Maria Guzenina
Member of the European Parliament · S&D · FI
“Mr President, dear Commissioner, in Europe, in cybersecurity, our biggest vulnerability is believing that we are protected and that we have time, which we are not and which we do not have. As the rapporteur for IMCO on the Cybersecurity Act 2, I welcome the action plan Commissioner Virkkunen has presented today.”
“Mr President, I thank the Commissioner and everybody who has been giving birth to this vital declaration. Some of you might remember this quote: 'You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.' These are the words of Charlie Chaplin in the movie The Great Dictator.”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, representatives of the Commission, first of all, thank you, Brando, for this strong and timely report. Artificial intelligence offers enormous opportunities for European industry and innovation.”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, I think it's not exaggeration to say that we are living historical times. AI is affecting our societies in so many ways, including the nature of cyber warfare. Attacks are becoming faster, more autonomous, more precise and harder to detect.”
“We need to invest in our own industrial capacity. We need secure access to critical technologies and components, and we need stronger European cloud and computing infrastructure.”
“Arvoisa puhemies, palkkaepätasa-arvo maksaa naisille kahdesti, ensin työuran aikana ja uudelleen sitten taas eläkkeellä. Nostan oman kotimaani Suomen nyt varoittavana esimerkkinä. Suomi on tällä hetkellä Euroopan työttömyystilastojen ykkönen.”
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Every one of 38 lines we hold for Maria Guzenina, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“Mr President, dear Commissioner, in Europe, in cybersecurity, our biggest vulnerability is believing that we are protected and that we have time, which we are not and which we do not have. As the rapporteur for IMCO on the Cybersecurity Act 2, I welcome the action plan Commissioner Virkkunen has presented today. European society needs to be defended from all angles. Our cyber ecosystem needs to be protected urgently, but my worry is that the funding is not adequate. Experts speak already of 'Q-Day': the day quantum computing becomes powerful enough to break the encryption that protects our banking system, critical infrastructure, weapon systems, communications and data. Hostile actors are already collecting our encrypted data, hoping to decrypt it as soon as possible. So cybersecurity is not a matter just of national security.”
“In the age of AI, we need strong measures to protect human creativity, copyright and fair remuneration for creators. In the words of Charlie Chaplin, we in this House 'have the power'. 4-0087-0000”
“Mr President, I thank the Commissioner and everybody who has been giving birth to this vital declaration. Some of you might remember this quote: 'You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.' These are the words of Charlie Chaplin in the movie The Great Dictator. Culture is always a reflection and a catalyst of society's evolving values and dreams, so access for everyone to cultural experiences, especially for children, is something that should be treated as one of the core pillars of our society. Culture is a superpower: it's about resilience from the personal to the societal level. That is why AgoraEU should be treated as the vital instrument of this superpower, not only for Europe's cultural ambitions, but as a powerful instrument of resilience.”
“We need to invest in our own industrial capacity. We need secure access to critical technologies and components, and we need stronger European cloud and computing infrastructure. If we want artificial intelligence that is competitive, trustworthy and aligned with our values, then Europe must build the technological foundations right here at home. 2-0556-0000”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, representatives of the Commission, first of all, thank you, Brando, for this strong and timely report. Artificial intelligence offers enormous opportunities for European industry and innovation. It can also give our customs and market surveillance authorities better tools to protect consumers and ensure that our rules are respected. But if we want Europe to be able to compete in artificial intelligence, we must also look at the foundations on which this technology depends. AI requires semiconductors, computing power, cloud infrastructure and resilient supply chains. And today too much of this capacity is concentrated outside of our continent. This leaves us dependent on others for the key technologies that will shape our economic future. That is why Europe must act with determination.”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, I think it's not exaggeration to say that we are living historical times. AI is affecting our societies in so many ways, including the nature of cyber warfare. Attacks are becoming faster, more autonomous, more precise and harder to detect. But our infrastructure, our network, our weapon systems are vulnerable. This is not science fiction; this is reality we're living in. Russia, China, Iran, North Korea are using our weaknesses daily and attacking us and harming us, so Europe needs to step up, including in this House. So, dear colleagues, I have a suggestion. I believe that it is time that we establish a permanent committee on AI dedicated to monitoring developments, assessing risks, strengthening our preparedness and ensuring Europe can act strategically instead of reactively.”
“Ja kaiken päälle Suomen hallitus toimii omia naisjärjestöjä vastaan ja ajaa määrätietoisesti työsuhteiden määräaikaisuuksien helpottamista. Näillä Suomen hallituksen lääkkeillä naiset todellakin tulevat maksamaan tästä kaikesta kalliisti. 1-0194-0000 Vystúpenia na základe prihlásenia sa o slovo zdvihnutím ruky 1-0195-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, palkkaepätasa-arvo maksaa naisille kahdesti, ensin työuran aikana ja uudelleen sitten taas eläkkeellä. Nostan oman kotimaani Suomen nyt varoittavana esimerkkinä. Suomi on tällä hetkellä Euroopan työttömyystilastojen ykkönen. Kun hoito- ja hoivatyöstä leikataan, tai kun koulujen tukipalveluista leikataan, silloin leikataan paitsi apua tarvitsevilta, myös suoraan naisilta ja heidän tulevista eläkkeistään. Terveisiä Suomen hallitukselle näin muutama päivä kansainvälisen naistenpäivän jälkeen. Miksi EU:n palkka-avoimuusdirektiivi on Suomen hallituksen leikkausvesitettävien listalla? Paperilla Suomen hallitus väittää edistävänsä tasa-arvoa, mutta tilastot kertovat, että naiset ansaitsevat edelleen 16 prosenttia vähemmän kuin miehet. Sama tutkinto, eri palkka.”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner Mînzatu, dear colleagues, education is not only about knowledge; it is about equal opportunities and the power to shape one's future, and yet, access to quality education is still too often determined by the circumstances into which you are born as a child. Among the most disadvantaged are children in foster and alternative care. Many face disrupted learning paths, lower completion rates, and limited access to higher education. Instead of strengthening support, we see increasing political neglect. For example, in my home country, Finland, the aftercare age of foster children has been lowered from 25 to 23, weakening support precisely when they need it the most education-wise. We must close educational gaps, improve EU-wide data and better connect education with child protection.”
“Kiitos komission jäsenet Virkkunen ja Micallef, tämä toimintaohjelma keskittyy aivan oikein alaikäisten ja haavoittuvassa asemassa olevien lasten suojelemiseen netissä, mutta suojelun on kuljettava käsi kädessä toimeenpanon kanssa. Lasten ja perheiden tukeminen on välttämätöntä, mutta alustojen vastuu on ensiarvoisen tärkeää. Digitaalisessa villissä lännessä sheriffejä on aivan liian harvassa. Sen, mikä ei ole sallittua oikeassa maailmassa, ei pitäisi olla sallittua netissä. Meidän aikuisten vastuulla on tehdä kaikkemme, että netin ympäristö on turvallinen paikka lapsille oppia, kasvaa ja tutustua toinen toisiinsa. Nettikiusaaminen – siihen puuttuminen ei ole puuttumista sananvapauteen vaan sananvastuun vahvistamista. 2-0417-0000”
“Mr President, dear Commissioner, online piracy might feel like no big deal – a simple anonymous click. But behind every illegal stream there is an athlete who trained for years, an artist who rehearsed throughout the night, a technician that set the lights before the dawn. Piracy is not abstract. It drains up to 30 billion globally every year. Piracy also leaves its users exposed, nearly 40 % of them falling victim to credit-card fraud and identity theft. The Commission itself admits that our current rules are not enough. The playing field is not even. Some Member States act; others don't. This kind of fragmentation protects criminals. This is why Europe needs binding, harmonised legislation. Stealing is stealing, and stealing should not be accepted in any form. 3-0454-0000”
“You ask very justly, should we take a stronger approach to this? I think the more united Europe is on this matter, the more we invest in different aspects of defence, also how resilient our people are, disinformation and misinformation – for example, this week we spoke about deepfakes – all that affects our nations and we must put a stop to those as well. 3-0300-0000”
“My question goes more into a certain aspect that you mentioned and less to the file at hand, I have to confess. You talked about the fact that we are constantly attacked in the digital realm, that we are hacked, especially for you, coming from a country that is under direct threat of Russian imperialism and has been always, I think that matters. So, should we also develop offensive capabilities in this area or merely defensive? What would be your opinion? 3-0299-0000 Maria Guzenina (S&D), blue-card answer. – Thank you very much for this very important topic and question. Finland shares a 1 300 kilometre border with Russia. We have lived in this shadow for decades and before we gained our independence, we were under their scrutiny. So, the matter for us is something that we take into account every day.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, 5G, cloud services, fibre, artificial intelligence and communication technologies are crucial components of our security. Our critical infrastructures are constantly under attack. From destroying our cables to hacking our networks, to us Finns, this is everyday life. In this unstable geopolitical environment, we have to better our digital sovereignty. We cannot leave backdoors open for infiltration. That is why the Digital Networks Act matters. We need modern, secure and high‑capacity networks and for that, we need to work as one. Fragmentation weakens us, slows innovation and leaves Europe exposed. We are as secure as our weakest link. (The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question) 3-0298-0000 Lukas Sieper (NI), blue-card question. – Thank you, colleague, for accepting my blue card.”
“Madam President, in just two years – in just two years – 92 % of Europeans have encountered online fraud or scams. This is a systemic failure for the EU. Unsafe products are only a click away, threatening our consumers' health and safety. Our children are targeted by aggressive marketing, by addictive design, by content and products that put their safety at risk. Our merchants are also facing unfair competition. Only last year, more than 4.5 billion parcels entered the EU, many of them bypassed our rules and controls. This undermines trust and it weakens our single market. Strong consumer protection – it is not a choice; it is a necessity. The Consumer Agenda 2030 must, at its core, protect people, defend fairness and put citizens, not platforms, at the heart of our single market. 3-0458-0000”
“Madam President, our airspace is violated, our borders are probed, our cables are cut. This is hybrid war. And the aim of a hybrid war is simple: to sow confusion, to weaken trust, and to break the unity of the target before a single bullet is fired. It is outrageous that even within our own Union, Putin's useful idiots try to echo his narratives. Madam President, Finland knows the cost of a long border. We defend it every day. This is not the time for half measures. This is the time for unity and adequate financing. This is the time for action. We must shield our cables, guard our ports, secure our skies. We must protect our people. 3-0265-0000”
“Madam President, history teaches us hard lessons. 1925 – Germany signed the Locarno treaties. 1934 – the non-aggression pact with Poland. 1938 – the Munich Agreement. All presented as peace efforts; all used to buy time for further aggression. So let's not forget, not every peace is a real peace. Today, we face a similar risk. The United States is leading talks on a proposal for Ukraine, and we see clearly what Russia is willing to accept – so clearly that Washington had to explain that the plan was not written by Putin. It is the US and Russia who are shaping the talks and setting the terms. The agreement would limit Ukraine's army while Russia rebuilds its own. The agreement offers amnesties for war crimes and forces territorial concessions. Europe must stand up. We will not agree ... (The President cut off the speaker) 3-0079-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, se, mikä ei ole hyväksyttävää oikeassa maailmassa, sen ei pitäisi olla hyväksyttävää netissä. Se, mikä on laitonta oikeassa maailmassa, sen pitäisi olla laitonta myös netissä. Tällä hetkellä algoritmit ohjaavat lapsia pimeille kujille. Nettikiusaaminen on arkea ja chatbotit pahimmillaan kannustavat itsetuhoisuuteen. Yhdellä klikkauksella lapsi pääsee käsiksi haitallisiin sisältöihin, mielenterveydelle vaarallisiin sisältöihin. Selvitysten mukaan yksi kymmenestä nuoresta kärsii verkon haitallisista sisällöistä. Ahdistusta, univajetta, keskittymishäiriöitä, ruuturiippuvuutta. Meidän poliitikkojen tehtävänä on tehdä lainsäädäntöä, joka aidosti suojaa lapsia ja nuoria. Lasten ja nuorten suojeleminen, sen pitäisi olla kaikkien prioriteetti, myös nettialustojen. Tarvitaan koko kylä kasvattamaan lapsia.”
“Kiikastaa siitä, että jäsenmaat eivät ole pystyneet tekemään päätöstä. Eli jäsenmaiden edustajat, ministerit, jotka istuvat ministerineuvostossa, eivät ole pystyneet tekemään päätöstä tällaisessa asiassa, joka vaarantaa eurooppalaisten ihmisten terveyden. Meillä Suomessa tämän asian päällä istuu liikenne- ja viestintäministeri Lulu Ranne. Terveiset täältä Euroopan parlamentista. Eikö olisi jo aika löytää yhteisymmärrys ministerineuvostossa, saattaa tämä asia lopulliseen päätökseen ja lopettaa tämä hulluus, kellojen siirtely? Nyt on se oikea hetki. Täällä parlamentissa odotetaan, komissiossa odotetaan, eurooppalaiset odottavat. Tehkää työnne. 4-0180-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, arvoisa komissaari, kun joku ongelma on näin ilmeinen, meidän pitäisi pystyä poliittisesti ratkaisemaan asiat mahdollisimman nopeasti. Tässä ei kyllä ole käynyt näin. Kellojen siirtely, masennusta, keskittymishäiriöitä, uniongelmia, jopa sydäninfarktien lisääntymistä todistetusti. Kellojen siirtely aiheuttaa näitä kaikkia. Suomessa Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitoksen unitutkija ja tutkimusprofessori Timo Partonen sanoo, että kaikki hyötyisivät kellojen siirrosta luopumisesta. Tutkimusten mukaan pienikin muutos aikataulussa, varsinkin yhdistettynä meidän pohjoisten kansalaisten pimeän aikaan, aiheuttaa todella monia terveysongelmia. Kansalaiset ovat puhuneet, parlamentti on puhunut, komissio on antanut vihreää valoa ja silti me olemme tässä. Mistä siis kiikastaa?”
“Simplification is in order in this manner, but also customers, and protecting Europeans from faulty products that can even endanger lives – for example, with children. If the toys – 80 % of them do not apply to our regulations. This is a big danger for the future of Europe, because children are the future of Europe. We need to educate our people, already at the school level, and we must teach that everything that looks gold is not good for you, and everything that is claimed to be good for you can actually be a very dangerous thing. 1-0165-0000”
“(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question) 1-0163-0000 Lukas Sieper (NI), blue-card question. – Thank you, colleague, for accepting the blue card. You said one thing that caught my attention: the customers must know. I can not agree on that more. At the same time, especially in the digital realm, I see a problem that many customers do not read through this long text, in the same way that we always just accept the general business rules without reading through any of it. So, in your opinion, what can we do to take the burden of reading through walls and walls and walls of text from the customer so they actually are informed in the time that they have? 1-0164-0000 Maria Guzenina (S&D), blue-card answer. – Thank you very much for the question.”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, in 2024 alone, the EU received 4.6 billion e-commerce parcels, mostly from outside our borders and many of them failing to meet European safety standards – the risk in millions of European homes – products that endanger consumers and harm our fragile environment. This alone is a call to action. The new legislative framework was adopted over a decade ago, and it no longer reflects the huge changes in our economy, technology and environment. This gap must now be closed. Customers deserve the power of knowledge – clear, trustworthy information, through tools like the Digital Product Passport – to make decisions on their purchases. Without this transparency, our ambitions fall flat. This revision is a crucial opportunity to align our product rules with today's and tomorrow's realities. So let's not waste it.”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, media freedom: it's one of Europe's core values. It's the heartbeat of our democracy. And today, once again, we discuss Google's dominance, and we must remember what's at stake. Google controls much of how Europeans find news, how publishers earn on it. As a digital gatekeeper, it decides who is seen and who is silenced. Our media depend on visibility and fair revenue to survive. When these are taken away, our press weakens, our voices shrink, and democracy itself is poorer. But Europe has never been afraid to stand up for fairness and freedom. So let's keep fighting, not against technology itself, but for our values, for our journalists, and for the right for every citizen to be freely and truthfully informed. 1-0140-0000 Catch-the-eye procedure 1-0141-0000”
“Siellä voidaan jopa määrätä kotitalouksille sakkoja, jos he eivät pidä huolta siitä, ettei heidän tontilleen kerry ylimääräisiä vesialueita. Hyttysethän leviävät vedessä. Mutta punkkien leviämisen estäminen onkin hankalampi tapaus, ja sen takia meidän pitää pystyä ennaltaehkäisemään niitä sairauksia, joita nämä pienet eliöt ihmisille aiheuttavat. Meillä Suomessa hyvänä esimerkkinä ovat punkkibussit, jotka menevät kylien keskuksiin ja joista ihmiset voivat hakea rokotteensa usein ilmaiseksi, koska me katsomme yhteiskuntana, että punkkien levittämien sairauksien hoito tulee paljon kalliimmaksi kuin rokotteiden antaminen. 4-0194-0000”
“Kun meillä oikeassa maailmassa on pelisäännöt, millä tavalla me suojelemme lapsia ja nuoria, internet edelleen on villi länsi. Meillä on DSA-lainsäädäntö, jonka pitäisi pystyä vaikuttamaan niin, että netti olisi turvallinen paikka lapsille ja nuorille liikkua. Mutta DSA on pantu täytäntöön siten, että sen perään ei ole katsottu tarpeeksi. Tässä meillä Euroopan parlamentissa on myös nyt vaikuttamisen paikka. 4-0103-0000”
“They must be taken into account in everything, from age-friendly communities to lifetime learning and extending careers. The Commission's European care strategy and its work on a strategy for intergenerational fairness are welcome, but these frameworks must now deliver. We need investment in quality long-term care, inclusive public services and age-friendly communities. No age group should be invisible – each generation deserves to be heard, valued and supported. 1-0122-0000”
“Madam President, dear Commissioner, societies can be valued by the way they treat their elderly. Is age discrimination common? About 50 % of Europeans say that it is. There is inequality in housing, in work life. Pensions threaten social cohesion. Public services do not treat people equally. We need to recognise that the future of Europe depends on how we care for all generations, not just in words, but in policies that honour both the young and the old. In this, I am happy to say that Finland leads by example. Youth and elder councils are a standard in municipal decision-making. Both groups have a legal right to influence local decisions. This was one of my priorities when I worked as a Minister of Social Services. What Europe needs is well-being that derives from age-aware policies.”
“It promotes health, peace and unity. It teaches core values such as solidarity and respect. To protect these values, we need strong EU support. We need investment in sports infrastructure. We need positive examples of sportsmanship. And when we talk about the youngest, we need to ensure that the joy of movement and achievement is every kid's right. 1-0081-0000”
“Mr President, dear Commissioner, to begin with, I want to thank my S&D colleague Hannes Heide for his excellent work on this very important file. Thank you, Hannes. Athletes have been powerful role models for our youth throughout time. For example, our Finnish basketball team or the Special Olympics athletes I recently met; they inspire with their courage and strength. But there are unfortunately different kinds of sports examples. Profit-driven spectacles in the US and around the world risk compromising athletes' health and send the wrong message to our youth. I am talking, for example, about the Enhanced Games said to begin next year. They have very little to do with the pure sports. Our youth needs its heroes and the understanding that the basis of sport lies in a healthy lifestyle. Sport brings people together.”
“We agree to push for fairness: a proper EU customs authority by 2026, a stop to massive shipments that slip through without checks, and stricter controls on foreign warehouses operating on European soil. We are making it clear: European small and local businesses deserve a fair chance to compete. They play by the rules. It's time others do too. It's about protecting what Europe stands for: quality, fairness and responsibility, and protecting our businesses. The vote on the file is on Wednesday. This file is a solid message from this House to the Commission and the Council to act with the urgency that the situation demands. 1-0118-0000”
“Mr President, Commissioner, I thank all the colleagues with whom we worked together on this file. I call it the 'stop the Chinese crap tsunami' file, because it is a crap tsunami that we are under. EU consumers waste EUR 19.3 billion per year buying low-quality, dangerous products that can lead to injuries and severe health problems. EUR 19.3 billion that are detrimental to European businesses. But this file has united us – this House. In this House, we agree that concrete action needs to be taken urgently. Every seller from outside the EU should have an accountable person here in Europe. We agree on stronger enforcement of the rules we already have, with better tracking of where products come from, more testing to make sure that they are safe.”
“Digilukutaito pitää sisällyttää kouluopetukseen kaikissa jäsenvaltioissa, ja pitää muistaa, että pelkät digilukutaidot eivät kuitenkaan riitä, vaan meidän pitää varmistaa, että meidän lapsemme ovat tietoisia oikeudestaan henkiseen ja fyysiseen koskemattomuuteen. 2-0033-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, halu suojella lapsia yhdistää meitä tässä talossa. Somessa tapahtuvilla asioilla on tosielämän seurauksia. Tällä direktiivillä parannetaan uhrien mahdollisuuksia saada itselleen oikeutta ja tukea. Lainsäädännön pitää pysyä digitaalisen todellisuuden perässä. Parlamentti ehdottaa direktiiviin tärkeitä täsmennyksiä liittyen muun muassa tekoälyllä tuotettuun sisältöön, ja jatkossa me tarvitsemme välineitä rikosten ja haitallisen sisällön ennaltaehkäisyyn. Meidän pitää toimeenpanna EU:n digi- ja mediapalveluja koskevaa lainsäädäntöä nykyistä huomattavasti paremmin. Alustoilta pitää vaatia oikeita toimenpiteitä tunnistettujen riskien hallitsemiseksi.”
“Yksi tärkeimmistä keinoista löytää tie kestävään rauhaan on pitää Eurooppa relevanttina geopoliittisten mannerlaattojen törmäysten keskelläkin. Tämä onnistuu eurooppalaisten arvojen pohjalta toimien yhdessä. Eurooppalaisuus on parhaimmillaan, kun solidaarisuus kytkee yksilöt ja hallitukset yhteiseen ponnistukseen, ja tässä meillä on ponnistuksen paikka. 1-0140-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, sodalla on aina monia ulottuvuuksia ja ihmiskohtaloiden hinta on mittaamaton. Me suomalaiset tiedämme tämän hyvin. Me taistelimme Venäjää vastaan vuosikymmeniä sitten, ja sen sodan seuraukset näkyvät edelleen meidän hautakivissämme ja niissä ihmiskohtaloissa, jotka kulkevat sukupolvien läpi. Kun yli satatuhatta ukrainalaista on kuollut, neljäsataatuhatta haavoittunut ja kymmeniätuhansia lapsia viety Venäjälle väkisin, Ukrainaa ei saa käsitellä eilisen uutisena. Ukrainassa kuolee edelleen ihmisiä, tragedia on todellinen. Neuvoston ja komission julkilausuma on todella tärkeä. Together we must remain resolute. By supporting Ukraine, we are also safeguarding the very foundations of European peace and security.”
“These children are not just numbers in a report; they are lives stolen. And we cannot, we must not let them be forgotten. So bring them home. 1-0183-0000 Solicitudes incidentales de uso de la palabra («catch the eye») 1-0184-0000”
“Mr President, right now, as we speak, thousands of Ukrainian children have been ripped from their homes, torn from the arms of their families, forcefully deported to Russia and Belarus, detained in Russian prisons, forced into adoption, stripped of their identities. These children are being erased. A grave violation of international law. Even in this room, I have heard Russian propaganda attempting to twist this horror into something it is not. Let me say this plainly: this is not a topic for propaganda. This is a moral line that demands the united will of the entire European Parliament. We must act. We must act now. The EU must impose sanctions against those responsible for these atrocities. And more than that, we must demand that these children, these stolen lives, are returned to their homes, to their families, to their loved ones.”