Speeches

I'm sorry. Was there a point of order? OK. Thank you so much. I will take note, and I'll look back at the minutes of the speech. We continue with Hristo Petrov.

(Protests from the gallery) Excuse me. You do not have the right to protest, and I ask the ushers to take care. We thank you for your message, but this is not the way to do it. I ask you to quietly leave the room. I am sorry for your pain, but this is not the way to protest in this Parliament. We continue with Piotr Müller on behalf of the Conservatives and Reformists Group of Europe.

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the state of implementation of the European Media Freedom Act in the Member States (2025/2785(RSP)).

We are voting for the request to adjourn that was introduced by the S&D Group. (Parliament rejected the request) We now continue with the votes. The next vote is on the motion for a resolution on preserving the memory of the victims of the post war communist period in Slovenia (see minutes, item 7.9).

I would like to remind Members who are on the speakers' list for the first debate in the afternoon to remain in the Chamber. The debate will start immediately after the votes. On the last point of the day, I have received a request for adjournment of the vote on the resolution on preserving the memory of the victims of post-war communist period in Slovenia.

The next vote is on VAT: taxable persons, special scheme and special arrangements for declaration and payment, relating to distance sales of imported goods (see minutes, item 7.6).

The next vote is on the EU-Greenland and Denmark Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement: Implementing Protocol 2025-2030 (resolution) (see minutes, item 7.5).

The next vote is on the EU-Greenland and Denmark Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement: Implementing Protocol 2025-2030 (see minutes, item 7.4).

The next vote is on the temporary derogation from certain provisions of Regulations (EU) 2017/2226 and (EU) 2016/399 (see minutes, item 7.3).

I put the request to a vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) We continue with the votes. The first vote is on Bulgaria's adoption of the euro on 1 January 2026 (see minutes, item 7.1).

Our second point on the agenda. I have received a request for adjournment of the vote on the report on the adoption by Bulgaria of the euro on 1 January 2026. Pursuant to Rule 206(4), a political group or Members reaching at least a low threshold may present a motion calling for a vote to be adjourned. This is the case.

I would like to make an announcement that the request for urgent procedure submitted concerning the European Climate Law has been withdrawn. As a result, the vote on this request, which was scheduled for today's voting session, will no longer take place.

The next item is the debate on the Commission statement ‐ Two years have passed since the devastating train accident in Tempi (2025/2698(RSP)). I would like to inform you that there will only be one round of speakers from the political groups in this debate. Therefore, the Catch-the-eye procedure does not apply and blue cards are not accepted. Commissioner, we will wait for you to set up. If you are ready, you are welcome to start this debate. Thank you so much.

I want to tell you that your visit was much appreciated. I had the same impression, and I wish to convey the thanks of President Maia Sandu for your very big effort, together with the Members of the European Parliament. It was much appreciated. It is an honour to open today's debate, and we open it with Andrzej Halicki, on behalf of the EPP Group.

The next item is the debate on the report by Sven Mikser, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the Commission Reports on Moldova 2023 and 2024 (2025/2025(INI)) (A10-0096/2025).

Madam President, last year, 20 000 cases of child abuse and exploitation were reported in Romania, and 4 000 rapes, of raped children. And abuse doesn't just come from the house or from the surroundings, it also comes from online. There are sites like onanisti.ro that incite such abuse, and when children, girls go to ask for help, they are told that it is their fault. If after the abuse the girls get pregnant, as it happened last year with over 600 girls under 15, how can they continue their lives with a child at that age and with the constant thought of the man who raped them above them, with a horrible thought. And to think that there are six-year-olds who have this happening to them. I have a 5-year-old, too, and I can't imagine a world where we don't protect them from these abuses. What future can you have if you wake up at night scared, if you have not learned that you are entitled to protection, to protection orders? So I believe that the European directive must also include the obligation to sexual education, to a real right to abortion, not to doctors who hide behind old-fashioned personal beliefs. We can't close our eyes anymore.

Mr. President, the murder of Teodora Marcu shocked our country and since then 26 women have been killed for the simple fact that they are, that they were women. Their only fault was the desire of men to treat them as property, to beat them wildly and even kill them if they so wished. Millions of women suffer in silence and can thus become the next victims. That's why we need to talk about femicide. Why? Because it is considered an aggravating circumstance that adds to the criminal penalty. We need to talk about femicide to show that it's the biggest crime of gender-based violence. We also need to talk about consent, about rape, about psychological abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse against women. And one more thing: women must not always do this, but all the men of Europe must stand by them.