Speeches

Thank you very much! And it is really gratifying that the European Union has so many different languages. I am really delighted that we can all speak our national languages here. And finally, the word to Commissioner Dalli, closing this debate. Please.

The next item is the debate on the recommendation for second reading by the Committee on Transport and Tourism on the report on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (10542/1/2021 – C9-0423/2021 – 2017/0114(COD)) (rapporteur: ) (A9-0006/2022). I would like to remind Members that there will be no catch-the-eye procedure and no blue cards will be accepted in any debate during this part-session. Moreover, as in recent part-sessions, remote interventions from Parliament Liaison Offices in the Member States are foreseen. I would also like to remind you that here, in the hall, there will continue to be a performance from the central podium. I therefore invite you to follow the list of speakers and go to the central podium when your speaking time is approaching.

And before we move to the next – last – point on this agenda, I have one statement. The Greens/EFA Group has notified the Chair of the decision on changes to the committee appointments. This decision will be included in the minutes of today's sitting and will enter into force on the date of this announcement.

The next item is the Commission statement on A coordinated European Union approach to travel measures (2022/2537(RSP)). I would like to remind Members that there will be no catch-the-eye procedure and no blue cards will be accepted in any debate during this part-session. Moreover, as in recent part-sessions, remote interventions from Parliament Liaison Offices in the Member States are foreseen. I would also like to remind you that it will continue to be necessary to speak from the central rostrum in the Chamber. I therefore invite you to follow the list of speakers and go to the central podium as your speaking time approaches.

This debate is hereby closed. Before I talk about the next item on the agenda, allow me to say a few words with your consent. This is my first sitting, which I will chair here in plenary. It's a great honour. Thank you for your support! In fact, it is also an honour not only for me as a Member, but also for the first time here in the European Parliament, when chairing the sitting, the Latvian language, which is the official language of my people, my country, will be spoken. As this is a very important day, I also think not for a very large people, but, of course, for a very honourable people in the European Parliament, in the country. And let me do the best and most effective way to chair the sitting. Written statements (Rule 171)

Mr President, Mr High Representative of the Commission, Ukraine today is the Day of Unity. What is this Day of Unity about? That Ukrainian society wants to follow the path of Western democracy, and their government – the democratically elected president and government – is leading this path. But, of course, this society is not united in Ukraine, let us be frank, and the Ukrainian government is in dire need of this support for Western democracies at this point through this Day of Unity, because perhaps somebody in the Kremlin thinks that Ukrainians should be freed from the junta – as is often seen in unofficial versions – and the Ukrainian brothers should be hated by another government. This is the moment when the Ukrainian course needs this stretched hand from Western democracy – from us, from Europeans. And this means that our leaders' declaration, too, must contain serious points that Ukraine is on its way to Europe, to the European Union. Of course, it is not fast, but it is, and of course, there must also be not only money, but also support [from] military equipment, or let's call it defensive weapons. There is also an extremely important question about the so-called "non-harm" issue. Perhaps the President of Ukraine, even remotely, had the opportunity this week to speak in the European Parliament, perhaps not, but this policy of non-harm shows, in my opinion, that this stretched hand is a little trembling, which is bad news for Ukrainian society. Let us also be serious in the medium term with changes in energy policy, which is an extremely important issue very soon.

Dear Chair, Our countries in the European Union – we have different historical experiences and geopolitical perspectives, and there are countries that have regained much of their freedom by breaking down – to a large extent, Washington’s desire to break down – the Soviet Union, and there are also countries in the European Union that have a different geopolitical vision and a different history. NATO is what works, and any movement to erode it also weakens the European Union geopolitically, as strategic autonomy can develop at best several decades from today's future. And at a time when we are talking about new possible cold wars with China or failures in the Pacific, at the same time Russia is trying out, testing hybrid weapons right here in the European Union, and we, as the European Union, are not responding adequately to this step. That is why we do not have any other partner for historical roots, historical values, such as the United States, and we must remove all the obstacles that we have to trade, to the development of technologies that we are capable of in relations with the United States. Thank you very much!