What Victor spoke about.

Mr President, dear colleagues, parts of the drones used by the Russian army in attacks aimed at destroying Ukraine's port infrastructure were discovered on the Romanian bank of the Danube last days. The situation calls for the attention of the European authorities, which must have a common and clear reaction on this issue. The European Union must be firm in expressing its solidarity with Romania and protecting our common European borders. That is why we have called in the European budget for next year for additional funds to protect our external borders and to assist the people terrorised by Russian attacks even a few metres from their homes. Many people are thinking about leaving the area, while their businesses are affected and tourist activities are stagnating. Europe must avoid depopulation of border communities, which are essential in assisting Ukraine and in the future reconstruction process. The European Union must be ready to apply the European Treaties and act with concrete measures to protect all European citizens.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European economy depends on SMEs. Over 98% of businesses in the European Union are small and medium-sized companies, produce over 70% of the value added of the European economy and generate tens of millions of jobs in all Member States. Unfortunately, this data is often ignored. The small entrepreneur is left to fend for himself, while others benefit from billions of euros through state aid and preferential access to European funds. The chances for an entrepreneur from Blaj, Ocna Mures, Roșiorii de Vede, small communities to succeed are much lower than for an entrepreneur from the major European capitals, and the possibility for him to succeed, if he is from a vulnerable group or from a smaller community, decreases exponentially. That is why we need to find a way to support SMEs, to help them take advantage of the internal market, but at the same time to increase interaction with all that means performing companies in Europe. I propose a European Pact for SMEs to develop entrepreneurship education, create accessible regulation and also succeed in creating a fund dedicated to start-ups at European level.

Mr. President, Romanians can no longer wait for the whims of the right-wing politicians in Vienna. This resolution makes it very clear why last year's veto violates citizens' rights and European law. Through our amendments, we show the negative impact on the environment and the internal market, highlight the discriminations created and ask for Romania's accession to the Schengen area by the end of the year. The cost of the blockage must be compensated. The culprits must pay, as happens when Member States violate European law. This resolution also takes on board the arguments of the 2015 petition ‘Romania asks for Schengen!’, which we initiated and which was then supported by more than 50,000 people and the European Parliament. And here we are, today, once again demanding this right, asking the Commission and the European Parliament to defend the European Union, including by challenging Austria's veto in court. Now or never.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European Investment Bank is a key institution for the European Union that allows us to boost investment and trigger the implementation of new projects that create jobs and have a positive impact on our economy. According to a recent report, the EIB Group will create almost 1 million jobs by 2026 and add more than 1% to the European economy. Nevertheless, more work needs to be done to expand the impact of the EIB. In 2022, three countries – Italy, France and Spain – have used the majority of the funds available, which shows the need for EU widening. For example, my country – Romania – got, in 2022, only EUR 1 billion, in comparison to Italy that got EUR 10 billion, namely almost twice more in percentage of the GDP. At the same time, we need more transparency on project selection, human resources management and impact assessment. The EIB should be an inclusive bank, allowing access to funding for SMEs and start-ups, applicants from rural areas and small towns, or beneficiaries from vulnerable groups and disadvantaged regions. Last and not least, the EIB should finance the frontline countries in developing their infrastructure and dealing with the challenges faced by the war in Ukraine.

Madam President, dear colleagues, the NATO Summit in Vilnius is crucial to show our unity and ability to defend our common interests against any threats. The conclusions of the summit must provide a firm and unequivocal response against Russia's barbaric aggression. We need the strengthening of NATO's military presence on the eastern flank, security guarantees for the Republic of Moldova and the Black Sea area, extensive cooperation with Ukraine and a clear plan for our common security. In this context, Romania can be a hub for NATO, especially in the area of defence industry. That is why it is essential to strengthen our logistical and production capacity, from the necessary raw materials to the qualified human resource, using intelligently the funds allocated for defence. An example would be the modernization of arms factories in Cugir. Without NATO, any state in the region could be Ukraine. Our security depends on the future of NATO, and close cooperation between the European Union and NATO is vital.

Madam President, dear colleagues, in less than a year we will have the elections to the European Parliament and here we do not currently have a new European electoral law, although we should show citizens that the European Union has evolved and that the European project does indeed have a future, including from this perspective. What the European Parliament has proposed is clear: provides a common regulatory framework, offers the prospect of common European lists with a fair representation of all Member States. We also have more legitimacy with that proposed project and that is why we expect the Council to conduct these negotiations with the European legislature. The proposal also makes clear the references to European political parties and we need them to gain more visibility and also to have a representation of them in everything that the electoral process means, but also a presence in what it means to vote for the European Parliament. We also need to involve the European diaspora and there are clear things, mentioned there, that we need to discuss in such a way as to give a European perspective to this electoral process, but also to our Union.

Madam President, the European story of Cyprus shows that everything is possible and that the European Union allows states to live in peace and overcome the most difficult moments. In fact, you are a model for the future accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union. If Cyprus has managed to overcome its internal divisions, then even the European path of the Republic of Moldova cannot be stopped by the petty interests of the Transnistrian authorities. I take the opportunity to strongly call for the start of accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and for the pre-accession funds to be made available to this state. At the same time, coming from a country that ensures the protection of the EU's external borders and has a good relationship with Turkey, I fully understand the challenges that Cyprus faces and we can only urge the adoption of common positions that ensure real solutions and stability in the region. We need to bring Europe together around our democratic values and mutual respect and understand that the important topics on the agenda of each state must become topics of interest for the whole Union.

Mr President, Spain will soon take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union, at a time when Europe needs immediate solutions to support the population and in an electorally complex situation. I call on the plenary of the European Parliament to all political parties in Spain to support Romania's accession to the Schengen area, especially since its presidency of the Council of the EU is the last possibility to do so until next year's European elections. The Social Democrats in Spain were clearly in support of Romania. It is time for representatives of the right and the extreme right in Spain to do the same. I call on all parties in Romania and my fellow MEPs to discuss with their partners, as we, the Social Democrats, have done. No half-measures, no empty statements and no surprises generated, as happened with the right in Austria. We have the obligation to fight for the observance of the European treaties, not to give up this objective and to actively use the foreign political relations in the interest of Romania and the European Union.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Romania was among the first European states to create green lanes of solidarity with Ukraine to facilitate the export of grain to North Africa, but in the absence of European support mechanisms and a coherent strategy for the frontline states, our farmers were strongly affected, especially because of those who profited from and speculated on the existing situation. Unfortunately, Commissioner, we have not heard any long-term solution from you today. This context shows us, in fact, that more EU support is needed for the countryside and for farmers. That is why, these days, together with the Social Democratic Party and PES activists Romania, we are running the campaign ‘Romanian villages with European money’, through which, together with Romanian farmers, we draw the attention of European decision-makers to the needs of small communities. I invite the Commissioner to support in the coming period the increase in financial allocations for rural areas and agriculture in the review of the long-term European budget, to ensure that these grains get where they need to be and to show that he is genuinely concerned about the fate of the people living in these rural areas.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, today, when the European Parliament is presenting its guidelines for next year’s European budget, in which we are defining our key priorities for the upcoming negotiations, everyone must be aware that what we are effectively doing is setting our level of ambition and looking to provide the answers to the challenges lying ahead. We call upon the Commission and the Council to be bold and rise to the occasion by presenting a reinforced EU budget that can finance the new priorities and ensure the well-being of our citizens and our economy. We are clear in saying that we need a positive MFF revision with additional resources to respond to citizens’ needs, continue supporting Ukraine and frontline countries and deal with the impact of inflation. For all new priorities, we need fresh resources and no cuts should be made on cohesion policy and existing programmes. Moreover, we should increase the financial allocation to EU programmes, taking into consideration the impact of inflation to allow them to reach their expected targets. This means that an Erasmus exchange student should receive more money in order to keep the programme inclusive and accessible. At the same time, we need to modernise our economy, support SMEs and our farmers, and make sure our citizens are protected by investing more in our defence industry, in an inclusive digital and green transition and in increasing our energy independence. The S&D is calling for a responsible budget that will ensure an effective response to global geopolitical challenges, ensure stability in these highly turbulent times and build the foundation for a prosperous and secure Europe for future generations. The EU budget and MFF revision should go hand in hand and be up to the challenge. We therefore strongly support the rapid implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact – while clearly saying no to building walls with European funds at the external borders of the Union – knowing fully well that there are other alternative solutions that can ensure better border protection. This is a key issue and a red line for our group. We will therefore not be able to support the guidelines if EPP and ECR put forward a text that goes against the humane and effective approach. În continuare, permiteți-mi să mă adresez în limba română, întrucât peste tot în Europa cetățenii trebuie să fie informați și implicați în discuțiile privind bugetul european. Am reușit în aceste propuneri ale Parlamentului să avem referiri concrete la necesitatea de a extinde spațiul Schengen cu România, sprijinirea statelor aflate în proximitatea zonei de conflict, inclusiv a Republicii Moldova, pentru care am solicitat urgentarea fondurilor de preaderare, finanțarea Strategiei europene pentru Regiunea Dunării sau a infrastructurii din zonele periferice ale Europei, precum zona Moldovei. Bugetul UE trebuie să fie reflecția a ceea ce putem face mai bine împreună la nivel european. Construim mai mult și mai consistent acțiunile noastre comune pentru a ne proteja cetățenii și a le asigura un nivel de trai mai bun. Dear colleagues, we need to show that we are capable of building a budget that provides adequate resources for the future we want to build together here in Europe.

(starts off-mic) I thank the Commissioner for her answer, and say to her: but at the end of the year is quite late. We need to get those proposals done by the end of this parliamentary term. And in this regard, the European Parliament has also allocated additional resources for the European Year for Youth of about EUR 80 million, and this was included in the budget for these years. But many Europeans and even NGOs from my country are not aware of what actually happened with the sums that have been allocated. So I would like to hear from you how you actually use those resources. And also, concretely, when the proposals are going to be made here in the European Parliament?

Madam President, at the beginning of this year, I requested the organisation of this plenary debate on the legacy of the European Year of Youth. Our proposal, part of the ‘YouthUp’ campaign that I have launched, was supported by the S&D Group, dozens of MEPs from all political groups and many civil society organisations. We were firm in requesting a clear follow—up for young people, asking the Commission to move from nice words to concrete policies, like introducing the youth test and mainstreaming young people across all EU policies, banning unpaid internships, supporting European citizenship education, implementing the proposals from the Conference on the Future of Europe and promoting real mechanisms for youth participation. But what we would like to find out from the Commission is: when are these proposals going to be made and what is the exact timeline for their approval? Even today, maybe we’ll hear a nice statement – and I really believe we have a dedicated Commissioner – but we need the entire Commission to support the policy proposals, which should reach the Parliament as soon as possible in order to approve them during this parliamentary term.

Mr President, farmers in Romania are fighting for survival, in the light of the fact that the current European Commissioner for Agriculture, supported by Eurosceptic parties in Europe, including representatives of extremist parties in Romania in the European Parliament, is unable to provide adequate solutions to the problems they are facing. Under the coordination of the commissioner affiliated to the Eurosceptic group, Romania was discriminated against in allocating funds to support farmers. Speculators are taking advantage of cheap grain and farmers affected by the war. Food prices have risen exponentially, and Ukrainian agricultural products are not even getting where they need to be. That's what anti-Europeans do when they get into key positions in Europe. Together with the Social Democratic Party and PES activists Romania, we have come up with solutions to the current crisis in agriculture and we will initiate a campaign to support Romanian farmers and those living in rural areas, because the European left is fighting for an inclusive, democratic Europe, which is concerned about everyone's fate.

Mr President, the Republic of Moldova needs our support, in the context in which its stability is endangered. In recent weeks, the authorities in Chisinau have faced unprecedented pressure and situations and have discovered the direct involvement of the Russian Federation in the attempt to destabilize the country by organizing violent protests. Such incidents prove that the European Union needs to move from theory to practice. At the moment, my country, Romania, is assisting the Republic of Moldova, offering it from financial support to energy resources, resources it needs, while the promises of the donors are late to appear. That is why I call on the European Commission and the Member States to provide rapid access to pre-accession funds for the Republic of Moldova, also integrating existing expertise in the region to ensure that these resources are used properly and in the interest of citizens. The aim is to maintain the European path of the Republic of Moldova and ensure the democratic resilience of the country, so we must not delay any longer, we must act now.

Mr President, all European patients have the right to medicines. Unfortunately, today, many European patients no longer have access to the treatments they need, amid rising prices and the disappearance of generic medicines. This is due, among other things, to production problems, but also to the growing shortage of essential products in the European Union. Drugs needed to treat cancer, infections and diseases of the nervous system, epilepsy or Parkinson's disease account for more than half of the treatments we lack. Despite requests made by the European Parliament, the European Union continues to be increasingly dependent on third countries, in particular India and China, for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients or medicines. The problem is much more complex to be solved by a single state. European solutions are needed and now, when we speak in plenary, patients in Romania are waiting for a response. I call on the European Commission to react and resolve immediately this situation, already exposed by the European Parliament, which endangers the health of hundreds of thousands of people.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the corruption scandals directly affect the image of the European Union and the trust our citizens have in the European construction. The populist and anti-European movement use all of that to blame the EU, but they do not care about solutions, they are even absent here today. But Europe did not steal. The European Union is not corrupted. But you speak about people that abused citizens trust and their functions for their own interest. All the EU institutions have to show zero tolerance on corruption, and this is what our political group is saying. It is not complicated and we should not hide behind bureaucratic arguments. I come from a country, Romania, that did important reforms with the support of the European Union, and we did it. All the Romanian MEPs have to present annually integrity and wealth reports that are heavily checked. So we can do that at European level. So the European Union has to show coherence and apply, of course, strict rules on all integrated issues at European level.

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the Recovery and Resilience Facility is the only means by which the European Union can cope with the challenges we face, particularly in the energy area, but also with global competition. That is why we must ensure that the national plans correspond to the real needs in each Member State and that all available financial resources are fully used. I am glad that, thanks to the efforts of the Social Democratic Group in the European Parliament, but also with the support of the three rapporteurs, my amendment and that of my colleagues from the Social Democratic Party, thanks to which the plans can be modified more easily, has been integrated into the final form of the regulation agreed with the other European institutions. Thus, if a Member State can demonstrate the impact of the war in Ukraine, inflation or global trade flows, it will be able to modify both the projects and reforms in the plan by 30 April this year. That is why I believe that Romania must aim for a broader optimization of the NRRPs, so that all targets and objectives are achieved especially on the energy component. We must seize this opportunity to fight energy poverty, fight inflation, help SMEs, but above all to prepare for the future. I want to thank all the Members of the European Parliament for what we have been able to do here today.

Madam President, Ukraine is fighting not only for its independence, but also for us. The brutal attack by the Russian Federation on Ukraine was only the beginning of a bloody plan to regain influence in the region. The support of the European Union, the United States and NATO allies has made it possible to block the offensive, but the risk is still very high. The threat of a new Russian offensive still exists. Increased military presence on the eastern flank, as well as in the Black Sea countries, including Romania, military support for Ukraine, financial support for the Republic of Moldova, maintaining sanctions against Russia are essential for victory and possible future peace negotiations. At the same time, we need to increase European military production capacity, especially in frontline states. We need to support the population to increase the resilience of European societies, but also to rebuild Ukraine on new foundations, fighting corruption and respecting the rights of all minorities. We have the strength to win this war, but for this, European leaders must bear in mind that we can do it only by preserving our democratic values, unity and determination that we have shown so far.

Mr President, I want to make it very clear: Europe must wake up! We are in an increasingly difficult situation, from which we can get out acting. We need European solutions that lead to a better life for citizens, because we have seen that inflation has increased prices and it is hard to bear, we have seen that many people do not have access to medical services or services in the area of quality education. We have seen that social dumping from outside the Union directly affects European companies and also that European funds are insufficient. We are talking about big things, but we are forgetting the simple and important elements for the daily life of citizens. We make decisions, but we ignore the fact that many states do not comply with the regulations in force. We claim equality, but we have citizens who are discriminated against and states treated as second-class. However, Europe is the most successful project globally, but it is not completed. Right-wing populism has used our fears to divide us, to convince us to stop defending our values. Today, in Britain, we see the clear failure of Euroscepticism and we must not hesitate to expose it. The founders of Europe wanted more, we must offer better for the citizens to follow us. Each of us is Europe, and we must act to give it back its old strength.

Mr President, the European Union may be confronted soon with a new migration crisis. Many EU countries have difficulties in fighting traffickers and organised crimes. We also did not provide all the proper support to the countries of origin, and we have neighbouring countries that transform migration into a business. Moreover, according to the Commission reports, we also have too many Member States that do not respect what we have already decided together. Interestingly enough, some of the leaders that do not respect the current provisions are exactly those that blame the EU on this issue. For example, the right—wing Austrian chancellor, Mr Nehammer, contradicts the European Commission and is opposing the accession of Romania into Schengen by presenting false data on migration while ignoring his capacity to manage the situation. In Romania, after being crossed by more than two million refugees with thousands remaining in our countries, we do not complain like the populist leaders. We act, we help people, we also support the country of origin. We are also investing a lot in border protection, but also in offering proper support to refugees. But we cannot ignore that help provided is too little. We have to do more. We have to act very precisely on this issue while at the same time caring about people.

Madam President, dear colleagues, we need a European regulatory framework that ensures the sustainable development of the European Union and the Member States. For example, with regard to European funds, there are clear targets, but this is not enough. We must ensure that projects implemented with European resources are truly sustainable, including in terms of raw materials used or the social conditions of employees, in order to combat, for example, unfair competition from other non-European states. But for sustainability we also need more responsibility from the private sector, especially large capital, and a sustainable tax regime. Companies that have made huge profits in the context of the crises we have been through, for example, energy companies must also demonstrate solidarity, including through appropriate taxation, as was recently proposed at the Davos Forum, providing additional resources to states for sustainable investment. We need a standardization of practices so that all states can benefit from the opportunities offered, from a sustainable approach and from the framework offered by European regulations.

– Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, Europe is facing an unprecedented security crisis. The war in Ukraine has shown us the limits of our defence system, the foreign policy challenges and the fragility of European unity. Citizens expect us to guarantee their security and protect our values, interests and borders. We need a dynamic and faster decision-making process, using all the mechanisms of the European Treaties, including a greater involvement of the European Parliament. We need to be able to apply effective sanctions, but also to combat new hybrid threats. We need better collaboration with NATO and the United States, but also common defence capabilities, including through the development of the technology industry and strategic autonomy in the field. It is very complicated to talk about our defense or supporting Ukraine. As long as we are divided, we have a cumbersome decision-making process and many European states face an arms shortage or have not invested enough in the field. We obviously need to protect Europe and the eastern flank, and I can tell you that the frontline states, the states in the Ukraine region, including my state, Romania, expect greater European authority. The enlargement of the Schengen area can facilitate the support provided to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. We have addressed all these topics, in our opinion, and we hope that these views will be taken into account.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the current challenges require concrete measures – including, of course, the revision and upscaling of the multiannual financial framework. We need a budget that offers solutions to the current needs that enables us to manage the different crises, including inflation, the energy crises and social and regional disparities. We call, of course, for more flexibility in the annual EU budgeting, new own resources, but also to become more efficient in the use of available funds. We have to make sure that the current EU programmes are functioning properly, so therefore beneficiaries of EU funds from programmes like Erasmus+, the Active Europe Programme or the European Solidarity Corps, but also from structural funds, are waiting for us to provide the solutions to continue to implement their projects. Today, it is more difficult than ever for students to go on Erasmus mobility. It is complicated for an artist to implement a cultural programme or for NGOs, social partners and local authorities to co-finance their projects. We must also focus resources on the actions that directly help EU citizens to deal with the increases of living costs, to upskill and to get access to quality education and health services. We need to be fair and open about what needs to happen. Transparency and fighting against corruption are key elements. No more ‘frugals’ versus ‘cohesion countries’. It is about all of us getting through the current crisis together and not leaving anyone behind. I am glad the European Parliament thinks ahead and plans for the MFF revision.

Mr President, dear colleagues, I would start by thanking Commissioner Johansson for being a true lawyer for Romania in the sense of joining the Schengen area. But we have to say the way things are: Europe has entered a deep crisis as a result of Austria's veto against the Commission's proposal to include Romania in the Schengen area. How is it possible for a government of a Member State to trample on European legislation and recommendations without us acting to protect the rights of our citizens who have been severely affected by this unfair decision? Romania complies with the criteria of the Schengen area, which is confirmed by all. Today, however, in a very difficult context, the solidarity of the community bloc is called into question by this veto that serves the interests of the Russian Federation. Romanians have no reason to negotiate with Austrian politicians to respect their rights and will not accept economic barricades. We insist that the European Council discuss this issue and set a firm timetable for accession as soon as possible. Dear Romanians, we will fight with dignity to the end for this goal, we will not give in and we have here many friends who are willing to support Romania.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear minister, dear colleagues, the war in Ukraine cannot be won and people’s lives cannot be saved without European support and commitment. This implies providing Ukrainians with the necessary resources to protect their population, resist during the winter, keep schools open, help the reconstruction, and maintain the activity of their public services and institutions. That is why the European Parliament is in favour of the proposal of the Commission for a support package for Ukraine of up to EUR 18 billion through concessional loans to be repaid in the course of maximum 35 years, starting in 2033. In a further expression of solidarity, the EU will cover the interest—rate costs, and of course Member States can also contribute with additional funds. This instrument will imply reforms to help Ukraine advance on its European path. But also, of course, we have to mention anti-corruption and judicial reforms, respect for the rule of law, good governance and modernisation of the national and local institutions. I also hope that EU minorities’ rights will also be included there, in particular referring to Romanian minorities. Ukraine is fighting for its freedom and its independence, but is also fighting for our values. This is why we need to show solidarity and approve this proposal and of course make sure that reforms are put into place.