Speeches

Madam President, I'm sorry. After the unimaginable destruction and suffering of the Second World War, Europe was in ruins. Never again! The Founding Fathers, recognizing the consequences of destruction, have created a common Europe whose main goal is to ensure lasting peace, security and prosperity on our continent. Eighty years of celebration in May and the end of the war have not brought true peace and prosperity to all European nations. Because in Central and Eastern Europe, so for us Hungarians, the suffering has not ended. The dark years of communism followed, with the gulags of thousands of men and women, expulsions, reprisals, political purges and restrictions on freedom keeping people in fear for decades to come. Our parents and grandparents, and even in our memory, still live these feelings vividly today. They were therefore justly longing for the Union, beyond the Iron Curtain, which was a symbol of freedom, peace, security and prosperity for them. This, however, had to wait a long time, until 2004, which is why it is particularly painful for us to feel that these values are now in danger, because instead of peace, war is raging in our neighbourhood. Instead of security, illegal migration poses an increasing threat to public security. Instead of prosperity, we have to face economic weakness. We need to get back to basics: a Union based on mutual respect and sincere cooperation between sovereign nations. Which doesn't lecture me, but respects and supports me. Only in this way will Europe remain a home of peace, security and prosperity.

Mr. President, please. We have had almost 50 plenary debates on the war situation in Ukraine. The EU has sent more than €150 billion in support to Ukraine. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people were lost on the frontline, and we were no closer to ending the war. This is a failure of the European strategy. At last, the Union should be determined to take active action and support diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace as soon as possible, since that is why the founding fathers established the Union at the end of the Second World War, and this is what the people of Ukraine need most rapidly today. The institutions with the left-liberal People's Party coalition at the forefront, as can be seen from the document of the People's Party Congress, would nevertheless further increase Ukraine's military support. More recently, the legitimate goal of developing European defence capabilities has also been used to send more weapons and money to Ukraine. This is not in Europe's interest. Just as tightening energy supplies, raising energy prices and making Central European countries impossible is not in Europe's interest, nor is it in Ukraine's interest to join by 2030 on a purely political and accelerated basis. Moreover, opening up the internal market to Ukraine even before full accession would have unforeseeable consequences for the economy, agricultural policy, cohesion policy or the labour market. Ukraine does not meet any accession criteria, but this is not the case. However, there is no room for double standards in the EU's enlargement policy. EU decision-makers must represent the interests of the European people. This question cannot be decided over the heads of the Hungarian people.

Mr. President, please. Stability in the Western Balkans is a fundamental interest of the European Union and Serbia is a key country. It is therefore in our security and strategic interest to support the country's European path. After 20 years of accession, the EU has slowly lost credibility in the region. As Patriot responsible for the report we are discussing, I see the text as unbalanced, too one-sided. There is no doubt that the country still has a lot to do in many areas, but the Serbian government's European commitment and efforts made so far should be evaluated in the areas of energy policy, family policy, visa policy or minority policy, including the situation of the Hungarian community in Vojvodina. Instead, the text focuses only on shortcomings and contains grossly unfair ideological biases. There is no room for double standards in European enlargement policy. Unfortunately, the ideological approach, the actual political interest is becoming more and more pronounced instead of neutral, performance-based evaluation. While Ukraine's accession will be put on an accelerating track, the Western Balkan candidate countries, which have been struggling for many years, will remain on the shores. Serbia's European integration can contribute to curbing illegal migration and ensuring energy supply in the long term, so it is in Europe's and Hungary's interest to have a stable Serbia committed to the EU. That is why we support Serbia's accession to the EU.

Dear Madam President, It is scary that the EU promotes a kind of war psychosis. It was in this spirit that the Annual Report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy was drawn up, which was a very biased text. If we move forward with this foreign policy strategy, it is no wonder that the Union is left alone in the new geopolitical field. Rather than inciting panic, the EU should work to strengthen peace-building diplomacy and European defence policy, as well as to build institutional credibility with citizens. The European Commission produces an escalation narrative. Proposing a new contingency strategy for European citizens to build up 72 hours of emergency reserves creates fear, sends the message that war is escalating, disaster can happen at any time, creating a continuous sense of danger. There is no war in the EU, and we hope there will be no war. The EU should recognise the efforts of the American leadership towards a ceasefire and peace in order to finally end the devastation in Ukraine. Europe must speak with the voice of peace, because it was created as a peace project and cannot act as a catalyst in a war machine. The report puts unacceptable pressure on Hungary for not supporting arms transfers to Ukraine. The text attacks the Prime Minister's peace mission, even though many of his statements at the time have since been confirmed. Should we also be honest about the consequences of Ukraine's accession for the electorate, for European citizens, in the fields of agriculture, security and the labour market?

Dear Madam President, The European Union is a peace project created to guarantee peace and security for its citizens. The Commission's latest proposal is for European citizens to build up an emergency reserve of 72 hours. It's basically a war of panic. This is dangerous because it creates fear and is unfounded. After three years of terrible destruction in Ukraine, what is most needed now is Europe's support for the new US administration's diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire and peace. There is no question that Europe needs to do more to ensure its own security. That is why it is important to strengthen defence capabilities, but we must not allow this to lead to further centralisation in Brussels, to the undermining of national sovereignty, nor can it come from new joint borrowing. But the strengthening of European defence must be separated from the issue of arms deliveries to Ukraine. And we should also be honest about the fact that Ukraine's accession to the EU would be a major challenge for both our agriculture, cohesion policy, the labour market and security. Instead of harmful, ideologically driven decisions, it is time for real solutions in the areas of competitiveness, the car market or agriculture. Today, the security of the people of Europe is threatened above all by mass illegal immigration and a misguided migration policy in Brussels. The migration pact is bad. We know that. We don't need cosmetics, we need a change of concept. A radical turn is needed against the European Commission and the left-liberal coalition of the People's Party, which is the embodiment of change. We, the patriots, represent the turn of events. No matter how they try to silence our leaders, democracy in Europe must not be defended from Viktor Orbán. Yesterday was a dark day in the history of French democracy. In a democracy, the decision must be made in elections, not in our courts. And we stand by Marine Le Pen.

Dear Madam President, In June, a majority of voters voted for change. They had every reason to do that. The legacy of the past few years has been a multiple crisis. There is a war going on in the neighbourhood, the migration situation is unresolved, the European economy is stagnating, and the Schengen system is deteriorating. So the citizens voted for change, but the President of the Commission chose to remain unchanged, to maintain the status quo with the help of the left-liberal EPP majority. The first sign of this was that the Commissioners' hearings were reduced to political farce. It is predetermined who will be supported and who will not, regardless of the performance of the Commissioners-designate. Politically, they blocked qualified candidates just because they were conservative right-wingers, and they let over people who didn't give proper answers to fundamental questions, or who had problematic perceptions. Then, in order for this von der Leyen Commission to pass, the left has reached a coalition agreement with the liberals and the People's Party. This agreement is a proof of the sameness, a continuation of the mistakes made so far. They want a migration pact, more support for war, more bureaucracy, more ideologies. It was also confirmed that the President of the Commission is still expected to use EU funds for blackmail. It is possible to make short-term pacts, but the will of the people cannot be swept away. Madam President, we patriots will not forget how, in the debate on the Hungarian Presidency, he attacked Hungary in an unprecedented manner, abusing his role by making political campaign speeches against a government of a Member State. This indicates that you continue to embody the erroneous policy of the past years. And we will continue to want change, and we will be their voice. Therefore, the Patriots Group does not support this Commission. Europe deserves more than that.

Madam President, I'm sorry. It is the thousandth day of the devastating war in Ukraine and the end is not apparent. Our position is clear from the beginning of the war: We condemn Russia's military aggression, which is not only a serious violation of international law, but is also morally unjustifiable. We sympathise with the people of Ukraine, recognise their right to self-defence and stand up for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Like the EU as a whole, Hungary is helping Ukraine beyond its strength. It is carrying out and has carried out the largest humanitarian aid operation in the history of our country. Since the outbreak of the war, ten thousand refugees have arrived in our country every day, with a total of more than 1.4 million Ukrainian asylum seekers received so far. We provide housing, health care and mother tongue education to refugees in Hungary. We will continue to do everything we can to help the Ukrainian people. Prolonged fighting caused irreparable damage, hundreds of thousands were killed and wounded, families were torn apart and displaced. As a mother of four sons, I have special sympathy for mothers. It's the only way I can watch the terrible devastation of the last thousand days. Incomprehensible human tragedy and suffering. The longer the war lasts, the more casualties there will be, the more difficult it will be to secure human supplies for Ukraine. Our pain is exacerbated by the fact that an increasing number of Transcarpathian Hungarians, as well as members of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, are losing their lives on the front line, alongside Ukrainians. The war is happening in our neighbourhood, so for us the escalation of the conflict would have drastic consequences. That is why we are not involved in arms deliveries to Ukraine and we are opposed to proposals that could lead to escalation. We have to face the fact that the EU’s Ukraine strategy so far has not lived up to expectations and has not brought the war to an end. I am convinced that the most important thing in a war conflict is to save lives and help those who suffer. This requires a ceasefire and peace talks as soon as possible, as this is the only way to end the devastation. It is good that more and more people are talking about the importance of a diplomatic solution. With the election of Donald Trump, we now have a better chance than ever. And if the war is to end, we will need a comprehensive strategy for the reconstruction of Ukraine and the role of the Union in it. First and foremost, we need to focus on peace-building.

Dear colleagues, Congratulations on Donald Trump's historic victory. A new chapter in transatlantic relations is finally opening. There is now a chance that the devastating war in our neighbourhood will end as soon as possible, and that there will be an armistice and then peace. It is also time for Europe to finally do more for its own security and to increase its global weight. The competitiveness pact adopted last week in Budapest is a good basis for the latter. The majority of people overseas, as in Europe in June, voted for change. Voters have said no to the policies of the liberal elite, and patriotic parties that support peace, oppose illegal migration and support families have strengthened. With Donald Trump's victory, common sense prevailed over waking madness. This is also good news for free speech. The Americans decided to make America great again. Now it is up to us to make Europe great. The patriots are ready!

Dear Madam President, In addition to a number of bad decisions, one of the biggest mistakes of the outgoing Commission was the pushing through of the migration pact. Instead of the old bad solutions, we need to stop illegal migration, effective external border protection, the processing of immigrant applications outside Europe, cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and effective pushbacks. Otherwise, uncontrolled mass migration will destroy Europe and Schengen free movement. There is a migration crisis, and more and more leaders in the Member States are rebelling against flawed decisions. Germany introduces internal border controls and Poland suspends the application of EU migration rules. Since 2015, the Hungarian government has been advocating and taking action to strengthen external border protection and stop illegal immigrants, but we have only been penalised for this. It is scandalous and unworthy that the European Commission is punishing Hungary with 200 million euros for protecting Europe's external borders. While they quietly agree that the protection of external borders is an obligation, it is not a crime. What a duplicity! What a hypocracy! That's true. The Italian Interior Minister Salvini, who has been threatened with six years in prison, is also unacceptable. Forcing illegal migration is tearing the EU apart, disrupting European cooperation, and Member States must therefore be given the opportunity to opt out of the flawed Brussels policy. Throw aside the bad migration pact and stop the punishments imposed on Hungary!

Dear Madam President, This was the culmination of the hypocracy, unworthy of the President of the Commission. Dear Prime Minister, I am pleased to welcome you here today, Prime Minister of the Patriots, on behalf of the third largest faction, the Patriots. This is a historic moment. You seem to be annoying Mr. Weber. The creation of the Patriots stemmed from the demand expressed by voters in June for change. The priorities of the Hungarian Presidency reflect the common sense policy that Europe so desperately needs today. Dear Prime Minister, Europe is in a worse position than it has been in decades, and I regret that the President of the Commission campaigned against a government instead of talking about them. That European peace is in danger, that our hour is ticking to stop illegal migration and the decline of European competitiveness. We therefore welcome the Budapest Competitiveness Pact, because it would counterbalance a series of erroneous decisions in Brussels that threaten European prosperity. We welcome the proposal for Schengen summits that would safeguard free movement in the Schengen area. Today, with its misguided migration policy, Brussels is destroying precisely this most fundamental achievement. Protecting our external borders requires support, not outrageous punishment. We welcome any initiative to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, leading to communication, a ceasefire and peace. We reject all false attacks against Hungary and our Hungarian Prime Minister. Instead of a campaign of hatred, you, my fellow Members, should be shouting for peace, security and prosperity in Europe. Parliament's biggest act in months has been to enforce the "cordon sanitaire" against the patriotic right. Quite a disgraceful result! We Patriots are proud that our Prime Minister has a realistic assessment of the situation, states that Europe is in trouble and has concrete proposals for solutions. Prime Minister, you can count on the Patriot faction, you can count on voters all over Europe.

Dear Madam President, Although we have recovered physically, mentally and mentally we are still hostages of Hamas since 7 October. I quote the wife of a hostage whose husband, along with hundreds of other innocent Israelis, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. I personally met the relatives of the hostages, the survivors of the horror. It was shocking to hear their stories. The immediate release of the hostages still in captivity is a priority. As we mourn the victims, we sympathize with their families and stand with Israel. The Jewish people have not suffered such a tragedy since the Holocaust as they did a year ago on October 7. Israel has the right to self-defence and the dismantling of terrorist organizations. Hamas' attack on Israel has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe that now threatens the stability of the entire Middle East region. A year ago, we were also confronted with the fact that, with mass immigration, Europe also imported the rise of anti-Semitism. This has become particularly visible on the streets of Western Europe since last year's Hamas attack. Anti-Semitic atrocities have intensified, and demonstrations celebrating terrorist Hamas have become commonplace. Our position is clear. We condemn all forms of anti-Semitism. Hungary is therefore an island of peace for Jews in Europe today.

Madam President, as the nominal composition of the delegations will be announced today, I take this occasion to express the wish of my group that the delegations will have bureaus that reflect the composition of Parliament. For the bureaus of the committees, this is not the case, contrary to Rules 34 and 219. I ask you, Madam President, pursuant to Rule 22(2) of the Rules of Procedure, to see to it that the rules are being respected and applied – not only with regard to the delegations, but also with regard to the committees.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I would like to congratulate professional volunteers for soldiers who are fit for duty on dams, in flooded areas, in towns and villages. Thank you for that. We are facing an unprecedented flood in Central Europe, unprecedented in decades. Hungary is now awaiting a peak, which is why our Prime Minister also had to cancel his participation in today's plenary session. Nowadays it is most needed at home, because in Hungary flood protection takes place on 540 kilometers, and the highest level of preparedness is reached on 200 kilometers. This is the hardest part of the defense. In this situation, we need to work together and get quick and effective help from the EU. That is why we welcome the swift reaction and immediate activation of the EU crisis response mechanism by the Hungarian Presidency-in-office. This will allow particularly affected countries to coordinate their defence efforts. It is now up to the European Commission to use all possible means and financial support to effectively help protect against flooding. We call for the possibility of all kinds of bureaucratic and other unconditional disbursement of European Union Solidarity Fund funds. This is what the EP resolution should be focusing on right now. What is needed right now is not medium- and long-term climate proposals that are difficult to implement, but concrete, quick and effective help. Central Europe and Hungary are now defending against water as one person. Thousands of soldiers, professionals and volunteers are on the dams now, we need help from the EU institutions and we need to be with them in our hearts.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Today, Europe is weaker than it was five years ago. I will list the decisions that the President of the Commission has taken against the interests of European citizens. It is not taking concrete steps for peace as Europe drifts ever closer to war. He pushed through a bad migration pact instead of protecting the external borders. He did not protect our children by forcing gender ideology. Its policy of a poison-green green deal has harmed European farmers and weakened Europe's competitiveness. He has concluded vaccine contracts that are suspected of corruption, he has amplified the overgrowth of the Brussels bureaucracy, he has weakened it and, as we have heard, he plans to further weaken the sovereignty of the Member States. He used the rule of law and EU money owed to Hungary as political blackmail. It has made the application of double standards the main rule against democratically elected governments. As part of his campaign, he used the EU institutions to exert pressure by boycotting the Hungarian Presidency. This has harmed European cooperation. For all these reasons, we patriots in the interest of Europe will not support von der Leyen in today's vote. We need a change at last.

Madam President, it’s an honour to speak on behalf of the new Patriots for Europe Group for the first time in the European Parliament. Political violence has no place in our societies. Parliament must condemn all forms of political violence, including those that are directed against sovereignist, patriotic politicians. We must condemn in the strongest terms the assassination attempt against US former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump. Therefore, we request to add a statement of Parliament based on Rule 167 for Wednesday, today, at 15:00, with the title ‘Assassination attempt against former US president and presidential candidate Donald Trump, and the rise of political violence in Europe.’ We also request a resolution to be voted on in the September part-session. Let me say that the voting behaviour of yesterday of political groups, due to some shameless pacts among themselves, banning the Patriots from parliamentary positions they are entitled to is disrespect to 18 million voters, disrespect of democracy of Parliament and its own rules, the rule of law. It will backfire on all of us.

Mr. President, please. We strongly condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel. This risks turning the Middle East into a war zone, a war between states, posing a serious threat to Europe's security. The most important thing now is to prevent the situation from getting worse. It is in everyone's interest that this conflict does not set the whole region on fire. This requires restraint on the part of all parties. Hungary is committed to Israel's security and promotes stability in the region in international forums. An extensive war would trigger a wave of migration towards Europe with disastrous consequences. It is therefore urgent, inter alia, to address the situation in Lebanon and the Syrian refugee issue. Just as it is in the Union's strategic interest to maintain a safe environment in the Mediterranean. Peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as peace in our neighbourhood as soon as possible, are the cornerstones of the security of Europe and of our country. We are therefore on the side of peace.

Madam President, please. The migration policy imposed by the Brussels mainstream has clearly failed. Migrants are becoming increasingly violent and most of them remain illegally in Europe. The Brussels bureaucracy and the European left, however, learn nothing from their mistakes. In fact, by pushing through the current bad migration package, it is making the situation worse. Hungary rejects this migration pact in the strongest possible terms, as the introduction of a mandatory solidarity distribution mechanism and the establishment of migrant camps would only be an invitation for millions of illegal immigrants and criminal smuggling organisations. Instead, we need to stop illegal migration. A successful example is the Hungarian model, which prevents illegal immigrants from entering its territory by means of physical and legal border closures. Hungary will not be an immigrant country. In the face of mass migration, we must protect our borders and stick to ourselves so that we can determine with whom we live together. This will also be the stakes of the election.

Mr. President, please. The European Council, at its next meeting, should address the situation of European agriculture. This is not a policy issue, it is not a support issue, but a much more important strategic issue that will determine the European economy and people's lives in the long term. It is also of strategic importance that Europe assumes greater responsibility for safeguarding our security. This is why Hungary supports the strengthening of the European defence policy and the defence industry. This should build on a European defence industrial base and play a decisive role in the next institutional cycle. Reflecting this in structures and budgets. It is also essential for Europe's security to stop illegal immigration at the external borders. Peace must finally come to the fore in the context of the war in Ukraine. A truce leading to peace talks. We condemn Russia's aggression and stand up for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We are helping Ukraine beyond strength with humanitarian means, and we are convinced that the war must be brought to an end as soon as possible and not broadened. Only peace can end the destruction.

Mr. President, please. We sympathize with the members of the Navalny family and agree that the circumstances of his death should be investigated. We stand up for human dignity. Rest in peace. The war in Ukraine has been going on for more than two years and the end is not visible. Our position is clear from the outset: We condemn Russia’s military aggression and stand up for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We stand by the Ukrainian refugees. We have taken in more than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees. The longer the war lasts, the more damage and human sacrifice will be caused. We are convinced that only peace can end this destruction.

Mr. President, please. We live in dramatic times. Europe needs stability, peace and prosperity. That is why we support the common defence policy, as well as initiatives to strengthen the European defence industry, and this will also be our priority during our EU Presidency, the Hungarian Presidency. It is regrettable that the biennial report now under discussion is ideologically based, rather than trying to reverse the deterioration of the Union's competitiveness. He is unjustly attacking the Enlargement Commissioner for ideological reasons, although he should be commended for the impetus given to enlargement policy. Accelerating the integration of the Western Balkans is a fundamental strategic interest of the EU. We oppose the proposals for qualified majority voting, because it would severely limit the sovereignty of the Member States, and the repeated political attacks on Hungary are unacceptable, as we consistently condemn the Russian aggression and support and assist Ukraine with humanitarian means. But we stand on the side of peace and stand by the need to end the devastation in our neighbourhood as soon as possible through peace talks instead of war rhetoric and arms deliveries.

Dear Mr President, Our position is clear and unchanged. We strongly condemn the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas. Israel has the right to self-defense and dismantle terrorist organizations. The release of all hostages and the possibility for the International Red Cross to have access to these hostages must be a priority in all circumstances. Events in the Middle East are taking an increasingly worrying direction, and this is exactly what terrorist organisations are trying to achieve. Hamas must stop using civilians as human shields. Further escalation of the situation should be avoided. In order to avoid a humanitarian crisis, it is of paramount importance that aid reaches the civilian population in need. At the same time, these aids should not fall into the hands of terrorist organisations. We support negotiations between the countries of the region in order to avoid a regional war. We must reaffirm our mutual commitment to the fight against antisemitism here in Europe and also to avoid escalation in the region.

Dear Madam President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Commissioner. The Belgian Presidency's priority must be a ceasefire and peace talks as soon as possible in order to achieve a lasting, just peace in Ukraine. Financial assistance to Ukraine is essential, but it should not be provided through joint borrowing. First, it is necessary to clarify how much money and what the EU has spent in Ukraine since the outbreak of the war. Due to the state of war, it is impossible to plan for four years in advance, so it is worth reviewing the support annually. It's different. The consequences of the misguided Brussels migration policy are being suffered by innocent people on the streets of Western Europe, and we see the rise of anti-Semitism. The forced migration pact is actually part of the problem. We need a radical change. It is also time for this Presidency to put an end to the double standards of the rule of law. The fact that Hungary is regularly, unjustifiably, presented as a problem, while the real violations taking place in Warsaw are being overlooked. The overheated, Hungarophobic attacks do not harm our country, but destroy the Union. There must be a change in June when the sovereignist side puts an end to this hypocrisy.

Madam President, I'm sorry. On the issue of opening accession negotiations with Ukraine, there is no unity among the Member States today. Decisions of this magnitude should be made only after proper preparation and not under political pressure. The accession of a state of Ukraine's size and economic, political and security status would have serious consequences for the economies of the Union as a whole, Hungary and the Member States. On the other hand, enlargement policy must be an objective process based on uniform conditionality and performance. Ukraine does not fulfil the minimum conditions set by the Commission, including the guarantee of national minority rights, instead of the promises. So you're not ready to start the trial. For the Western Balkan countries, there has been no progress on accession for years on this basis. There is no room for double standards in enlargement policy. The European Council, the European Commission, send positive signals to Ukraine. It is committed, but with different signals than the opening of accession negotiations now. A hasty decision taken under purely political pressure, without consulting the citizens, will only further destroy the unity of the Union.

Dear Madam President, Welcome to another episode of the anti-Hungary soap opera. I've been fighting for 14 years against the third-class series, in which every season is getting weaker. It is untrue and contains neither facts nor truth in crumbs. They don't care who makes them or orders them. It is political blackmail to bring Hungary to its knees because we are on the side of peace. We resist, we oppose illegal migration, we protect our children from gender ideology. The Luxembourg Commissioner has said that our Child Protection Act is an obstacle to agreeing on EU funds. The Hungarian left, funded from abroad, applauds the fact that the stakes have been raised: to prevent the rightful payment of money, to frustrate the role of the EU Presidency, and thus to punish the Hungarian people. We are defending our sovereignty. Enough of the increasingly absurd anti-Hungarian campaign being built as a house of cards. As many people across Europe expect, change is needed and will happen next June. Hands off Hungary!

Madam President, please. Enlargement of the European Union is in our strategic and geopolitical interest. Enlargement is not just a political issue. The situation of countries facing accession negotiations should be judged on the basis of their preparedness and a uniform set of requirements. Before starting new accession negotiations, the EU must first deliver on its promises to the Western Balkans, including Serbia, as negotiations with Serbia have been ongoing for more than ten years without significant progress. This discredits the Union. In order to maintain our credibility, Georgia must also be granted candidate status. New accession negotiations can only be opened with countries that fulfil the basic conditions set by the Commission. The enlargement proposal presented today – and I congratulate the Commissioner for that – shows that Ukraine has not yet fulfilled 4 of the 7 conditions, including the minority protection conditions. There's a war going on in his area, and he can't even hold elections. All these demonstrate that the country is not yet ready to start accession negotiations.