Speeches

Madam President, The introduction of a ban on unfair trading practices to strengthen the position of farmers and economic operators in the agricultural and food supply chain is essential for food safety in the European Union. It is also a necessary step to protect farmers in new Member States, such as Lithuania, where agriculture is an important part of the economy. There is currently a significant imbalance in the agri-food chain, and a legislative proposal to amend that Directive is needed if we are to improve the protection of suppliers and ensure sufficient bargaining power for all economic operators. In addition, enforcement authorities should seek to prevent or put an end to unfair trading practices with a cross-border dimension, as evidence shows that this is a serious problem and distorts fair trade. In order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of this Regulation and to ensure smooth cooperation between enforcement authorities in order to avoid excessive costs for control authorities, rules should be laid down on the reimbursement of the costs of measures taken pursuant to this Regulation. Furthermore, in order to combat practices that deviate from good commercial conduct, are contrary to the principles of good faith and fair dealing and are unilaterally imposed by one trading partner on another, this Regulation should lay down rules strengthening the powers of the Member States in this respect.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Dear Mr. President, Today's war in Ukraine poses a threat to international security and is the cause of the economic crisis. Lasting peace is paramount. Lasting peace is also essential, and solidarity is also essential in order to survive this difficult time. With European solidarity there is a big problem today, because some big countries have their own selfish policies. The Union is also experiencing a crisis of values, those values that once built the Community and from which, unfortunately, we are leaving. I say this above all to the EU institutions, where there is no development of democracy and free political thought. Unfortunately, the artificial arrangement of forces blocks the development of freedom, blocks against democracy, because the will of a large part of voters is rejected, up to 50%. Today's agreement combines the goal of power at all costs and the division of ‘stools’. This is a kind of appropriation of democracy. The two main forces in this Parliament, the EPP and the socialists, although theoretically having different programmes, have been coming together for years immediately after the elections to prevent a third force and thus not having to live up to their programmes. Socialists promise social programs, but they don't implement them. They promise to care for the poorest, but they support trade in CO2 emissions, which increases prices and impoverishes people. The EPP declares that it cares about Christian values, but does not defend life from conception to natural death, does not protect marriage understood as a relationship between a woman and a man, and often supports gender ideology, which has nothing to do with real Christian Democrats. In addition, both forces impose the creation of an EU federation, which destroys the Europe of the homelands, which was intended by its creators, Schuman and others. Unfortunately, this artificial political system blocks free thought and idea. The PPE agreement with the socialists does not allow any alternative, the so-called third force. Such a system is conducive to the political corruption we are witnessing in Parliament. This harmful and undemocratic practice is also transferred to the level of the Member States. Even our president Gitanas Nausėda is under attack and his election undermined, although he received 67% of the votes. This is not conducive to democracy. Europe is becoming an ideological emptiness thanks to the EPP and the socialists. He's in disarray. Therefore, in the name of true European solidarity, a third or fourth force is needed that will be able to heal Europe in order to restore its true face based on its roots. The ECR is the force that sees this and wants to change it, as we discussed recently at the summits in Warsaw and Madrid. We also talked about the need to strengthen Europe's energy independence and develop its own industry, including heavy industry and defence. According to this idea, today we would have no problems with the defensive condition in the age of aggression in Europe. Ladies and Gentlemen, Europe and the Union need more democracy and freedom based on Christian values, a traditional family and free thought, because that is the true soul of Europe.