Speeches

Commissioner, colleagues. We face challenging environmental challenges. I support the objective of reducing emissions in the coming years. Transport largely pollutes the environment and contributes negatively to climate change. The proposal before us is very ambitious, perhaps even too ambitious and difficult to implement. In solving one problem, we should not cause ten new ones. I have a number of questions about the correctness and usefulness of certain solutions. Is it really necessary to completely eliminate internal combustion engines? Due to constant development, technologies are also being improved in these engines and alternative fuels. It is always better to have more options than to completely close the doors to already existing technologies, which are also constantly improving. Today is the time for more sensible decisions, for which our citizens will be grateful. That's why we were elected. We don't want them to be able to afford their cars anymore. Or they'll drive old cars until they're on the road.

Mr President, Pope Francis said that we live in a throwaway culture, thinking of the sick, the elderly and the unwanted in society. We are also confronted with a culture or non-culture of over-creating and accumulating waste that pollutes and burdens our planet. We even trade in waste, which is why we are talking about an internal market for waste shipments. Waste is often associated with large profits, especially when disposed of incorrectly and unlawfully. I therefore believe that this area of trade and off-site shipment of waste needs to be thoroughly regulated and its implementation properly and effectively monitored. In any case, we must no longer allow waste to be just a source of quick income and enrichment at the expense of pollution of our planet.

Dear Commissioner, President-in-Office, colleagues. With the steady increase in the number of diabetic patients, it is clear that we need to act more decisively and effectively. We can do the most in the field of education and awareness-raising of citizens at all levels and at all ages. When one member of the family becomes ill, it affects the life of the whole family, especially if the child becomes ill. By raising awareness of the causes of disease, we can influence citizens' lifestyles to make them less exposed to risks. Prevention is always cheaper and better than curative. There is a lot of knowledge in the European Union, but unfortunately not all of our citizens have the same conditions and opportunities in the fight against this disease. When we in the European Union combine knowledge, experience, action, and therefore also dedicate resources from our common budget, we can make incredible moves, we can change many things for the better.

Dear President-in-Office, Commissioner! Citizens need to feel safe when buying new alternatively fuelled means of transport, especially if they travel a lot beyond everyday routes and a familiar area. If they are worried and doubtful whether they will reach their destination on time with their vehicle, it will be more difficult for them to decide to buy such a vehicle. I therefore support this proposal and the strategy for the timely and sufficient construction of charging stations for alternative fuels. Although there is an increasing availability of infrastructure for alternatively fuelled means of transport, the question is whether all countries will be able to provide sufficient charging points on their road infrastructure within the estimated time frame. I would also like to recall the planned abolition of the use of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Science is also progressing in this area, so we should also take into account the suggestions of experts and allow for the continued use of such vehicles at least in a few percent.

Madam President-in-Office, I often wonder what kind of heart those people have who make millions, billions of dollars in profits, but do not see that their employees, their neighbours, their fellow citizens, cannot pay basic bills. Our debate here must be a loud signal, a clear signal to all those that their conduct is shameful, unacceptable. And how can they look a fellow man in the eye if they do so? These are war profiteers, and in the energy field, with such high energy prices, this is certainly happening. This is unforgivable and shameful. Poverty is not necessary when we are able to share what we all create. And that is why we have to tell all these exploiters – I am not against working people, but I am against exploiters.

Dear President-in-Office, Commissioner! The European Union still has the highest number of goods and people transported by road, although we want as much freight as possible to be shifted to rail in line with the Green Deal. The current directive on the hire of vehicles without a driver is outdated, which makes it necessary to overhaul the directive and, above all, to respond to current needs and the increasing movement of goods within the European Union. Our aim is to ensure fair competition, simplify existing rules and also guarantee the rights of workers in this sector. We also need to take into account that there is a shortage of drivers in some countries, so our legislation needs to be even more flexible. Above all, it is necessary that the legislation is as uniform as possible and does not cause additional problems for drivers. That is why we are the European Union and we have common rules to make our lives and the work of our citizens as simple, efficient and cost-saving as possible. Too often I meet people who complain about irrational rules that we, too, have helped to adopt. I believe that always in the best faith that we are doing good, we have not put ourselves in the shoes of the citizens who have to implement these rules. It's nice to hear someone praise our actions.

Dear President-in-Office, Commissioner! These days, we are looking at groups of refugees who have taken the most urgent things with them and set out on their journey. Though frightened, suffering and tired, they are happy when they finally get to safety, get food and warm clothes. There are also more and more environmental refugees. How little it takes to survive. For a good quality of life, we need a lot more. Let me express my support for the people of Ukraine in the fight for their homeland, freedom and democracy, while expressing my admiration and gratitude to all those who generously help the Ukrainian people. Fortunately, most Europeans still live in peace. The progress of society is measured in terms of GDP growth. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we will need to change the indicators used to measure progress. We will have to measure our performance in terms of the well-being and well-being of people and the planet. I therefore support the proposal for a new set of European Union indicators to measure progress. Future EU legislation must be consistent with the SDGs and the 8th EAP. Of course, it is also necessary to monitor its implementation and the progress we have made. Only in this way will we know to what extent we are successful and what we have already achieved. If the planet dies, so will life on it. The basis for change is the Green Deal. We have clearly spelled out all the goals we need to achieve. However, with ever-increasing crises, our goals are increasingly questionable. I believe that without sacrifice and a changed way of life, it will not be possible. We will have to spend less and burden our ecosystem less. We will have to act much more responsibly to the planet, to food, to life on Earth.

Madam President-in-Office, Commissioner! The recent crises that have affected the world and the European Union have exposed a series of problems that we were not sufficiently aware of before. Not only have we awakened to a new world since the beginning of this war, but we have also been overlooked anew. Now we also see better all the manipulations, lies, deceptions and crimes of the great dictator. Despite the enormous horrors and challenges of the war, we still need to pay sufficient attention to environmental challenges. We cannot postpone these problems to the future because we are running out of time. This will require a lot of changes in our behavior and our way of life. It has exposed our over-reliance on other countries in many important areas, on energy, on the lack of ingredients for medicines and on components for modern technologies, not to mention food security. Batteries are a key technology for Europe's energy transition. We therefore need a new strategic approach for their production, use and also decommissioning. In addition to the positive aspect, batteries also have an adverse impact on the environment. Our dependence on the scarcity of natural resources in various areas requires us to deal even more carefully with what we have. A circular economy for sustainable development and the re-use of strategic materials are an extremely important part of our future. By setting and taking into account sustainability criteria and by involving producers and users, taking into account the relevant legislation, we will take steps in the right direction.

Dear Sir/Madam, When we talk about poverty and make statistics, we can easily see that the poorest citizens include a greater number of women than men. After giving birth to children, taking care of their upbringing, taking sick leave in case of their illnesses, after taking care of the elderly and disabled parents, perhaps also taking care of the sick husband, who may have already left them, they also aged themselves. Despite their work at work, at home and perhaps elsewhere, their pensions are barely sufficient for basic necessities of life in old age. Unfortunately, their pension is rarely enough to provide care in a nursing home. This is especially true for less educated women and those in low-paid occupations. Since there were good mothers, wives, daughters and daughters-in-law who did not think about the pension when it was necessary to help the members of the family, they can be punished with a lower pension and a lower standard of living in old age. Unfortunately, we also have a range of jobs and occupations that are less well paid because they are mainly carried out by women. It is sad when caring for cars or machines is better paid and valued than caring for a person, family and home. I wish you all a blessed Christmas holiday, and I also wish you, Commissioner.

Madam President, honourable Commissioner, honourable Minister! The European Union has played an extremely important and positive role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. European citizens had enough vaccines at their disposal relatively quickly to ensure that the majority of the population could already be vaccinated and protected. What a privilege this is compared to citizens in the poorer parts of the world. Unfortunately, negative propaganda, mistrust and fear have also deterred many of our citizens from being vaccinated. I support the European Union's assistance to poorer countries and their people by supplying more vaccines. 300 million vaccine doses by the end of the year is actually a modest figure relative to the population of poorer countries. However, given their poor organisation, the question is whether they will use it in a timely and correct manner. Many people suffer from poverty, malnutrition, poor health systems, so they are even more at risk than we are. By helping others, we help ourselves. Infectious diseases know no borders. But in a globally connected world, people travel and work together, so we don't want additional barriers and health boundaries.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, welcome. Climate change is a reality. Measures are, of course, urgently needed. We are all aware of this. However, I would like to draw attention to the fact that these measures must be realistic, reasonable and capable of encouraging citizens to take action. I will give one example: I live in a countryside where I have my own forest. We clean it carefully. Because of the storms, there's a lot of wood torn down. Of course, we burn this wood, we heat it with it. We use new technologies: better stove, insulation and so on. And I wonder: Will I be punished in the future for using this wood as fuel? This is just one example. There's probably a lot of them, life. Therefore, these measures must be such as to actually encourage and motivate citizens not to call us Brussels bureaucrats, but those who take sensible action.