Speeches

As Sandra Gómez López for the Committee on Budgets is not there at the moment, I give the floor to Filip Turek on behalf of the ITRE Committee.

Colleagues, you have 30 seconds for an answer. As we are already late, I have to close the catch‑the‑eye requests now. We have already given blue cards, and we already have a lot of requests for catch‑the‑eye. So the blue card is closed, and now the catch‑the‑eye requests are closed.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on "The Gaza Strip on the brink of resilience – EU action to combat famine and the urgent need to release hostages and implement the two-state solution" (2025/2852(RSP)).

Thank you, Mr. Sieper, for pointing this out. We had also recorded this here and already noted. Anyway, we will check several of today's speeches retrospectively to see if they are correct. In this respect, we will take great care to ensure that the dignity of the House and respect for each other's different positions, which certainly everyone can have, are respected, but that the necessary respect and respect and due language are also debated accordingly here.

(in response to comments from Hilde Vautmans off mic) Ms Vautmans, we do not have a blue card, but is it a point of order? It is not, so I cannot allow it. Sorry. You cannot repeat it, because we don't have ... (in response to comments from Hilde Vautmans off mic) That is not allowed under the Rules of Procedure. So please, you have to accept that.

(Protests) Sorry. I really ask for respect. Every opinion is allowed as long as it respects the others. I want that you pay respect to every speaker here. Please.

(Reacting to the speaker waving a flag) Please take it away. It's not allowed. Sorry, I have to remind you that showing flags in this room is not allowed. You can do everything outside, but not in the room. I have to stop this with everyone, so please also with you. And I find it disrespectful Not in the interest of the cause. Excuse me, it's not like that. I believe that we must all act correctly here so that we can also act accordingly when other insults or other administrative offences occur. And I think the left should remember that too. Excuse me. (Applause)

The next item on the agenda is the debate on a topical issue - Lessons learned from the Budapest Pride Parade, the urgent need for an EU-wide anti-discrimination law and the defence of fundamental rights against extreme right-wing threats. I would like to draw Members' attention to the fact that the debate does not accept spontaneous interventions or ‘blue cards’.

The minutes of yesterday's meeting and the texts adopted are available. Are there any objections? That is not the case. The minutes have therefore been approved.

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the report by Ondřej Kolář, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina (2025/2018(INI)) (A10-0108/2025).

The next item is the debate on the report by Andreas Schieder, on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Albania (2025/2017(INI)) (A10-0106/2025).

Today, we are discussing the Media Freedom Act, which sets the framework for journalists to write, research and write their articles freely and independently. They discredit media workers here, journalists as liars. What are you justifying this? How can you prove that? Why do you claim that mainstream media professionals are liars? I do not think this is worthy of an unsustainable reproach here in this House and this House.

Mr President, Commissioner, honourable representative of the Danish Presidency of the Council, ladies and gentlemen! The European Media Freedom Act is a big step – a milestone on paper. But one law alone is not enough. We all remember: When the EMFA was presented, the enthusiasm was great. Finally, a European law to protect journalistic independence. A clear signal: The EU stands with the free media. But what we are seeing now is a familiar pattern. The bill is celebrated, but when it comes to implementation, it suddenly becomes silent. Then we talk about exceptions, transitional periods, national sensitivities, and I say quite clearly: That's not enough! What we need is no applause for declarations of intent. What we need is political courage, even when it becomes uncomfortable. This is not a detail of regulation. It is about the basic democratic architecture of Europe. A diverse, independent and free media landscape is not nice to have. It is the foundation of every liberal democracy. And yes, media can be uncomfortable, they even have to be. A government that cannot live with it does not oppose the media, but opposes democracy itself. What we are currently seeing, including in the EU, is worrying. Journalists continue to be monitored, sued, pressured, and in some Member States the implementation of the EMFA is lagging far behind. Particularly in those parts that are not formulated as a regulation, but where active action in the Member States is necessary. At the same time, we see that in some states there is simply a lack of political will to really do something and make the media independent. Hence my appeal: We must not allow governments to celebrate their approval of the law and then steal from responsibility when it gets serious and it goes into implementation. Consistent implementation, clear control and, if necessary, procedures against Member States that do not comply with the common rules are needed. The 8th of August is no longer far away and actually this is the date when the legislation should work and be implemented. Don't start to implement and don't start to build structures. That was the deadline. If we really want to do something for the media, then we must finally act consistently and above all strongly and courageously.

The next item on the agenda is the joint debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the risk of increasing destabilisation in the Middle East following the military escalation between Israel and Iran (2025/2770(RSP)) and on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip (2025/2747(RSP)).

The next item on the agenda is the debate on the statements by the Council and the Commission on the latest developments regarding the amendment of the regulations on air passenger rights and air carrier liability (2025/2743(RSP)).