Speeches

I am not surprised that most of your speech was directed to the left side of the room, which is consistent with the agenda that you have been implementing over the last 5 years, both in terms of burdens on European businesses and citizens and the continuation of the federalisation vision. When you spoke about the aggression against Ukraine, human rights and security at the external borders, you did not mention the Lukashenka regime. Both Minsk's complicity in the war of aggression, making our neighbour a prison for those who dream of freedom, and the operation of Lukashenka's services directly aimed at the security of our borders should be met with a strong reaction from a person who once again aspires to such an important function. Silence on this issue should be of particular concern. All the more so because Minsk's role in supporting Russian aggression is multidimensional. Failing to support Belarusians who have been facing a wave of repression unheard of since Stalin's times for four years is a big mistake. Describing the situation on the eastern border, mentioning only Russia and the situation on the border with Finland in the face of the ongoing hybrid war on the Polish-Belarusian border, the victim of which was a Polish soldier, is unacceptable. Your proposals for further federalisation will not protect our borders. It is Polish soldiers, officers, who are willing to risk their lives and health to defend Polish borders, not officials in Brussels.

Mr President, thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Commission's report on the rule of law in the European Union is a document devoid of any objectivity. Once again, on the basis of political motives, the Commission gives a false picture of the situation in this regard. The principle adopted by the Commission is simple: if a country is governed by a conservative right, the rule of law does not exist there, and all fundamental rights are threatened. And if your liberal-leftist regime rules, you remain deaf and blind to any violation of human and civil rights in this country. Poland is an ideal example of this approach by the Commission. As long as the right-wing Law and Justice party ruled, according to the Commission, the rule of law was being destroyed every day. Today, under Tusk's liberal-post-communist regime, the Commission is silent about cases of persecution of the opposition and political processes. It is silent about unprecedented attacks by the government on the Constitutional Tribunal and the Supreme Court, about attempts to liquidate the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, about trampling on the principle of impartiality of courts by abandoning the system of drawing lots for judges. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. This is pure cynicism and a denial of the values that should be the foundation of the European Union.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Work on the Anti-Corruption Directive took three years. This document was intended as a response to the Cathar affair, which shocked European public opinion. This was supposed to be a breakthrough in the fight against corruption in the European Union. However, the project on which we are debating will certainly not be such a breakthrough. The directive as it stands is disappointing. Instead of raising standards, it lowers them, harmonizing them down to the lowest common denominator. The aim of the Directive was to align the rules with the standards laid down in the UN Convention against Corruption. It has been ratified by all Member States, but the commitments have been implemented selectively and the Directive does not change this. The biggest omission of the Directive is that it does not adequately address the EU institutions and its officials. The Directive replaces the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities and is the appropriate place to deal with these matters. For this reason, I have tabled a number of amendments. One of the most important drawbacks of the Directive is the lack of an obligation for EU officials to submit public, verified and criminally liable asset declarations. This should be the answer to the shameful affair of Commissioner for Justice Reynders. Prosecutors charged him with money laundering while he was in office. Another issue is the obligation stemming directly from the UN Convention against Corruption. It concerns the need to set up specialised bodies to combat corruption. Expert knowledge, independence and access to state-of-the-art investigative tools are essential to fight corruption effectively in the 21st century. Such an institution is the Polish Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, effectively operating for twenty years, being a model for similar services in the region. Today, the Office and deserving officials in the fight against corruption are being destroyed by the Tusk government. The Directive also weakens other key international obligations of the Union and the Member States. It moves away from mandatory prosecution of legal persons committing corruption outside the Union. These are usually large corporations that corrupt postcolonial states. Ladies and Gentlemen, the European Parliament must send a clear message to the citizens of Europe – we are determined to fight corruption and we have the tools to do so. Enough empty declarations – time to act. Stop corruption in the EU!

Madam President, I'm sorry. Remember Tiananmen Square, 1989, and the figure of a man holding back a column of tanks with his own body? This is one of the most famous photographs in the history of the modern world. This lonely man has become a symbol of the struggle for freedom. We never knew his name, we never found out whether he paid for his steadfast courage with his life. Today is 2026 and once again the Chinese tank wants to crush the lone rebel. This tank is the communist state of China, and the lone rebel this time is not anonymous. This is Jimmy Lai, a defender of freedom of speech and basic human rights trampled on by a brutal regime. He has been held in a communist prison for five years. He faces life imprisonment. Jimmy Lai is 78 years old. Every year spent behind bars can be his last year of life. We don't agree to that. We demand freedom for Jimmy Lai.

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, We have been hearing from Brussels for months that we are regaining control of illegal migration. The Commission is proud of the statistics that are supposed to prove this. However, the migration crisis is the result of the extremely irresponsible policies of the European Commission itself, Berlin and some of the key governments of the Member States. It is you who have created this problem for the citizens of Europe. The face of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson have become a symbol of European helplessness. Over the years, in the name of political correctness, successive waves of illegal immigrants have been thoughtlessly received. This situation has led to a deep social and political crisis across Europe. Instead of supporting the governments that have sealed European borders, you have proclaimed that you do not want any walls in Europe. Instead of streamlining procedures for returning irregular migrants to their countries of origin, you have funded de facto migrant smuggling organisations to our continent from the EU budget. Today you believe that you have found a way to solve the problems: the migration pact, Commissioner, forced relocation and forced financial solidarity are a way to nowhere.

Dear President, Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. This debate takes place in the context of the British court's sentencing to ten and a half years in prison for treason to Russia of former MEP Nathan Gill. A few months before his arrest in 2021, Polish special services arrested Janusz N., a member of the same spy network. I know the matter well, because then, as a member of the government, I personally supervised the special services. Janusz N. was extremely active on the premises of the European Parliament, claiming to be a representative of an NGO with the beautifully sounding name ‘European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights’. He managed to recruit several MPs from different countries who presented the Kremlin's political line for Russian money in their public statements. I informed the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, about the whole case in 2023, and the Polish counter-intelligence prepared a special presentation for MEPs showing the methods of action of the Russian services. Unfortunately, this initiative, due to the change of government in Poland, has not been implemented. In the European Parliament, Russian influence agents involved in this case did not play a key role. However, there is the issue of Russian influence, which may concern the very decision-making center of the Union. This is a scandalous case of money laundering by Commissioner Reynders. Explaining the nature of his contacts with Putin's friend, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, must be a priority for Parliament and the European Commission. Stop burying your head in the sand. You can't have this case, and we're not gonna let this case get swept under the carpet.

Mr President, thank you very much. The free choice of the authorities of one's own country is the most sacred right of its citizens. Any external foreign interference in the conduct of elections is a crime against democracy and the sovereignty of nations. Today, the European Commission, under the banner of a democratic shield, wants to create a European Centre of Democratic Resilience. This new institution with vague competences and location is to deal with the fight against disinformation and foreign interference. This is to be done, inter alia, through the European Network of Information Controllers. They are to decide what is true and what is false. The Commission wants to issue guidelines and recommendations on the organisation of elections and proposes to allocate billions of euros to NGOs. Who and on what basis will receive this money? We don't know. It all looks like a plan to defend the political interests of the left-liberal European establishment. This is happening under the guise of fighting Russian disinformation. We in Poland are not afraid of Russian disinformation. We fear interference in our elections by the Brussels bureaucracy and the countries behind it.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. We are entering the first phase of the implementation of the Migration Pact. The mere fact that the Commission's proposal on relocation comes with a significant delay shows the extent of the controversy it causes among Member States. From Poland's perspective, the migration pact is unacceptable. We do not agree to any relocation to our country of illegal immigrants located on the territory of other European Union countries. We do not agree to coercive solidarity in financing the stay of illegal immigrants in the Union. President Karol Nawrocki in a letter to the President of the European Commission stated unequivocally: The Poles will never agree to this. The migration pact does not solve any problems related to the migration crisis. He aggravates these problems. The only effective means of combating illegal immigration is the hard defence of the external borders of the European Union, a strong limitation of the right to asylum and a consistently implemented policy of readmission, i.e. the deportation of illegal immigrants to their countries of origin. Only in this way can we ensure the security of our citizens and preserve Europe's identity.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Once again, the European Parliament is addressing the situation in Belarus. I am pleased that, in view of this debate and the resolution adopted, we will hear the voice of a free Belarus here in Strasbourg. Our guests will be Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya and her husband Siarhei, a long-time prisoner of Lukashenko. Unfortunately, his release is not a signal of changes in Belarus, but only a cynical game of the dictator. Prisons in Minsk are not devastating, on the contrary. The regime continues to hold thousands of political prisoners. Among them is Andrzej Poczobut, our steadfast compatriot, Ales Bialiatski, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Katsiaryna Andreyeva, an extremely brave journalist of Belsat TV. We'll never forget them. Human and civil rights do not exist in Belarus. Our actions towards Lukashenko must continue to be firm and consistent. Sanctions against the regime must be maintained and continued. Lukashenko's crimes must be tried before the International Criminal Court.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Dear Commissioner, The European Union has been struggling with the migration crisis for years. One of the reasons for its duration is to turn a blind eye to systemic pathologies. The issue of visa-free travel is a perfect example of this. Currently, citizens of more than 60 third countries enjoy visa-free access to the Schengen area. The consequences of the lack of real control over this movement are shocking. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants have entered the EU under the visa-free regime. This is the responsibility of the European Commission, which has been able to trigger the visa suspension mechanism on its own initiative since 2017, but has never done so. On the one hand, Member States spend billions of euros to protect the Union's external borders and, on the other hand, the Commission, through its omissions and lack of responsibility, keeps the door wide open to illegal immigration. The revision of the regulation we are debating today is a step in the right direction, but, as usual, it is late. Countries that do not cooperate on readmissions, that support instrumentalisation of migration, cannot count on the privilege of visa-free travel.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Ladies and Gentlemen, What happened over the Polish sky on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday was a cynical Russian provocation, a provocation aimed not only at Poland, but at our entire European and transatlantic community. The cases in the Lublin region, where a Russian drone hit the house, are as much the territory of NATO and the European Union as Strasbourg, Antwerp or Barcelona. Our response to Russia's actions must be tough and communicated in the only language the Kremlin understands: In the language of strength. These primitive brutes must know that any violation of the borders and airspace of the Union and NATO will be met with a swift, solidarity-based and firm response. If the Russians do not see it, you will soon see Russian war drones over Sweden, Finland or Romania, and then Russian tanks on the streets of your cities. To prevent this, the hard 19th package of sanctions against Russia must be implemented immediately, the sanctions against the Belarusian regime must be strengthened, effective anti-aircraft defence of the entire eastern flank must be ensured and the Ukrainian army fighting against Russia must be given further real support. This is the way to a safe Europe.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Parliamentary elections will be held in Moldova in a few weeks. These elections will decide whether Moldova will continue its march towards freedom or whether it will be turned back from this path. We want Moldova to be a modern democratic European state, to permanently break out of the post-Soviet sphere of influence. Russia's goal in this election is to seize power by corrupt oligarchs pursuing Putin's imperial interests. Supporting an independent Moldova is not only an obvious requirement of human solidarity, but also a geopolitical imperative. The Union must act consistently and responsibly. However, it is not a responsible or wise call in the resolution we are about to adopt for the Moldovan authorities to support local LGBT organisations. Such surrogate topics are convenient for Russian propaganda. Today, Moldova is fighting for fundamental issues, for its freedom and independence. We are with you, Moldovans.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Today we are once again debating the situation in Belarus, the grim dictatorship of Lukashenko, which has been going on for 30 years. His rule is a time of brutal trampling on human rights and the nation's fundamental right to live in a democratic and independent state. Lukashenko is the executioner of his own people. She is a Russian puppet who, without Putin's support and terror, would not be able to stay in power. Today, however, Lukashenko's ugly face is not a symbol of Belarus. Today Belarus has its true heroes, freedom fighters. Let's remember Raman Bandarence murdered 5 years ago on the streets of Minsk. Let us remember the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski, who is in prison, about the outstanding journalists Katyaryna Andreyeva, Andrzej Poczobut, about thousands of lesser-known heroes, such as the marriage of Hanna Kmit and Andrej Selianinau. These are the real faces of Belarus. Fighting for their freedom is our moral and political duty.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. Today we are debating the state of the rule of law in the European Union. To make sense, this debate must be based on truth, not political interests. And the truth is that an authoritarian regime is emerging in the very centre of the European Union before your very eyes. The Brussels establishment pretends not to see it because it has a political interest. This authoritarian regime is Tusk's government, which publicly makes cynical remarks that the law is what we understand it to be. Tusk's regime is violating the rule of law. The judgments of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court are ignored. The judges of the Constitutional Tribunal are summoned for hearings on their decisions. They are not paid salaries, which is a direct violation of the constitution. The independence of the National Bank of Poland and the National Broadcasting Council is under attack. Illegally seized public media became the government's propaganda tube. Observers from the OSCE and the Council of Europe pointed out this in their report. Tusk's regime discriminates against the democratic opposition, the prosecutor's office is used against opposition leaders ...

Mr President, thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, Russian gas is soaked in blood. Corruption, systems and influence flow directly from the communist secret services through the pipelines. Gas for the Kremlin is not just a commodity. It's a weapon of political blackmail. How hypocritical it takes in Berlin and Brussels to pretend for years that you don't see it. In spite of the aggression against Georgia, the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbass, we will continue to discuss the future of Nord Stream. The symbol of this cynicism, this European disgrace, is the name of the German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. No more Schröders in Europe! Ladies and Gentlemen, In the fourth year of the war, the EU proposes to end imports of Russian gas. It's an obvious step, but it's too late. This is a bitter lesson for which Ukraine pays with blood. Even if the war ends, Russia will not change, and the Nord Stream gas pipeline should lie at the bottom forever as a monument to political disgrace.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Mr. Commissioner, I'm sorry. What we are seeing today in Tibet is not just repression against religion, it is the systematic destruction of freedom and the attempt to denationalize Tibetans. The monasteries are under constant supervision. Monks and nuns are detained, ‘re-educated’ and deprived of the right to practice their faith. The Communist Party is trying to replace authentic spirituality with ideological obedience. In our resolution, we call for an investigation into the circumstances of the detention and death of one of the Tibetan religious leaders. The blatant violation of basic human rights by the Chinese Communists requires a clear and decisive response. All suspected deaths of Tibetan activists must be investigated under international supervision. Freedom, including the cultivation of religion, is a universal human right and is not negotiable. We cannot remain silent as Beijing attempts to destroy Tibet's national and religious identity.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Madam High Representative, we have received dramatic information about another wave of repression by the communist regime in Cuba against the leaders of the democratic opposition. Once again, José Daniel Ferrer was imprisoned, with whom we had the honour of talking online a few weeks ago during a meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights. José Daniel Ferrer told us the truth about the situation in Cuba, about the regime's violation of basic human and civil rights. It is highly probable that these words and this contact with us caused his re-arrest. Therefore, we do not appeal to you, but we demand that you take real action to defend him and other political prisoners in Cuba. Speaking of real action, I am referring to the immediate suspension of the implementation of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement concluded between the European Union and the regime in Havana. The continuation of this agreement and the transfer of the resulting funds to Cuba is not only politically harmful, but simply immoral. Madam High Representative, do not make the mistakes of your predecessors in this matter.

Mr President, Commissioner, thank you very much. You brought a document today with some interesting ideas, but the European Commission has already adopted similar strategies to later contradict them with its own actions. Disastrous migration policies have significantly weakened Europeans. Widely opened the door for criminal groups, smugglers, terrorists. Today you are talking about the strengthening of borders by Frontex officials. Commissioner, are you aware that instead of supporting the guards protecting Lithuania's borders with Belarus during the assault organised by Lukashenko, Frontex officials operating there acted like almost any left-wing NGOs? They sent reports undermining the actions of the Lithuanian Border Guard. You are talking about the need to combat hybrid threats. Did you know that the European Commission criticised Poland for apprehending the GRU agent Paweł Rubcow who pretended to be a journalist? You say that the services should be provided with access to modern technologies, to modern tools, because criminals and our enemies use such tools. Has this been the case in Brussels so far? Absolutely not, quite the opposite. I agree that cooperation in the fight against cross-border organised crime should be stepped up. However, I appeal to you that this strategy containing many valuable elements does not become another card......

Dear Commissioner, The public is once again appalled by information about corruption scandals related to the EU institutions. This time we are dealing with illegal lobbying for the Chinese company Huawei. As in the case of previous scandals, instead of reliable information, proposals for specific solutions for the future, we have a general debate about nothing. The European establishment has learned to operate in the shadows, outside the real surveillance of citizens, in an atmosphere of impunity. We recently learned from the head of the European Public Prosecutor's Office that Olaf's report on the involvement of a high official of the European Commission in the Qatar scandal was hidden from her. Despite the evidence available, he continues to work for the EU institutions. The European Commission remains silent on the allegation of money laundering by Commissioner Reynders in the performance of his duties. The ongoing work on the so-called anti-corruption directive will not solve the problem of corruption in the EU institutions, as the directive is addressed to the Member States. However, simple solutions can improve the transparency of the European Commission's activities. Let us introduce open, detailed, criminalised declarations of financial interests for Commissioners and high-ranking EU officials. Let them show citizens what assets they have and what are the sources of its origin. Enough corruption in Brussels. It's time to act.

Madam President, I'm sorry. For more than 60 years, the regime of the Ba'ath Party and the Assad family, supported by Moscow and Tehran, has maintained power in Syria through terror. The fall of Bashar al-Assad opened the way for change, but at the same time left the country in a deep humanitarian and economic crisis. This situation is a test for the international community and, above all, for the new authorities. Will they be able to unite the country after 14 years of civil war? The collapse of the regime has given Syrians hope for a better future. However, a provisional government with Islamist roots must make a huge effort to win the trust of both the international community and, above all, the Syrians themselves. Syria needs justice, not more violent crimes against civilians. The new authorities must guarantee the protection of ethnic and religious minorities, including Christians. Syria must not be a threat to its neighbours or a hell for its own people. Nor can it become a safe haven for terrorists planning attacks in Europe. These must be the key conditions for the gradual and conditional lifting of sanctions.