Speeches

The next item is the debate on the report by Petras Auštrevičius, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the EU Enlargement Strategy (2025/2110(INI)) (A10-0016/2026).

Dear colleagues, I will now only take one blue card per person because we are behind on time. I will also close the catch-the-eye session. I think everyone in the room should be advantaged.

Mr President, Commissioner, you still have a difficult task - to take care of houses, and the heat in them. But I'm glad we have this plan, because it's important, because in the country where I come from to have warmth there was a lottery this winter. The world slowed down, much slower, they put another sweater on them, they said, "It's good and 16 degrees and 18 degrees." And that's not what we need in Europe. We have to have predictability, we have to help people. When people take their destiny into their own hands to build an energy community, they are not allowed to enter the market. Big companies do not let them - surplus energy, for example, sell it, give it to children, do good, give energy to the other cheaply. We need to support energy communities. We must somehow reduce people's bills, because we are discussing great ideas here, but if people do not feel in their home that they are doing well, they will not support Europe. What we are doing here is very important and I can't wait to see the four pillars with all the actions. We can't wait for them - let's be very clear. And one more thing: we don't need dependencies on all sorts of dictators - Aliyev, I don't know which one, no. We need our renewable, European-produced energy, energy produced also by people with European support, good European energy. That's what the Green Deal is about. It's not about some leftist, Marxist, WWC conspiracy, it's about a Europe that relies on its own energy.

Mr President, Commissioner, we cannot talk one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. We either have priorities or we just have words. And here I will talk about the housing crisis, which we have been talking about all week, because many people expect from us some very concrete solutions, which we must have. I also want to have a European fund for social housing, a European fund for the construction of homes, a European fund for improving the poor housing of poor people, people without financial means. I know people who write directly to me on Instagram, they say to me: ‘I am a 31-year-old woman. My husband earns the minimum wage. I, for the house, still have to wait a long time." Other people say to me: "I only have to be a couple to get a loan from the bank. I can’t do it alone, I can’t do it alone, nobody listens to me alone.” So it's time for Europe to use everything it has - all the European social funds, regional development funds, all put together - and make a big package for living in Europe. If we do not solve this problem, the population will not be satisfied and will not support us. We will have a united Europe when we have a social Europe.

Dear Viktor Orbán, Nothing lasts forever! Mr President, the political discourse in Hungary is increasingly toxic and demagogic. Viktor Orban's imaginary enemy is Ukraine, but the very real enemy of the people is poverty, it is lagging behind, it is the cost of living very, very high, it is corruption. In this context, are you attacking Europe as the enemy and not part of the solution? Do you find imaginary fantasies to solve the problem of ordinary Hungarians? Today I want to encourage all Hungarians in Transylvania to vote, to participate, to register, because a responsible vote contributes to the European path of their country - a path they have had for centuries. Hungary has always been in the middle of Europe and must remain there. That's where he belongs. Mr. Orban! Nothing lasts forever! Let's go to Hungary!

Mr President, Bianca is a mother on maternity leave after a difficult birth. Ovid, he's a cancer survivor, but he's still sick. Daniel suffers from multiple sclerosis and is usually a functional adult, but the pains can occur at any time and cure him. All three suffer in common, and now they have an extra one, because they were affected by the decision that cut off their first day of sick leave, because it's not just that day that gets cut off. They are cut off, perhaps, from ancient times and have a humiliation in addition to all the pains they feel. In the accounting battle with the deficit, the political class in Romania does not think at all with empathy and understanding towards others. And I believe that we must stop this injustice, because 150 000 mothers and 950 000 people with disabilities, whose tax rights have also been suppressed, suffer from this injustice. We have to be human, we have to think empathetically, not just accounting. And also, Mr President, I will end all my speeches from now on by demanding the European federation now.

The next item is the debate on the recommendation for second reading from the Committee on Transport and Tourism on air passenger rights (10015/1/2025 - C10-0228/2025 - 2013/0072(COD)) (rapporteur: Andrey Novakov) (A10-0001/2026).

Dear colleagues, we are now at the catch-the-eye session. Before I give you the floor, I just want to repeat one thing. This House is a House of dignity. Offensive language, such as the one used by Mr Vistisen, is not acceptable in this House no matter how strong our political feelings are. It is about dignity – our own dignity. There will be consequences in accordance to his speech.

Dear colleague, there will be consequences for your expletive. There are two blue cards in the room. Will you accept one? I will give the floor to Kira Peter-Hansen.

I'm sorry, colleague, this is against our rules. As much as you might feel, or the room might feel on this, we have clear rules about curse words and language that is inappropriate in this room. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but it is unacceptable even if you might have strong political feelings about this.

Dear colleague, there was no blue card, but I think the sentiment of the room was that you might have offended some of the colleagues. We continue the discussion with Rasa Juknevičienė. To the room, we have taken over 20 catch-the-eyes. At this point, I will close the catch-the-eye to give respect to the people who have followed all the debate. But blue cards are now open.