Alexandr Vondra
Member of the European Parliament · ECR · CZ
“Madam President, we, the Europeans, are paying the cost of the war, and thus any de-escalation may provide a short-term relief. However, the Iran war has demonstrated two key things. First, the US is no more willing to play a role of the power which is solely responsible for freedom of navigation.”
“So that means electrification, it means geothermal, it means interconnectors, it means solar, it means wind, it means nuclear, it means batteries, all of it, without prejudging or taking any of it out of the solution space. That is what we need – again, for climate, for competitiveness and for independence.”
“And at the same time, we feel a huge obligation to bring all companies from all walks of life towards a better future, and to make sure that – regardless of whether they are from the steel industry or the chemicals industry or the car industry or whatever industry you might be most preoccupied with – this instrument works for them, so tha…”
“Mr President, thank you very much. (Addressing Mr Gerbrandy) Just to say: this was a lie. I initiated the debate and I am here. So don't lie anymore. 3-0243-0000 Wopke Hoekstra, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, there are a couple of things that I think are important to note at the very end.”
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, times have changed. We live in a completely different world from the one in which the architects of the ETS planned their project. Whatever we think of the ETS, there is one thing we must agree on, and it's fundamental reform.”
“Nors Europos Sąjungoje vyksta derybos dėl sistemos peržiūros ir ATLPS2 įgyvendinimo atidėjimo, ekspertai atkreipia dėmesį, kad kosmetinių pakeitimų nepakaks, nes visas mechanizmas yra ydingas.”
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“Madam President, we, the Europeans, are paying the cost of the war, and thus any de-escalation may provide a short-term relief. However, the Iran war has demonstrated two key things. First, the US is no more willing to play a role of the power which is solely responsible for freedom of navigation. Secondly, Europeans' defence capabilities are insufficient to engage in any sort of serious military conflict or even to assist our allies in a reliable way. Let us put it bluntly: Iran is Europe's 'the emperor has no clothes' moment. So instead of empty talks, our priority should be a rapid build-up of deterrence and also enhance our capabilities to take responsibilities of freedom of foreign trade in cooperation with the US, not against the US. 2-0128-0000”
“Tačiau problema ta, kad ES siekia peržiūrėti ir pakeisti sistemą, kuri tiesiog nesuveikė, o pagrindinis to efektas – tokių šalių kaip Lietuva ekonomikos ir piliečių skurdinimas. Tiesa ta, kad dabartinė ATLPS forma apsunkina ekonomiką, silpnina pramonę ir didina energijos kainų skirtumą tarp Europos ir likusio pasaulio. Todėl užuot dar kartą peržiūrinėję ATLPS, privalome turėti politinės drąsos ją atmesti.”
“Nors Europos Sąjungoje vyksta derybos dėl sistemos peržiūros ir ATLPS2 įgyvendinimo atidėjimo, ekspertai atkreipia dėmesį, kad kosmetinių pakeitimų nepakaks, nes visas mechanizmas yra ydingas. Klimato politika negali būti įgyvendinama darbuotojų ir šalių bei jų gyventojų energetinio saugumo sąskaita, todėl vietoj reformų reikia priimti sprendimą atsisakyti ATLPS, veikiančios pagal dabartines taisykles. Akivaizdu, kad aukštos energijos kainos kenkia visai Europos ekonomikai. O netrukus įsigalios dar žalingesnė ATLPS2. Jei norime išgelbėti Europos ekonomiką ir mūsų piliečių gerovę, ATLPS mechanizmas turėtų būti savanoriškas ir jį turėtų įgyvendinti tik tos valstybės narės, kurios to nori.”
“And at the same time, we feel a huge obligation to bring all companies from all walks of life towards a better future, and to make sure that – regardless of whether they are from the steel industry or the chemicals industry or the car industry or whatever industry you might be most preoccupied with – this instrument works for them, so that is the way forward. Let us continue to have that conversation, and I want to thank everyone very much for this debate. 3-0244-0000 Predsedajúci. – Ďakujem pekne a debata k tomuto bodu sa týmto skončila. Písomné vyhlásenia (článok 178) 3-0244-5000 Waldemar Tomaszewski (ECR), na piśmie – Ponia Pirmininke, kaip rodo pastarųjų metų ekonominiai duomenys, ES ATLPS didina energijos kainas ir kenkia pramonei bei darbo vietoms Europos šalyse. Tai ypatingai liečia Vidurio ir Rytų Europos šalis.”
“Third, if you look at all the elements that we're going to put on the table in terms of the innovation fund, in terms of the solidarity component, if you look at the investment booster, all of the elements that we're putting on the table, I think we are preparing ourselves for the transition, and we are addressing some of the worries that people have voiced here. But again, let's continue to have this debate. This is also intellectually not the easiest file we have. Again, those who have invested cannot be punished. They should be rewarded for it.”
“So that means electrification, it means geothermal, it means interconnectors, it means solar, it means wind, it means nuclear, it means batteries, all of it, without prejudging or taking any of it out of the solution space. That is what we need – again, for climate, for competitiveness and for independence. Secondly, and that was part of the debate today: let's look at the prices across the various Member States. You can even look into the various bidding zones of the various Member States. And you will find that those who have an abundance of home-grown energy, solar, wind, nuclear – whatever specific parts of the mix or whatever the mix might look like – they have the cheapest energy for their citizens and for their industry. And just to be clear, that is not correlation; it is causality. That's the reality. So we need more of it.”
“Mr President, thank you very much. (Addressing Mr Gerbrandy) Just to say: this was a lie. I initiated the debate and I am here. So don't lie anymore. 3-0243-0000 Wopke Hoekstra, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, there are a couple of things that I think are important to note at the very end. One is, whether you look at this debate from the perspective of the huge climate damage we see happening all across Europe – and just take the latest examples in Portugal earlier this year – or whether you're mostly worried by the competitiveness problems our industries are experiencing and the huge prices they face in terms of getting their energy, or when you take the look of vulnerability and lack of independence, the answer is always the same: more clean, cheap, home-grown energy. That simply is what Europe needs.”
“If we do nothing, the ETS will just become the gravedigger of the European economy, and we will continue to feed the Chinese monster. That I don't want. 3-0196-0000”
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, times have changed. We live in a completely different world from the one in which the architects of the ETS planned their project. Whatever we think of the ETS, there is one thing we must agree on, and it's fundamental reform. Conservatives are often criticised for their reluctance to embrace change. Today, it is the left part of this House which want to defend the ETS at all costs. The revision of the ETS must set a significantly low base of transformation; prevent price volatility of allowances to prevent high energy bills; substantially extend free allowances for businesses, and revise their benchmarks. Because without doing this, hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk. Dear colleagues, dear Peter Liese, sentiments aside, reform is unavoidable.”
“Kde je taxonomie, která narovná podmínky s obnovitelnými zdroji? Kde je reforma ETS tak, aby nebyla elektřina nejdražší na světě? My máme uhlí, máme plyn a můžeme to dočasně těžit. 3-0076-0000”
“Vážená předsedající, tak jsme si přečetli recept Evropské komise a mně to připomíná GOELRO (Sovětské státní plánovací komise pro obnovu) z roku 1920. Lenin to shrnul slavnou větou „Všechnu moc Sovětům a elektrifikace celé země“. Jak to dopadlo, víme. Takže ty chyby neopakujme, prosím. Já, aby bylo jasno, jsem všemi pro, abychom omezili naši závislost na surovinách z diktátorských nebo autoritativních režimů. Já jsem pro elektrifikaci, ale dámy a pánové, k tomu nesmíme mít nejdražší elektřinu na světě a nesmíme mít rizika blackoutu, což je dneska ta realita. Takže Komise tady nám navrhuje: noste svetry, když je vám zima, sprchuje se studenou vodou, jezděte na kole. Tyhle hraběcí rady, za to si přeci Komisi neplatíme. My si ji platíme kvůli tomu, aby umožnila plný rozvoj jaderné energie.”
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I think we have to admit one thing: our problem is not the climate. Our problem is our weakness. Our problem is that we are losing the competitiveness. To correct this, we need two things: to have lower prices of electricity and energy in the short term, and nuclear embracement in the strategic long term. And here, we have a problem. On nuclear, I welcome the admission of Ursula von der Leyen that abandonment of nuclear was a strategic mistake. If this is a strategic mistake, we should correct this. A week ago, I asked Ms Ribera when will you submit the delegated act as a Commission to put nuclear on equal footing. No response. So again, I am asking: when will you do this? And on ETS, we really need a serious reform, not a cosmetic one. So please, we must do this now and we must do a deep reform.”
“Paní předsedající, také jsem četl „Úzkostnou generaci“, Jonathan Haidt má pravdu. Sociální sítě a malé děti je obrovský problém. Dětská pornografie a její sdílení je čisté zlo. Děti musíme chránit, ale nesmí to být za cenu kompromitování soukromí dospělých. Ze všech dostupných technologických řešení je navrhovaný chat control, tedy plošné sdílení soukromé komunikace, kde ověřování věku slouží jako vstupní brána, špatnou variantou. V širokém měřítku se tak blížíme k autoritářským praktikám, které vidíme v Číně. Vůči tomu se občanská společnost postavená na osobních svobodách má také chránit. Existují řešení, kde ochrana soukromí nebude záviset ani na slibech státu, ani na slibech firem, ale na matematicky definovaných formulích a neprolomitelné technologii. Takovou cestu jsem i na evropské úrovni připraven podpořit. 3-0230-0000”
“Madam President, we are at a critical moment for European security: flagship defence projects of common interest are not just initiatives, they are strategic investments in our future. There are things no single Member State can address alone. This project must be interoperable, technologically advanced and coordinated with NATO. Russian aggression has shown the urgent need for a coordinated response. We in the ECR strongly believe that defence readiness and investment in capabilities is essential, but we rejected protectionism that will slow things down. Speed is essential, and nations on the eastern front line know this very well. Let me be clear: to strengthen European defence means to loosen the hands of industry. No war has ever been won by regulation.”
“Existuje celá plejáda předpisů, které umožní kdejakému „pošukovi“, i když žije úplně jinde, než kde se staví, do rozhodování házet vidle nebo kdejaké obskurní neziskové organizaci soudně napadat rozhodnutí týkající se povolovacích procesů. To všechno je zpomalení a nekonečná byrokracie. Nakonec je tady ještě fakt, že některé klíčové oblasti jako čistá transformace nebo taxonomie, zejména jádro či plyn, energetika, zatím nebyly vůbec korigovány. Dámy a pánové, je čas na pořádný jarní úklid. 2-0512-0000”
“Pane předsedající, naše posedlost ochranou životního prostředí a sociálním blahobytem nás přivedla do bodu, kdy v podnikání škrtíme všechno, co je ještě živé. Obnovitelné zdroje, sítě, jádro, přístavy, vodík, těžba, modernizace, jejich povolení trvá roky. To je neakceptovatelné. Neustále diskutujeme o Trumpových clech, ale tento skrytý náklad dusí investice daleko více. Komise věří v úspěch prostřednictvím regulace. Omyl. Já říkám: „Odstraňme překážky, nechme působit trh.“ Nepotřebujeme více dotací ani protekcionismu, ale rychlejší, jednodušší pravidla. Oceňuji výzvy premiérů Meloniové a Merze, ve kterých požadují rychlejší deregulaci. Komise předložila zatím 10 tzv. omnibusů. Je to málo.”
“– There was a great British historian, Arnold Toynbee, who was, in fact on the left, and he developed the concept of challenge and response. Our response is more important than this rhetorical challenge by Trump. Our response should be to develop a stronger part of NATO on European soil, because the organisation is to protect us. So, really, to spend more money on defence, to develop the industrial base and not to make it weaker with your Green Deal. 2-0118-0000”
“(Řečník souhlasil s tím, že že odpoví na otázku položenou zvednutím modré karty) 2-0116-0000 Sigrid Friis (Renew), blue-card question. – I just can't help but wonder: when you say it's important for the EU not to undermine NATO, I think that the one person who is undermining NATO right now is not sitting in this Chamber, but in the White House in the US. The biggest threat to NATO at the moment seems to be coming from within. So how do you see that it is not in this House that we are undermining NATO? It's from the US. I think the situation in Greenland, frankly, tells us all about where the threat is coming from, unfortunately. I wish it was different, but it's the reality we must face. 2-0117-0000 Alexandr Vondra (ECR), blue-card answer.”
“Paní předsedající, ano, mezinárodní prostředí se dramaticky mění. Mark Carney měl v Davosu v jednom pravdu. Vojenská a ekonomická síla bude hrát větší roli než jen respekt k pravidlům hry. Musíme se adaptovat, probudit do reality, nebrečet jako brontosaurus, kterému spadla na planetu kometa. Musíme se jako Evropa posílit, abychom získali respekt a nebyli k smíchu. Nepomůže nám ztrácet čas nekonečnými debatami o reformách institucí, nepomůže šití nových uniforem, ale nepomůže také podkopávat NATO. Pomůže ovšem budovat jeho evropský pilíř. Musíme vydávat více peněz na obranu. Musíme posílit, nikoliv oslabovat náš průmysl, mít přístup k surovinám a hlavně stále potřebujeme spojence. Mark Rutte má pravdu. Máme-li si vybrat mezi Amerikou, Čínou a Ruskem, pak přes všechnu rétoriku Donalda Trumpa je nám Washington stále nejbližší spojenec.”
“We must have a dialogue inside NATO about the legitimate security concern on one hand, and regarding the economic attempts to blackmail, I think Europe is strong enough to exert pressure too and should not be afraid to use it. 2-0212-0000”
“Mr President, what is happening around Greenland is a really big challenge for all of us. On the one hand, Commissioner Kallas was right when she expressed some understanding for not just the US or our security concerns regarding the future of the Arctic, but also over the idea that Russia or China are going to corrupt the referendum in Greenland. It's a nightmare. However, at the same time, Donald Trump – and I would underline Donald Trump – is pressing Denmark or trying to blackmail our European colleagues when they expressed their solidarity to Denmark by sending the troops there for the military exercises. This way of handling by Trump is absolutely unacceptable and intolerable. We must stay behind Denmark here.”
“We have to act responsibly: we may have different positions, but we should stand united if our defence is at stake. 2-0042-0000”
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, just as an introduction, listening to the debate today, I think that the key purpose of this legislation is not to fight the United States, but to make European defence stronger, so we should keep this in mind. I think, generally, I welcome the outcome of the trilogue and will vote in favour. It's a good compromise that makes sense. However, on our path to the enhanced industrial base, one serious obstacle is also this House. The Commission defence omnibus is a very good start, thank you very much. But the negotiations on Parliament's position suggest that some groups have not yet moved past their Greta Thunberg fandom. Even worse is the file on accelerating permit-granting for defence readiness. Parliament is overcomplicating matters, as if there were no war in Ukraine.”
“Tento nezvládnutý rudozelený experiment musí skončit a dnes při hlasování máme jedinečnou možnost. Hlavu vzhůru! 2-0035-0000”
“Paní předsedající, dámy a pánové, svobodná, prosperující společnost je typická tím, že má jak podnikatele, kteří vytvářejí její bohatství, tak byrokraty, kteří regulují, zakazují a hlavně toto bohatství konzumují. Když ti druzí dominují, společnost chudne, ztrácí konkurenceschopnost. A bohužel přesně to se nám přes naše varování stalo. Už i Evropská rada vyzývá ke zjednodušení prakticky všude od automobilového průmyslu přes vojenskou mobilitu, digitální a finanční služby až po životní prostředí a energie. Můj dotaz je: Kde udělali soudruzi chybu? Proč musíme zjednodušovat, korigovat? Protože tvorba legislativy v Evropské unii v posledních letech byla chybná. Byla ideologicky motivovaná, vytvářela přebujelou byrokracii, jen zakazovala a přikazovala.”
“Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this summer, Luca de Meo made the announcement which tells us everything about where we are. The CEO of Renault – and, in fact, the man who produced the only successful, competitive, small electric automobile – has decided to leave as CEO of Renault to accept an offer from the French luxury industry. That's where we are. No trust. The best manager has no trust in the future of the automotive industry and goes to the domain which is the last competitive one in Europe. We should blame the Commission – and, finally, maybe, you are waking up to the reality. But it's time to act now. This House must be unblocked and be ready to join forces with the Member States to come forward to scrap the 2035 ban and ease the pressure on the industry towards fully fledged technological neutrality.”
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I see two points as critical here. First, instead of just reacting, we must be proactive. Since 2014, we have always been one step behind: too late to provide air defence, too late to allow Ukrainians to hit targets inside Russia. Putin is not a peacemaker but a conqueror, and understands only one language: power. Secondly, it is the national governments that must do their part first, by raising defence budgets, enhancing the industrial base, strengthening civil preparedness. But we cannot overlook the elephant in the room: our economies, our industries, are shrinking under the excessive climate regulations. If we want to succeed, this legislative Moloch must be dramatically cut down. 3-0088-0000”
“Mr President, just two years after the most horrific pogrom against Jews since the Second World War, we see the European Jewry once again facing daily abuse, verbal attacks, beatings, even killings. We see activists, including some of our own Members here, sailing alongside those who sponsored Hamas terrorists, supporting their claim to deny Israel's very right to existence in security and peace. I would never have imagined that such a picture could return to our continent. At the very peak of this iceberg of hatred stands Greta Thunberg, a once-celebrated young woman who has already filled this House with her radical green ideology. It is our moral duty to do everything in our power to melt this iceberg of antisemitism down, to eradicate this most ancient and repugnant form of hatred from our societies. 2-0406-0000”
“Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, efforts to draw Vladimir Putin to the negotiation table led nowhere. Our experience proves that Russia understands only one language, and that is power, not the nice talks which we have here. Therefore, we must follow two goals at the same time. Firstly, arming Ukraine and rearming ourselves. With the EU machinery, any project can become a bureaucratic nightmare. We must make the development, production and distribution of weaponry in the EU as simple as possible. Don't forget, our enemy is not environmentally considerate. Secondly, keep the relations with the US. Gigantic fines of Google will not improve our relationship. In this sense, a pragmatic Maroš Šefčovič is doing more sensible work than the ideologue Teresa Ribera. 2-0044-0000”
“Mr President, the debate about cutting ties with Israel is, quite frankly, absurd. Until now, the European Union has had just a little influence on events in the Middle East, if I do not count the money to Hamas misused for terrorist attacks. If we proceed with reviewing the EU-Israel Association Agreement, we risk losing the last remnant of respect we hold with our Israeli partner. Let's not forget the real threat in the region – the Iranian nuclear ambitions. According to the IAEA, Tehran has stockpiled over 400 kg of highly-enriched uranium. Is there anybody in this Chamber who really believes that it's for peaceful purposes? The EU's diplomatic efforts have led nowhere. Israel acted reasonably and the German Chancellor could not have said it better today – that he's doing a dirty job on our behalf. 2-0544-0000”
“Mr President, the dynamism, openness and highly skilled workforce of the US economy are some of America's greatest strengths. But President Trump's tariff drive and protectionism risk undermining these very foundations. After the Second World War, free trade helped rebuild Europe, lifting millions into prosperity and ensuring long-term peace and stability. That legacy must be defended. The European Union must champion free trade as a source of growth and resilience. We cannot afford to fall into the trap of rising protectionist sentiment. I am encouraged that the European Commission remains committed to the trade agreements. The path ahead is clear: we need more pragmatism, less green regulation and taxation, and to promote openness as much as we can. 2-0079-0000”
“Čili, dámy a pánové, musíme konat, jinak to je pohřeb evropského průmyslu, nad kterým se bude vznášet to Chruščovovo motto: „Mysleli to dobře, ale dopadlo to jako vždycky.“ 3-0099-0000”
“Paní předsedající, dámy a pánové, ten návrh, který jsme dostali, podle mého soudu – při vší úctě – nestačí. Zaklíná se dekarbonizací, ale globálně to nefunguje. Čína, Indie se nám vysmívají. Donald Trump dneska odpoledne nám zase ukáže, však víte co. Musíme okamžitě zlevnit energie, jinak je konec průmyslu. K tomu jsou dvě cesty. Za prvé – rychlá s legislativním návrhem – reforma ETS. My jsme svoje návrhy předložili, teď jde o to je schválit. A za druhé – opravdová technologická neutralita s jistotou pro investory. Potřebujeme plyn, potřebujeme jádro. A místopředsedkyně Komise Riberová nám dodneška neodpověděla na to, co chce udělat, aby jádro dala na rovinu s obnovitelnými zdroji.”
“Buďme otevřeni možnosti financovat i ze zdrojů Evropské unie a najděme shodu, jak by ta podpora měla vypadat. Bude dobře, když to dokážeme. 2-0434-0000”
“Pane předsedající, dámy a pánové, Rádio Svobodná Evropa je součástí naší historie, ale i mého osobního života. Z jeho rozhlasových vln se v komunistickém režimu širší česká veřejnost mohla dovídat o aktivitách odpůrců komunistického režimu i věznění nás disidentů. Ale nejenom to. V červenci 1989 jsem jejímu redaktorovi propašoval nahrávku legendárního tragikomického projevu posledního vůdce KSČ Miloše Jakeše, který si na vnitrostranickém mítinku nejen pletl bojlery a brojlery, ale zároveň bezelstně přiznal: „Soudruzi, jsme sami jako kůl v plotě“. Svobodná Evropa to pak vysílala každý den, a tím naplnila nejenom svou misi v šíření svobody, ale i pomohla změně režimu. Dneska jsou okolnosti jiné, ale stále pomáhá šířit informace v Íránu, Rusku, Bělorusku.”
“Madam President, European security is under immense strain. Panic and reactionary statements, especially on social media, only make matters worse. We must stay clear-eyed and strategically focused. European nations must recognise reality. The burden of defence now rests mostly on our own shoulders. We see clearly the signs of this shift. Governments are waking up. I am keeping my fingers crossed for Chancellor-elect Merz to find the financial resources for much-needed security enforcement. We must act swiftly. Our defence industries need a framework that enables them to deliver, both through cooperation and national initiatives. That means cutting bureaucracy, simplifying the processes, providing real financial access and bringing energy prices down. We cannot have both an overambitious green transition and a fully capable military.”
“This would send a strong signal to both sides of the Atlantic, to friends as well as adversaries. Europe's wealth has a military dimension. 3-0141-0000”
“Madam President, we are saying nothing new when we call for a more proactive, more assertive approach to European defence. The message from across the Atlantic is crystal clear: take greater responsibility for your own safety. We can set aside the debate about the percentage of the GDP dedicated to defence spending, because it would be the subject of the talks in NATO, but higher spending is inevitable. 2% is not enough. The days of economic prosperity without military power are over. My serious concern is this: are we ready to adjust our economy? The world is changing, and so far, I have not noticed any significant shift in the Europe scores. Member States will need to invest more in European defence, more in cybersecurity, and reform our military for 21st‑century combat.”
“Mr President, we must take the new administration – our key ally – seriously. The executive orders signed, the policy changes announced. They are not mere formalities. They mark the beginning of the new era. I raised the questions during the hearings, and I will raise it again because no clear answer has been provided. What is our plan B to the Green Deal? How does the Commission intend to ensure the EU, with the stagnating economy, collapsing Industry and insufficient defence policy, will not find itself isolated in this rapidly changing world? What measures will the Commission take to avoid the trade wars with the United States? Where is the Council plan to engage with Donald Trump? We are entering an era where economic might and military power will dictate the terms of the global relevance. Soft power is not enough.”