Speeches

Madam President, I welcome the efforts of the European Commission and personally Vice-President Fito to make water sustainability a strategic priority in the framework of the mid-term review of cohesion policy. Responding to the current challenges will require heavy financial resources and stronger coordination between institutions, in particular in Member States where water losses exceed average European levels. There, we need to invest in new water sources, build modern water infrastructure, create real incentives to retain people, especially in vulnerable and depopulating regions, through new jobs and access to clean water. I believe it is time to start a strategic conversation about the place of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in the future of the water sector as tools for more precise management, early warning and monitoring, including with regard to wastewater recovery, which remains a serious challenge. I hope that water will not remain just a priority within cohesion policy, but will receive a stronger focus in the new multiannual financial framework. I am convinced that cohesion policy is a chance to turn challenges into opportunities.

Madam President, freedom of speech is one of the most important achievements of democracy and modern civil society. The achievements of the digital age in which we live provide unprecedented opportunities for communication and exchange of information, but also new challenges we face. Social networks are becoming an arena for spreading hatred, especially in its most dangerous dimensions – ethnic and religious. The misuse of fake accounts and bots is increasing, and hybrid attacks and disinformation campaigns manipulating public opinion are becoming more common, especially during elections. Young people, with their open senses of knowledge, are sensitive to radical ideas provided to them by algorithms seeking more and more views and interactions. This is a serious threat to the future of democracy. I strongly condemn hate speech in all its forms. We need to be sensitive as a civil society and proactive as politicians. We need to find the right balance between freedom of speech and the abuse of it.