Speeches

Hungarian electoral law complies with accessibility requirements: who, because of their visual, auditory or musculoskeletal disabilities, or because of their intellectual abilities, is restricted in their communication, may be assisted in exercising their right to vote. Political advertisements should be subtitled or sign language interpretation should be provided to provide the necessary information to the deaf and blind people can request a Braille briefing, but a briefing will also be prepared in an easily understandable form. On the day of the vote: a Braille voting template may be requested, persons with reduced mobility may vote or request a mobile ballot box in accessible polling stations. Anyone who cannot read or is prevented from voting by a physical disability may be assisted by an assistant of their choice or, failing that, by two members of the ballot counting committee. It is to be welcomed that the proposed amendment to the Directive moves in this direction and calls for the use of assistive technologies and formats such as Braille, capital letters, voice communication, tactile writing systems, easy-to-read information and sign language communication. However, the proposed amendment would also introduce new things that cannot be justified by disability, such as advance physical voting, proxy voting and electronic and online voting, referring to the needs of persons with disabilities. This could be a Trojan horse that we don't want to let in at our gate.

According to the World Federation of the Deaf, in the last five years, several young deaf women in Haiti have been gang-raped, brutally tortured, their organs extracted and murdered. In the middle of the pandemic, another deaf woman was violently assaulted, and the hospital personnel denied her the right to access the healthcare needed just because she is deaf. Thus, deaf people in Haiti are not even equal to other persons with disabilities. This behaviour is unacceptable and indicates the need for urgent measures. I call on the European External Action Service to take immediate action against the violation of the rights of deaf people in Haiti.

Mr. President, please. It is welcome that, following the 2017 European Pillar of Social Rights and the 2021 Porto Declaration, Member States reaffirm their commitment to social and employment rights. The Hungarian Presidency, which will start in July, will continue along the same path, with a strong emphasis on respecting the sovereignty of the Member States. Hungary is committed to a work-based society, with tangible results: rising wages (average gross earnings increased by 14%, real earnings by 9.9% compared to February 2024); falling unemployment (4.6% in Hungary compared to the EU average of 6.5%); Poverty reduction (19.4% below the EU average in Hungary compared to 21.5% in the EU); increasing the employment of people with disabilities (from 18 % to almost 50 %). Our goal can only be that those who want to work can support themselves and their families with work income in proportion to their abilities and health status.

Mr. President, please. Fifteen years ago, when I took over as the first deaf Member of the European Parliament, it was only a dream for all EU citizens to enjoy services that make life easier for people with disabilities. Although I find it tragic that we had to wait 15 years for this, we have to be happy about it. People with disabilities are still second-class citizens. There are still major issues on which the EU is focusing. It's time to put an end to this, and it's time to see them as resources. Especially in countries where unemployment is low and there are still a lot of workers in demand. It is time to promote the mobility of people with disabilities by providing them with disability cards to prove their disability status throughout the European Union. This will help people with disabilities everywhere in the EU. If the card is available, they can travel for free or at a discount, participate in cultural events, give them priority access, or receive personal assistance. It's time to say that people with disabilities are valuable to our society.

Dear Mr President, Pour clean water into the glass. There is no need for a new directive because the diversity of national legislation and the mandatory regulation of the subsidiarity principle are undesirable and legally impossible. At the same time, I am also saying that some additions would be necessary due to the changed conditions in the last ten years. Emphasis should be placed on strengthening certain elements of fair remuneration and social protection. Require reasonable accommodation for trainees with disabilities and post-placement allowances to facilitate trainees’ transition to a stable job. Quality traineeships contribute to the employability of young people and help employers attract, train and retain young talent. This is particularly important to match skills and competences with labour market needs.

Dear Mr President, Future workplaces require versatile skills, so a strong focus on problem-solving skills, digital literacy and skills development is needed. In addition, it must be said that there is a need to change social attitudes. Hungary has been developing a work-based economy since 2010. Implement the principle of ‘work instead of aid’, reform the tax system to support employment and 3 develop the ability to attract foreign capital. The results speak for themselves. In ten years, one million new jobs have been created, there are now 4.7 million active jobs in Hungary, and the unemployment rate is only 4.2 percent. And most of the investor capital in the European Union is coming to Hungary. The future belongs to these jobs and those who are ready for it.

Dear Mr President, In fact, according to the European Commission, which alone has been authorised to do so under the EU Treaties, Hungary has fulfilled the conditions of the rule of law in its judicial area. It is also a fact that the European Parliament has no role in this matter. It must be said that this is a more than ten-year campaign of political revenge by the European left, because for the fourth time the Christian-democratic bourgeois Hungarian government has won the confidence of the electorate by two-thirds. For what? Because Hungary stands for the independence of the national state, the strengthening of families and freedom of opinion. We don't say what you want to hear, we say what we think. If there is indeed an equal standard, then I would ask you to take action against the Polish infringements. Then perhaps I believe that you are genuinely concerned about the rule of law.

Dear Mr President, Social inclusion, equal treatment, accessibility and design for all users should be taken into account in accordance with the principle of socially responsible public procurement. The same applies to the principles of universal design under the UNCRPD. In Hungary, the contracting authority may reserve its right to participate in the public procurement procedure or, in the case ordered by the government, must reserve it to sheltered workplaces that employ workers with disabilities, disabilities or disadvantaged persons with a reduced working capacity of 30% or more. As far as I know, other Member States are using similar instruments. I ask the Commission to recommend these examples to the other Member States when presenting good practices, as this is the only way we can move forward on this issue.

Dear Madam President, Enough with the stealth legislation, the mockery of the EU treaties. Employment policy is the exclusive competence of nation states. So, dear colleagues, please read the Treaties at last! I remind you that the powers of ELA, the European Labour Authority, are limited to the Union acts referred to in the founding Regulation. On the basis of the law, it is not possible to support the extension of ELA's mandate to third-country workers, nor to ELA's own assessment of an infringement. This is completely contrary to the principles of legal certainty. I am also opposed to the fact that the social partners can run to the ELA at any time to initiate cross-border investigations. No, colleagues, this is not good. They must first make use of the legal remedy required by law, that is to say, by national law. It's not too late to remember. And to act in the spirit of the Treaties. And order all of this to stop.

Dear Madam President, Preserving the mental health of workers. It has three important planes: 1. Quality of life, work-life balance. Healthy eating and sports help maintain mental well-being. 2. A healthy worker works effectively, which strengthens the competitiveness of businesses. A healthy working environment also plays an important role. 3. The longer you stay healthy. Prevention is cheaper than cure. Nationally organised screenings are important to prevent diseases in a timely manner. This is of national economic importance. Don't just move when there's trouble.

Dear Mr President, Maintaining our rivers, lakes and groundwater resources is in our fundamental interest, as we need to ensure clean and healthy water resources for the next generation as well. Water safety is our primary concern. Many countries in Europe are struggling with water scarcity, but Hungary is facing a different challenge. 96 percent of our surface waters come to us from foreign water catchment areas, so the full utilization of the water arriving here can be facilitated by smart solutions, and if necessary, the excess water can be properly utilized in cooperation with other countries. As a result, Hungary is at the forefront of global sustainable water management and provides a number of solutions and innovative solutions to countries that need them. It is in Europe's vital interest to make use of this in the Member States of the European Union in order to ensure that water is available to all European citizens and economic operators at all times.

Mr. President, please. We have a responsibility to ensure that as many of our citizens as possible feel safe. The key to this is the right workplace. When there's work, there's everything. In Hungary in 2010 we decided to create a work-based society instead of subsidies. The result of the work-based economy in Hungary is that in July 2023 the unemployment rate was 3.9 percent. This compares to 5.9 percent in the EU and 6.4 percent in the eurozone. The left always sees the solution in aid, such as the general minimum income. You're seeing this wrong. I also believe that the job is the solution to poverty reduction. Thanks to the Hungarian public work scheme, the proportion of people vulnerable to poverty or social exclusion decreased the most in Hungary within the European Union. It was 18.4 percent last year, compared to 30 percent in 2010.

Mr. President, please. In 2021, the Porto Declaration adopted by the leaders of the Member States provides an excellent framework for implementing the social employment policy of the future, but, as underlined in the declaration, this requires respect for the principle of subsidiarity, the specificities of national social protection systems and the competences of the Member States! We must understand that it is precisely the freedom of choice of the Member States that guarantees the success of social and employment policies. In Hungary, for example, a unique support system has been developed for families, because we are convinced that the strategy supporting the increase of birth rates is the necessary basis for social sustainability and social progress. The importance of families is unavoidable, and we believe that this is the basis of a sustainable social policy, not the invitation of economic migrants. This is our decision, please respect it.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The European Year of Skills could not start at a better time: The graduation exams in Hungary started this week. I wish the young people all the best from here. The most important skills are not only in knowledge. Knowledge of foreign languages or proficiency in the digital world is essential to find good quality work, but adaptability is important and to be able to respond to challenges in an integrated way. But there are also new challenges. We live in a world where algorithms can answer our questions instantly. Therefore, it is necessary to learn to handle information correctly, to interpret and to use data well. It is important that our available resources can be enjoyed by young citizens of the European Union. This issue should always remain high on the agenda.

Mr. President, please. It is a non-negotiable goal to ensure full equality of women and men in pay in the world of work. However, this draft directive lost sight of this goal when it was forced into it by questions fashionable by a liberal mainstream. Worst of all, the draft directive seeks to rewrite the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union with stealth legislation, completely illegally. I will not give my name to this illegality. We've been working for decades to make sure that women get the same pay as men. When we can finally achieve this goal, we wake up to the fact that it is no longer the same pay that is at the heart of the debate, but whether men are men and whether women are women. This is ridiculous and absurd. We are legislators. The electorate has entrusted us with the task of closing the pay gap between men and women. That's what we have to deal with, nothing else.

Dear Mr President, The basic principle of minimum income is that it is mandatory for all people to give it as a benefit for the rest of their lives. I reject this approach for a number of reasons. More people will be inactive because they choose aid instead of work. Therefore, the competitiveness of European countries is deteriorating. The balance of the social policy benefit system is disrupted and there will be fewer contributors and more beneficiaries. This means a guaranteed economic collapse and bankruptcy. Nearly one million new jobs have been created in Hungary in ten years. The personal income tax rate is uniformly 15 percent for everyone, and a very serious family tax allowance system helps people live a better life, just like the tax exemption for young people under the age of 25. A work-based society is the key to a better and fair future. Because when there's work, there's everything.

Mr. President, please. The European Union's proposal to build a global gateway to the world is an important turning point in the EU's external relations for Hungary, as it strengthens cooperation in the energy sector. For example, the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor, which connects the transmission systems of Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina with us, including Hungary. At the same time, the initiative covers the digital sector, transport, health and research and development. I would like to draw attention here to the importance of accessibility. If you are already investing in these sectors, make sure that it is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Mr. President, please. Let's start with two things at the beginning: a directive currently in force works relatively well. The European Commission has received only one formal complaint in this regard. Two, the European Parliament is once again in a state of turmoil when it wants to initiate legislation. Why do you have to ride the horse backwards? At a time when the cost of living in Europe has skyrocketed as a result of a flawed sanctions policy. Dear colleagues, yes, it is important to better implement the provisions of the directive, but it is not the first time that I see that they are being resolved by rewriting legislation rather than looking at how the current professionally good framework could be better implemented. Therefore, in my view, this proposal is devoid of purpose.

Madam President, I'm sorry. All indications point to the fact that the coalition of Hungarian opposition parties, which received billions of forints in campaign support from abroad before the April elections, carried out the most brutal attempt to influence democratic elections so far. Three times what they receive from the Hungarian state under democratic and transparent conditions. These dollars are embedded in the politics of the left, in their statements, in their speeches, in their communications to you. They paint a distorted picture of my country, for the sake of those who try to buy votes with these dollars. It is time to face it that many of you, listening to the lies of the representatives of the Hungarian dollar left, were chanting absurd accusations about the work of the Hungarian government. However, the corruption scandal that has just broken out in the European Parliament has also shown that the left can be bought, be it Hungarian or European.

Madam President, I'm sorry. You know that I have always stood up for the rights of people with disabilities. However, it is not nice to force ideological issues into the text, because they are divisive and divert the focus. Instead of ideological debates, it would be time to find solutions to make better use of innovative technologies, because this helps people with disabilities to live independently. Eliminate barriers in education and training and launch programmes to enable persons with disabilities to work in quality workplaces and receive equal pay for equal work. Our policy is credible when we call things by name. The report on people with disabilities should be about this, not about anything else.

Dear Mr President, Together, the EU and its 27 Member States are the largest donors to developing countries in the world. Unfortunately, I am afraid that, as the sanctions policy has a negative impact on the economies of the EU Member States, it will also jeopardise the implementation of the SDGs, which is why peace is needed above all. The report contains a number of correct findings, of which I would like to highlight one: Help must be taken to the house. Strengthening local communities and prospering in the homeland is the most important goal. We no longer give fish to the poor, but teach them to fish. Let's take another step and help them sell the fish, so that not only one family is fed, but also an entire village or a city!

Dear Madam President, Accessibility is often only linked to a physical or digital environment by the general public, but its definition and content vary significantly from one disability group to another. Accessibility for the deaf, due to their specific linguistic and cultural identity, means that they have full access to information and knowledge in national sign language. The Accessible EU Centre should make it clear that accessibility goes beyond the physical and digital accessibility of the built environment and services. This is a very important issue. The Centre should support Member States and successfully connect national and EU bodies with all user groups, in particular organisations representing persons with disabilities, to shape access details for all disability groups with the involvement of and in their interest.

Mr. President, please. Let's be clear: There is still no single minimum wage in the European Union. As the Commissioner said earlier, there are too many economic differences between the Member States. Instead, states should be provided with adequate and decent minimum wages. This Directive does not bring about any substantial change in Hungary. This is because, at present, the Hungarian legislation already meets the requirements laid down in the Directive. In my country, the determination of adequacy takes into account national, social, economic conditions. The facts are clear: In Hungary, the minimum wage has more than doubled in the last decade, and the 20 percent increase in the past year was the highest in Europe. The increase in the Hungarian minimum wage is also a model in Europe.

Dear Mr President, Teleworking has spread during the pandemic, with positive consequences such as a high degree of flexibility and autonomy. At the same time, on the other hand, there are long working hours or excessive interconnectedness, an increase in work intensity and stress. It is clear that mental health must be a priority. Then what's the solution? Developing digital skills that can alleviate work-related stress. Digital accessibility is also key for equal working conditions for and in persons with disabilities, including those with mental health problems. Suicide is the second most common cause of death among young people in Europe. Addressing mental health issues is paramount among young people, and the best way to do this is to support good quality education, employment, family formation and access to housing so that they have a positive vision. Hungary is a good example: the PIT-free status of young workers under the age of 25, the home-creation support scheme encouraging family formation and childbearing have been established in recent years, with positive results already visible.

Dear Mr President, The issue of care does not fall within the competence of the European Union. Member States should develop systems, taking into account the provision of preventive health care, rehabilitation and independent living. I would like to highlight the crucial role of family care. This provides the most suitable environment for the caregivers, for which the state must provide all the conditions and assistance. However, this is not always possible with regard to home care. It is therefore necessary to adopt a sound and reasonable approach to institutional care in the interests of the recipients. Dear colleagues, For 12 years, I have been fighting for the large-scale institutional replacement of people with disabilities. Significant progress has been made both nationally and in many countries of the European Union. What I have learned during this time is that adequate and community-based institutional care and family care complement each other perfectly, and we need to move in this direction. Not all care facilities can be closed.