Speeches

I'll try to answer as best I can. What I have been talking about here today is to tell people that we have had right-wing politicians, especially from far-right groups, but not only, who have pointed out that it is thanks to them that they have had low diesel prices and petrol prices in, for example, Sweden but also in other parts of the Union. Thankfully, we are not the ones who fought in Iran. It is not us who have made sure that we have skyrocketing prices again. That is what I have chosen to talk about here, and I think the situation that we are in shows so extremely clearly that our dependence on the oil and gas of dictatorships is what makes it expensive. That is what is destroying our competitiveness. We have to produce our own energy.

Mr President, thank you very much. While Svantesson and Åkesson took credit for low diesel prices, Sweden has become more vulnerable. They removed support for electric cars and the requirement to incorporate Swedish biofuels, stopped by electrification. The Swedish people cannot be fooled. A government can distort reality, stop development, but it cannot escape those who demand responsibility. We are responsible for not listening to our warnings. Responsibility for increasing our dependence on the oil of dictatorships. Fewer people can afford to replace their car. And to all of you who lavishly promised your constituents low gasoline prices: Look your constituents in the eye today and explain yourself. Because you can't make a tax cut out of the war in Iran. People are not stupid in the head.

Madam President, thank you very much. When the right to think freely is threatened, democracy is also threatened. This is not a theoretical risk, because it is already happening. In Hungary, an entire university was forced to leave the country after political intervention. In the United States, funds for vaccine development are being cut. In China, students are subjected to surveillance, harassment and threats from authorities. We have already seen those in power take control of university management and ban research areas. And we know why – their political agenda simply cannot stand criticism. When politicians violate the right to think freely, we lose knowledge, perhaps groundbreaking discoveries. But it is also a systematic attack on our democracy. In these times, the freedom of science is one of the most important things we have to defend. Europe should be the obvious place for free knowledge, where students can protest and ask questions, where truth is not for sale. But that freedom must also exist throughout Europe. If research and resources are pooled in just a few big cities, we risk something else: that talent and knowledge are drained from certain regions, that the big questions are left unanswered, that new technology may not develop as quickly as it could when we miss out on certain talents just because of where you live or what parents you have. A strong Europe therefore needs universities and research throughout our Union. Knowledge must be able to develop in many places, not just a few. Free science is one of the cornerstones of democracy, and so we must defend it against those authoritarian rulers who cultivate falsehoods for their own ends, against one-sided economic interests, for curiosity, development and our common aspirations – in general, in small things, today and tomorrow.

Madam President, thank you very much. I want to turn back home. Because as Europe becomes increasingly insecure, Swedish workers and civil servants become increasingly important. Welders in Karlskoga, engineers in Linköping and Örnsköldsvik, technicians in Arboga, researchers in Kiruna and workers in Karlskrona: Europe needs you. Because we live in troubled times, and we need to equip. The Swedish defence industry is not only important for Sweden, it is crucial for Europe's security. When we decide today on Europe's first real defence industry programme, it is about Europe taking advantage of and investing also in the abilities of Swedish workers, your skills, your innovations. It is you who make sure that Europe is not at a loss, that we can defend our freedom, our democracy and our security. You and I can be very proud of that.

Mr President, thank you very much. The history books need no more empires, no conquerors, no rulers. Yet nostalgic dreams of great power continue to smash Ukrainian homes. They turn off the heat in the middle of winter, kidnap children, murder innocents in violation of international law, in violation of popular conscience. Ordinary people pay the price. Parents, children, workers watching their homes burn, watching their lives disappear in the light of drones. I am very proud that we have managed to reach an agreement here. We will get rid of the Russian energy, but the sober gaze of history will judge. It will judge those politicians, those governments who did not do everything they could, who allowed it to go so far, so deep before we reached this decision. That allowed Putin to bill more for his gas than we have given in support of the people of Ukraine.

Madam President, thank you very much. The Baltic Sea is one of the most overfished seas in the world. Since the 1990s herring stocks have decreased by more than 80 (inaudible words) has collapsed. Almost all fish caught are ground down to feed. We are facing an ecosystem collapse. The Commission has listened and proposed lower quotas for 2026, but it is the ministers who decide. Last week's meeting in Stockholm was about the Baltic Sea, where ministers from eight countries around the sea took part. Then the Commissioner, Mr Kadis, called for: Do not increase the quotas. I hope they listen. The Council of Ministers must stand by the Commission's proposal. Don't increase the quotas any more. Without fish in the sea, there will be no fish on the table, no professional fishing, no sport fishing. We need a recovery in the Baltic Sea based on science and a long-term approach over short-term exploitation. The responsibility now rests very heavily on the ministers of the Member States.

Madam President, thank you very much. I will tell you about Kiruna in Sweden. For it was slow but magnificent TV when we a few weeks ago saw the 40 meter wide and 672 ton heavy church rolling through Kiruna to its new location. The reason: Enabling continued mining. The city is being demolished and will be rebuilt. More than half of the city's population will be relocated. Above the mine lies the home and life of people who together with Malmberget and Svappavaara account for 80 percent of Europe's iron ore. The iron ore that has laid the foundation for our well-being and our industry. You do this with pride. But mining is a common interest of the Union as a whole. Industrial policy and regional policy must be interlinked. When Kiruna supplies large parts of the EU with iron ore, Kiruna residents cannot be left alone with the bill. It is time for the EU and the Swedish government to step forward.

Madam President, thank you very much. In many places where industries are emerging and new jobs are created, it is still a little too quiet between houses in the evenings. Young people moving, clubs fighting and sports facilities have to wait for renovation. Without culture, sports and meeting places, we lose what makes people want to stay or move there. The industry gives jobs, but it's the life between the houses that makes a place come alive. We know that culture plays at least as important a role in industrial areas and sparsely populated areas as it does in our big cities. Yet we see time and time again how EU funds and government spending are concentrated in capital cities and strong regional centres. We will not accept that the value of culture is determined by where you live. We need a policy both in Sweden and in the EU, which sees the whole country and the whole of Europe so that no region is left behind.

Madam President, thank you very much. In many places where industries are emerging and new jobs are created, it is still a little too quiet between houses in the evenings. Young people moving, clubs fighting and sports facilities have to wait for renovation. Without culture, sports and meeting places, we lose what makes people want to stay or move there. The industry gives jobs, but it's the life between the houses that makes a place come alive. We know that culture plays at least as important a role in industrial areas and sparsely populated areas as it does in our big cities. Yet we see time and time again how EU funds and government spending are concentrated in capital cities and strong regional centres. We will not accept that the value of culture is determined by where you live. We need a policy both in Sweden and in the EU, which sees the whole country and the whole of Europe so that no region is left behind.

Madam President, thank you very much. Unfortunately, this Parliament is plagued by climate denial, as if the crisis is not already here. Here is a testimonial from Sweden. You might think that we have gold and green forests, and that's it in a way, but don't you think that the tick is spreading northwards in my country? Don't you know why, climate deniers? Do you close your eyes to the fact that TBE cases have doubled in my country in just ten years? Avesta. Borlänge. Smedjebacken. seats; The sandwich. Hudik. Söderhamn. There was nothing wrong with ticks in my woods when I was a child. Now the kids have to be vaccinated. This change has already occurred, just as the fire and drought are raging in southern Europe right now. Yes, the heat wave feels a bit far away right now for us in the north. But the consequences of climate change are us into the skin, today. Incidentally, it is laughable to hear people denying climate change come here and stand in the pulpit begging money to deal with its consequences.

Madam President, thank you very much. Unfortunately, this Parliament is plagued by climate denial, as if the crisis is not already here. Here is a testimonial from Sweden. You might think that we have gold and green forests, and that's it in a way, but don't you think that the tick is spreading northwards in my country? Don't you know why, climate deniers? Do you close your eyes to the fact that TBE cases have doubled in my country in just ten years? Avesta. Borlänge. Smedjebacken. seats; The sandwich. Hudik. Söderhamn. There was nothing wrong with ticks in my woods when I was a child. Now the kids have to be vaccinated. This change has already occurred, just as the fire and drought are raging in southern Europe right now. Yes, the heat wave feels a bit far away right now for us in the north. But the consequences of climate change are us into the skin, today. Incidentally, it is laughable to hear people denying climate change come here and stand in the pulpit begging money to deal with its consequences.

Madam President, thank you very much. I live in Grängesberg in Ludvika municipality. We have been a world leader in energy transmission for over 120 years. I now turn to my home – to you, electricians, engineers, fitters and workers. You who screw, lay discs, test and build. You who turn metal, copper and knowledge into power. You deserve respect and good working conditions. For a long time to come, your professional skills will carry Europe. Your world-leading knowledge of HVDC systems and transformers will strengthen Europe. And Europe is looking for you. Europe needs you so that we will never again have to kneel before Russian gas, never again be dependent on the oil of dictatorships. In every transformer, switch, cable, in every shift, my home municipality Ludvika will lead Europe towards a stronger society. A Europe driven by cheap, self-produced energy that has travelled through the crafts of Ludvika's workers. That makes me proud.

Madam President, Commissioner, thank you. I am here with a plea from the Baltic Sea, one of the most overfished seas in the world. Herring stocks have declined by over 80 % since the 1990s. Almost no sprat goes to human consumption, but to pigs, chickens and salmon. Cod stocks have already collapsed. Industrial fishing is emptying our sea, mixed species trawling is halting recovery and underreporting is undermining the credibility of our fisheries data. The Ocean Pact is a welcome step. We do need binding legislation – it is crucial for our small-scale fisheries, for our recreational fisheries, for our local coastal communities. You simply cannot fish in a dead sea. We have to move from words to action now. Ban the industrial trawling in the Baltic Sea. Set recovery quotas based on science, not short-term profit. I plead to you, my colleagues, and to the Commission. The Baltic Sea cannot wait any longer!

Madam President, thank you very much. The ore is mined in Norrbotten, the forest is cultivated in Västernorrland and the water generates energy in Jämtland. But the money and decisions often end up far away from those who actually live there. At the same time, smaller towns struggle with poor roads, dismantling public services and long distances. People want to live, build their lives, but the conditions are often too bad in many places. Our rural and sparsely populated areas contribute enormous values, but get the least back. In times of preparedness, it is important to have strong local communities, people who know the local area, who know their neighbours. It is a common interest. That is why we say no to power and money being piled up in Brussels or Stockholm. For me, it goes without saying that decisions must have a local basis. We cannot accept that some parts of the Union become only raw material colonies for others. Prosperity and co-determination must be shared fairly.

Madam President, thank you very much. What we are seeing in the United States right now is a systematic disintegration, a democracy that is being dismantled piece by piece, a president that despises the rule of law, that undermines science, that only seems to care about enriching itself and other super-rich people, that wants to keep the majority of the people without education and denies them education because we know that an educated population will question authority. But we hear the same cry here in this hall today from the far right who mocks science, who denies climate change, who wants to build power on fear and contempt. It's not good enough. That is why Europe must respond, not with silence but with courage. It is now that we have to take a stand. We are to be the obvious place in the world where knowledge can breathe, where truth is not for sale. That is why this Commission initiative is important. But it takes more than words. Action is required, reason is required. For let us not shrivel into dry, brown, orange and sour oranges, but let us be proud in Europe where science always has a place.

Madam President, thank you very much. It took about five seconds for this to happen. But it only took a second for the right wing across Europe to draw the same conclusion as they always do. Instead of – like the people affected – facing this crisis with solidarity and cohesion, you immediately start squabbling and quarrelling. They made renewables a scapegoat before even an investigation had been set up. This comes from those who want to spread doubt, who want to spread terror, who want to take us back to a world driven by coal, oil and gas, who want to cradle us into the same dependence on rogue states that dictate supply and prices. It's embarrassing. Responsible parties do not take every opportunity to form an opinion against electrification. We must, of course, build an independent and secure Europe, so stop spreading groundless doubt, before we know exactly what has happened and why. In times of uncertainty, reflection is required, not unsubstantiated accusations. Speak with responsibility!

Mr President, the Baltic Sea is dying in front of our eyes. We have seen the images of starving seals, cod as thin as neckties. Herring stocks on the brink of collapse. Fishermen testified to us that catches are in decline. Traditions passed down for generations. They will disappear if we don't change. Right now, overfishing continues despite scientific warnings, and the ecosystem is collapsing. So the EU must act now. Fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea must be reduced. Threatened stocks must be protected so that the sea is given a fair chance to recover. Please, colleagues of this House, hear our plea and stand with us in this fight for our sea. Because no one can fish in a dead sea. And ours is drawing its last breaths.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your I would like to start by saying congratulations to my father who turns 70 today. Look, I want to be able to look my son in the eye in the future. That we in here did ours so that there are safe jobs when he grows up. But I also want to be able to say that we politicians took our responsibility and prevented a climate collapse. Technology transition – this is the way forward for a strong industry on our continent. We will never be competitive with low quality and dumped prices, because we refuse slave-like conditions, we refuse dangerous environmental toxins. If you stand up for Sweden in the European Parliament, then you stand up for climate policy. Swedish companies and societies have taken the risk, made the investments based on political decisions because they take politics seriously. For this to be profitable, for jobs to be secured, for the climate crisis to be averted, we politicians must stand by our word, by our decisions. So let's stand strong when the wind blows, because our children are watching.

Mr President, thank you very much. Commissioner Jørgensen! I want to highlight two things here today. Firstly, what are we going to do with the bottleneck charges? The EU has locked up money that Swedish households sit and pay in every month. The money is piling up, a pile that currently amounts to SEK 65 billion and is only expected to grow. People at home in Sweden are rightly pissed off. They see how electricity prices differ enormously within the country and of course question why we import higher prices. You have to understand that here too. We should free up bottleneck fees so that countries like Sweden have more control over how they can be used. Secondly, the most important thing for bringing prices down is, of course, that we must become independent of dictatorships and crazy men's gas and oil. The fact that some, so-called patriots, spend their time here in Parliament curving their backs at them is nothing short of a scandal.

Madam President, thank you very much. Thank you, Commissioner. I note that some so-called patriots in here like to act as lapdogs for foreign power. But I feel rather disgusted by Europe's dependence on crazy men in Russia, China, the United States and elsewhere. Therefore, we must stop being dependent on their gas and oil. This change is not made to be kind to someone else, but for our own sake: for jobs, industrial societies and the very real people. If we are to be a producing continent in the future, with good conditions for workers, we cannot cling to technology that is becoming obsolete. Despite this, we hear the extreme right promising to pause time or preferably rewind it. It is absurd and a betrayal of those who work in the mills, in the industries, those whose jobs will disappear if the EU countries try to freeze time. The far right betrays them when they lie and says that everything can be as it always has been. But it's never been the way it always has been. Don't they understand that?

Madam President, thank you very much. The EU is basically created to preserve peace, and part of this has been the EU's so-called cohesion policy. In Sweden, we often say regional development that helps local and regional projects create new jobs, strengthen companies and associations and get people to cooperate based on what is really needed in the community locally, instead of just following the decisions from above. Now the Commission seems to want to take power over the money from the local and regional level and give it to the state – a huge centralisation and transfer of both power and money. As power moves further away from the people affected, we risk losing what makes us strong. Our local knowledge, our ability to solve problems where they actually exist. The future of cohesion policy in the EU should be about including local communities more, not less.

Sweden's national security adviser, the Prime Minister's childhood friend Henrik Landerholm, has forgotten security-classified documents found by unauthorized persons. He has forgotten his phone at Hungary's embassy in the midst of burning NATO negotiations and now also traveled privately for tax money. I still haven't heard what the Democrats think. What does Beatrice Timgren think about this? Is it really trusting?