will also strengthen the Union's competitiveness on the global stage. It is time to act and ensure that all Europeans are part of this transition to a more digital future.

Mr President, if we really want our regions and cities to advance and be the driving force behind the development of the European project, we must give them their well-deserved role in European politics. Our municipalities and regional governments are seeing how, on many occasions, their access to co-financing is being hindered, either because they must anticipate the funds they do not have, or because the central government does not take them into account. The European Union does not need a Next Generation 2.0. What our regions and municipalities need is autonomy and flexibility to manage cohesion funds efficiently, as we cannot depend on the ideological intentions of a central government like Spain's for our regions to thrive. The centralisation of European funds is counterproductive in states as decentralised as ours. It is critical that we give local authorities the power they need to develop, design and implement these projects. Only in this way will we give our cities and regions the importance they deserve in the future of the European project.

Mr President, whenever we debate the rule of law, the Spanish Government is among the usual suspects of continuing to dynamite this fundamental principle of the Union. In Spain, we face a serious problem of government credibility. Words like "democratic regeneration plan" come out of his mouth and then benefit from its dismantling. Our institutions have ended up in the total service of Pedro Sánchez. It says so even in the international press. We are governed by an aspiring autocrat who claims that he intends to govern with or without the support of Parliament. While trying to silence the media by suppressing press freedom, Sanchez has turned the government into a socialist employment agency. There are already dozens of high-ranking officials who colonize justice and independent institutions. Dear colleagues, we are obliged to uphold the rule of law in each of our countries, whatever state it is, whether it is called Hungary or Spain, and it is in our hands to exert the necessary pressure.