Sebastian Tynkkynen
Member of the European Parliament · ECR · FI
“– Merci, Monsieur le Président, et merci, chers parlementaires, pour ce débat plein d’humanité et de cœur. J’aimerais commencer par une des phrases qui a été dite.”
“Mr President, a government's first moral contract is to its own citizens. Making its own citizens' lives better, safer and more prosperous comes before everything else. It doesn't mean we can't do things like give humanitarian aid; of course we can, and we should.”
“Il n’y a pas zéro risque, mais en tout cas nous avons zéro tolérance et un système de contrôle solide en place, avec un suivi de nos propres bureaux ECHO qui sont sur place, qui sont en contact avec nos partenaires qui distribuent l’aide humanitaire, avec des audits de la Cour des comptes européenne, avec des rapports circonstanciés.”
“Arvoisa puhemies, tämä talo ei pääse yli vihreästä vimmastaan. Kun käsitellään rajat ylittävän liiketoiminnan verotuksen yksinkertaistamista, samasta ovesta yritetään vetää punavihreän puolueohjelman kirjauksia.”
“Alors, certes, l’aide humanitaire à elle seule ne peut pas tout résoudre, et c’est pour cela que nous avons publié cette communication humanitaire, qui est plus une stratégie, en réalité, face aux défis auxquels on fait face aujourd’hui.”
“C’est ce que je vois, c’est ce à quoi je suis confrontée à chaque fois que je me déplace en mission. C’est l’espoir, c’est une vision d’avenir pour nous tous, et nous devons en être fiers, le maintenir en vie. Je compte sur vous, je vous remercie et je vous souhaite un bon vote tout à l’heure pour votre résolution.”
The complete record
Every one of 409 lines we hold for Sebastian Tynkkynen, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 9.
“Here we draw the line. 3-0561-0000 (End of catch-the-eye procedure) 3-0562-0000 Marta Kos, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members, the European Union, through its delegation in Kampala and locally represented European Union Member States, had been following closely the run up to and the elections on 15 January 2026. These engagements included meetings with all political parties, including with the National Unity Platform, as well as with electoral bodies, and with the government and the leadership of the Uganda People's Defence Forces. An EU-funded project focused on electoral violence prevention, called Let's Talk Peace, was launched ahead of the campaign, which was welcomed by stakeholders across political lines.”
“Mr President, Uganda's President, who has been in power for more than 40 years, has placed the only credible opposition candidate under house arrest. 40 years in power, and challengers are put under house arrest – this is not democracy, it is criminal. Now listen to what the EU's official policy is at the same time regarding its support for Uganda: 'The EU cooperates with Uganda to promote the country's green transition, support sustainable and inclusive job creation and investment growth and strengthening democratic governance that advances social inclusion and human rights.' It seems the support policy has not been very successful. The EU must now decide whether we want to continue financing these regimes that laugh at our declarations, with gold teeth flashing, or is it time to adopt a new mantra for development aid as well?”
“As I said during my introductory remarks, the Commission remains committed to keeping the Parliament fully informed of each accession to the Judgments Convention and to taking the Parliament's view duly into account, in line with the duty of sincere cooperation. I was listening carefully, I was memorising carefully, and the message will be received. Thank you, dear Mr Ilhan, and all of you in the hall at this hour for the debate. 3-0545-0000 IN THE CHAIR: ESTEBAN GONZÁLEZ PONS Vice-President 3-0546-0000”
“3-0543-0000 (Brīvā mikrofona uzstāšanos beigas.) 3-0544-0000 Marta Kos, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, Members of the European Parliament, I thank you for this debate and for the broad support for the accession of the Republic of Albania and Montenegro to the Convention on judgments in civil or criminal matters, and I thank especially those who have expressed support also for the EU membership of those two countries. With this new instrument of cooperation, the European Union is sending a strong political message in the accession process of these countries to the European Union.”
“Mr President, look at Albania. Migrant waves are hitting the shores of Europe. Countries like Albania are the ones that are taking the first hits. The Western Balkan route has been a growing pathway for illegal migration and human trafficking. Albanians understand that we need strong cooperation to tackle issues that are cross-border in nature. The country signed earlier an agreement with Italy that allowed the transfer of migrants to centres in Albanian territory. This is what cooperation should look like. It is called the Albania model. While the leftists here are cooperating with each other, trying to make Europe less safe with their reckless migration policies, Albania shows you that with cooperation between the EU and third countries, we can make Europe safe again. We need more Albania models.”
“Arvoisa puhemies, millä me varmistamme, että työperäinen maahanmuutto ei johda tulijoiden hyväksikäyttöön? Uskokaa tai älkää, ei tarvita koko EU:n laajuisia strategioita. Ei tarvita monimutkaista uutta lainsäädäntöä, ei ammattiliittojen vallan kasvattamista. Me tarvitsemme korkeammat tulorajat työperäiselle maahanmuutolle. Jos henkilö on valmis tulemaan tänne tuhansien kilometrien takaa epäinhimillisen alaspoljetulla palkalla, se kertoo, että hän ei tule tänne työn takia. Hän tulee tänne sen takia, että työ on avain eurooppalaiseen sosiaaliturvaan. Kun tämä on ensisijaisena tavoitteena, tulija on alttiina riistolle ja hyväksikäytölle. Jos haluamme tänne osaajia, jotka tulevat työn perässä, tarvitsemme korkeammat tulorajat. Suomen hallitus nosti työperäisen maahanmuuton vähimmäistulorajan 1 600 euroon kuussa. Tämä on ainut oikea suunta.”
“Totuus on, että köyhyys vähenee työn, yrittämisen sekä vastuullisen maahanmuutto- ja talouspolitiikan kautta. 3-0450-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, tämä paperi EU:n köyhyyden vastaisesta strategiasta on malliesimerkki siitä, kuinka irrallaan eurooppalainen vasemmisto on todellisuudesta. Se sisältää kasapäin mainintoja julistuksista, indikaattoreista ja kokonaisvaltaisista lähestymistavoista. Kaiken kukkuraksi köyhyys määritellään rakenteelliseksi epäoikeudenmukaisuudeksi. No, näitä rakenteita te olette, hyvät vasemmistolaiset, olleet vuosikymmeniä Euroopassa rakentamassa, ja silti teidän ratkaisunne tuntuu aina olevan sama: lisää julkista rahaa, lisää tulonsiirtoja ja lisää EU-lainsäädäntöä. Tämä vasemmistolainen joululahjalista on kallis. Se on tehoton ja se on järjetön. Loputon julkisen vallan ja tulonsiirtojen paisuttaminen ei ole ratkaisu köyhyyteen. Se vie lopulta perikatoon valtion kuin valtion tai liittovaltion.”
“Madam President, it is very difficult for me to celebrate the International Day of Education. The women and girls in Islamic countries, such as in Iran, face tremendous suppression. They might never see a system called education. The Islamic regime of Iran allows girls as young as nine to be married. Can you imagine? A nine-year-old should be in school not getting forcefully married. But this is the reality the Iranian regime has to offer its people, and the people of Iran are sick of it. They have gone to the streets demanding change, demanding freedom at the risk of execution. So no, I cannot celebrate the International Day of Education. Not yet. When the Islamic regime of Iran is finally overthrown, then it will be time for celebrations. 3-0377-0000”
“A kritikus nyersanyagok kitermeléséért zajló vetélkedés humanitárius katasztrófába taszította Kelet-Kongót. 21 millióan szorulnak segítségnyújtásra, újabb kétmillió ember kényszerült az otthona elhagyására, ráadásul az elmúlt negyed évszázad legsúlyosabb kolera járványa sújtja a térséget. Világos, a már évtizedek óta zajló erőszaknak pusztán az állami vezetők közötti politikai kiegyezés, kellő állami jelenlét hiányában, nem tud véget vetni. Égető szükség van tehát a kritikus nyersanyagok kitermelését szabályzó megállapodásra. Ennek célja kell, hogy legyen a kitermelésben való szolidaritás, egyenlő feltételek megteremtése, amely a konfliktus gazdasági alapjait szünteti meg. Ez olyasmi, amiben van valódi európai tapasztalat. Ne feledjük, az unió is béke projekt. Ne habozzunk ezt megosztani afrikai partnereinkkel.”
“Written Statements (Rule 178) 2-0584-5000 György Hölvényi (PfE), írásban – Először is világosan kell látni: az Európai Unió nem tud a Nagy Tavak régiójában kialakult konfliktusban valódi biztonságot teremteni. Ehhez hiányzik az unió biztonsági potenciálja, és a gazdasági befolyás a térségben. Tényleges biztonságot csakis az itteni állomok, a régió szereplői képesek garantálni. Ebben kell tehát partnernek lenünk. A konfliktus rendezése, és a nyersanyagkitermelés szabályozott mederbe rendezése közös érdek. Hiszen, hiába az afrikai szállítási infrastruktúrába való európai beruházások, ha a nyersanyagok túlnyomó része már a kitermelés helyén a fekete piacra kerül. Miközben pozitív hírek érkeznek a kongói és ruandai félek közötti tárgyalásokról, a helyzet helyben igen elkeserítő.”
“We have already sanctioned several Rwandan officials and one entity. Honourable members, our compass is the respect of international law by all parties, the implementation, in good faith, of the commitments made, the respect of the principles of the UN Charter, justice and accountability. Defending international law matters even more in times of geopolitical uncertainty, and the EU can make a real difference by promoting a peaceful resolution of conflicts everywhere. I thank the European Parliament for its active engagement on the situation in the Great Lakes Region, as shown by this discussion and one that we also held in December. 2-0584-0000 Die Präsidentin. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.”
“Above all, we can contribute to transforming the causes of a prolonged carnage into opportunities for the population of the Great Lakes. When it comes to the memorandum of understanding, many of you have evoked this memorandum on sustainable raw materials. It provides also a platform to engage Rwanda on traceability and transparency of minerals. But it is important to note that the implementation of this MoU never started, unlike for the DRC. So we had both memorandums, but it has never been implemented. As I told you last week, we discussed the situation in the Great Lakes Region following the discussion in the EU Council. We are looking to add further measures to help de-escalate, and the EU reiterates that Rwanda must cease supporting the M23 and withdraw its troops from the DRC.”
“2-0582-0000 (End of catch-the-eye procedure) 2-0583-0000 Hadja Lahbib, Member of the Commission. – Madam President, honourable Members, thank you very much for this very important and timely debate. The firm support of the EU for the victims of the conflict, which has lasted too long, and for the respect of international law is beyond discussion. The strong commitment of the EU to contribute to a peaceful resolution of this dramatic situation remains also unquestionable. In the broader picture, the EU is also committed to addressing the challenges and opportunities of the Great Lakes Region at large. We together face very complex challenges: geopolitical tensions, disinformation, competition for resources in regions so rich in natural resources.”
“Madam President, the EU has been supporting both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo with hundreds of millions. We've entered into so-called partnership with Rwanda to help them advance the green transition, amongst other things. But how can they turn green when their hands are dripping in blood? Rwandan-backed M23 fighters have killed civilians. They have targeted human rights defenders and journalists. They have used rape as a weapon and tortured women. Thousands have been driven from their homes. Congolese forces and allies and allied militias have committed abuses of their own. We cannot claim to defend human rights while funding governments connected to armed groups committing atrocities. We have a moral duty. It means using the financial leverage we have as a tool to help end this bloodshed.”
“Madam President, the decision of Spain's socialist government to legalise more than half a million illegal migrants is an act of self-deception without parallel. A Spanish left-wing MEP even celebrated this as an opportunity to replace native right wingers and so-called racists with migrants. The message was clear to millions of Spaniards and, at the same time, to hundreds of millions of Europeans: if you believe your country should have clear borders, you are racist and you should be replaced. Shameful. What kind of obsession do you leftists have with bringing shiploads of people here who do not want to adapt to European culture? If you hate our European culture so much, those ships do sail in the other direction as well. We do not need half a million new illegal arrivals here – not a single one.”
“Last week, the council adopted the sixth package of sanctions against RSF- and SAF-affiliated individuals. We must continue to increase pressure on the parties to the conflict and on those who support them. We need accountability to stop this devastating war. Anything less would mean accepting the normalisation of mass suffering, and this is something we will never do. 2-0365-0000”
“– Mr President, honourable members, let me thank you for your insights and your commitment during this debate. I would like to close with four messages. First, the Sudanese crisis is of an unprecedented scale and it is continuing. Second, civilians are bearing the brunt of this crisis – they must be protected and humanitarian organisation must be given full, safe and unhindered access to those in need, wherever they are. Third, all support is vital to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people – after almost three years of war, it must continue. Fourth, we are about to enter the fourth year of the conflict – the EU will stand with the people of Sudan, but they need peace, they need to resume their lives and their self-reliance. We must increase pressure on the parties to the conflict.”
“Mr President, for those of you who constantly search for racism where it is not, hear this out: in Sudan, ethnically motivated violence against non‑Arab people is happening on a scale that is hard to comprehend. Survivors speak about seeing piles of dead bodies in what they describe as an apocalyptic scene like the Day of Judgement, they said. We are not talking about mean comments online, which in themselves are enough to make some of you want to censor the entire internet. We are talking about mass atrocities committed on people based on the fact that they are black. This cannot and must not be swept under the carpet simply because the aggressor does not look a certain way. The ethnic violence in Sudan is a stain on humanity. 2-0363-0000 (Încheierea intervențiilor la cerere) 2-0364-0000 Hadja Lahbib, Member of the Commission.”
“Mr President, religious cleansing is under way in north‑east Syria. After Bashar al-Assad's fall, we were promised a new Syria. However, the extrajudicial executions, destruction of property and deliberate attacks carried out by extremist Islamist groups in the Syrian transitional government speak a climate of open religious hostility. This is unacceptable. The Kurdish people have been among our most reliable partners in the fight against ISIS. They have defended not only their freedom, but Europe's security as well. Yet the silence in Europe is deafening. Europe must stand for clear principles: the protection of civilians and zero tolerance for terrorism. The Syrian transitional government that engages in ethnic and religious violence must not be granted legitimacy. 2-0331-0000”
“Mr President, the word of Russia is worth less than the toilet paper we wipe ourselves with. So when Russia promised to enter into a so-called 'energy ceasefire' with Ukraine at the end of January, only a stupid person could not have guessed what would happen next. Four days later, the Russian war machine struck again. Make no mistake, the brave Ukrainians had no misgivings about the sincerity of Russia's commitment to this 'ceasefire'. You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth. You must fight and hit back. And that is why it is so painful to see some of you in this Chamber, still waffling on what to do about Putin's rampage. History will judge you if you choose to let the tiger continue its spree of terror. 2-0266-0000”
“Toivon erinomaista satoa jokaiselle viinitilalliselle, mutta EU-tason maatalouspolitiikassa logiikan pitäisi olla tämä: pihvi tulee ennen punaviiniä. 1-0081-0000”
“Madam President, imagine your daughter being arrested for not wearing a headscarf. Imagine your wife never returning from a protest, and you being forced to search through body bags. Imagine the internet shut down, losing contact with your son abroad and being left completely alone. If you step into the streets, you do not know whether others are still protesting in other cities or whether you are simply walking out to be killed. This is the daily reality for Iranians, while here they receive only lukewarm words of encouragement. And yet they continue to march against our common enemy. They do not ask much of us. From our warm halls, only with decisions on paper can we help: stronger sanctions, visa bans on the families of oppressors, trade embargoes, terrorist designation and an invitation to hear their voice, Reza Pahlavi. 3-0084-0000”
“We can either forever be seen as traitors and hypocrites, or we can help the Iranians rid themselves of this regime. 2-0331-0000”
“Mr President, the Iranians have risen up bravely against their torturers. For 46 years, the nation has been occupied by an Islamist dictatorship. They have been brutalised, murdered, and for too long have their crimes gone unheard. Not anymore. What we are seeing in Iran is a revolution that will change the world. Also, the EU needs to act swiftly: ‑ Stop the appeasement policy, tighten sanctions and isolate the regime that executes its own people. ‑ Proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. ‑ Stop trade with Iran. ‑ Listen to the Iranian people and invite Mr Reza Pahlavi to address this parliament ‑ the man whose name the people chant in the streets of Iran. ‑ Coordinate attacks with the US to weaken the regime to collapse.”
“Mitä enemmän jäsenmaita alistetaan, sitä kovemmin te huudatte täällä, että kyllä kiitos. Te olette suorastaan EU-masokisteja. 1-0080-0000”
“Let us envision a future where workplaces across Europe are free from sexual harassment, allowing every individual to thrive in a safe and supportive environment. Let's share this wish for 2026. As it is my last debate for this year, allow me to thank you all for this first year by your side as a Commissioner. It was a tremendous year and I would like to thank you for your passion, for your involvement, for your dedication. You are shaping the future of our Union for the best and I hope only for the best. 3-0386-0000 Le Président. – Sur la base de l’article 180 de notre règlement, je donne la parole à notre collègue Irene Montero pour une intervention pour un fait personnel. 3-0387-0000”
“Mikäli tuomme kolmannen maailman elämäntapaa omiin rakenteisiimme, emme voi esittää yllättyneitä, kun seksuaalinen häirintä lisääntyy. 3-0384-0000 (Fin des interventions à la demande) 3-0385-0000 Hadja Lahbib, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members, together, we have a responsibility as policymakers, as leaders and as members of our communities to translate all discussions into concrete actions, to foster meaningful progress within our institutions and on the ground of each one of our Member States. Ending sexual harassment in the workplace requires a multifaceted approach, clear policies, leadership, accountability, safe reporting systems, awareness raising, regular training, and swift and fair enforcement. All these need to be underpinned by essential cultural change.”
“Mr President, how dare you parties on the left and centre talk about the rule of law? How dare you portray yourselves as the arbiter of what the rule of law is? You have shown time and time again that you are willing to accept even the most blatant violations as long as the victims are your political adversaries. Banning the most popular party in Germany – why not? Go for it! Arresting people and confiscating their electronics if they post something online that might hurt somebody's feelings – disperse, nothing to see here! Imposing massive fines on social media companies because they do not peddle the agenda that you want – oh wait, you support that too. Your hypocrisy is astounding, and you should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. 3-0341-0000”
“Mr President, the clock is ticking for Europe. According to the European Defence Agency, EU defence spending reached 1.9 % of GDP in 2024 and may finally exceed NATO’s 2 % target in 2025. You heard right: may exceed NATO’s 2 % target in 2025. It’s ridiculous that it has taken over 10 years to reach a target that is now outdated, while the new benchmark is 5 %. Look at Finland or Poland after the war started in Ukraine: a sharp increase in defence spending. This proves that when there is political will, it is possible. Europe needs sovereign states that are willing – and able – to invest in their own security. That is the path to real security. Europe cannot deter or defend anything in 2030 if we cannot already produce and deploy in 2025. 2-0248-0000”
“Mr President, let me offer an example from Finland when discussing the grids package and energy infrastructure. We have not been waiting for EU-level strategies. We have been investing heavily in our own capacity, including nuclear power. Today, we are very close to full annual self-sufficiency when it comes to electricity. Our main grid transmission reliability rate is almost 100 %. This has not happened because Madam Ursula designed a grand plan, but because we took responsibility. This is the point. Strong national investments work. Finland doesn't want to pay other countries' electricity bills. What the EU needs is Member States with their own critical infrastructure funded by themselves – not centralised communist plans.”
“Arvoisa puhemies, Saarijärven salomailla sanoi aikoinaan maanviljelijä Paavo vaimollensa: "Pane leipään puolet petäjäistä, veihän naapurimme touon halla". Liki 200 vuotta myöhemmin on suomalaisten maanviljelijöiden aika kuulla uudenlainen varoitus: lähtee leipänne alta, jos enemmistössä on vihervasemmistolainen EU-valta. Karu totuus nimittäin on tämä: EU:n maatalouspolitiikassa on keskitytty viime vuosina vihertymään, kun olisi pitänyt keskittyä saamaan lisää eurooppalaista ruoantuotantoa. Eivät ne maanviljelijät traktoreineen jyrise nyt turhaan Euroopan kaupungeissa osoittamassa mieltään. Heille on tullut kerta kaikkiaan mitta täyteen tätä eurooppalaisen ruoantuotannon kurittamista. On aika myöntää, että yltiöpäinen viherhumppa ja sika-nautajauhelihan tuottaminen eivät vain sovi yhteen.”
“Mr President, Europe must finally start to realise the true gravity of our dismal defence readiness. It is a matter of life and death. The fact that the eligibility for research and innovation funding will now be extended to European defence companies is a big step in the right direction. I think that the fact that we even have to take this kind of decision now shows how lost most of the politicians in Europe have been in the past. If our security has not been worth our research and innovation funding, may I ask what has been more important? Actually, there is another good thing about this regulatory change: when EU funding is flowing to industries that actually matter, it won't be going to areas to which EU money should not be going in the first place. 1-0106-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, Suomi on tuhansien järvien maa. Verrattuna Välimeren rannikoihin tai Atlantin aaltojen muovaamiin kivikkoihin Lapin kylmät järvet ja Itä-Suomen suolammet ovat täysin erilaisia ympäristöjä, mutta silti me nyt käymme otsikon mukaisesti EU-tason keskustelua vuoden 2026 kalastusmahdollisuuksista, rannikkoyhteisöistä ja ekosysteemeistä. On syytä muistaa, että kalastuksen kerrotaan olleen ihmisten elinkeinona jo 40 000 vuotta. Eli on ne siimat olleet kireinä ilman direktiivejäkin. Jos me haluamme kalastuksen säilyvän elinkeinona vielä seuraavatkin 40 000 vuotta, niin ohjeeni komissiolle on, että sekaantukaa siihen mahdollisimman vähän. Kuten Suomessa perinteisesti sanotaan: ollaan hiljaa, niin saadaan kalaa. Komissio, tarttukaa tähän syöttiin. 3-0478-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, uskaltaako kukaan tässä salissa väittää, että Euroopassa ei tällä hetkellä tapahtuisi poliitikkojen ostamista rahalla? Minä en uskaltaisi. Euroopan ulkopuoliset tahot ovat osoittaneet olevansa valmiita häikäilemättömiinkin toimiin omien päämääriensä edistämiseksi. Eurooppa on puolestaan osoittanut, että täältäkin löytyy niitä onnettomia päättäjiä, jotka ovat valmiita sivuuttamaan kaikki arvonsa rahatukun tieltä. Muutaman vuoden takainen korruptioskandaali nosti keskiöön raskaat epäilyt siitä, kuinka Qatar, Mauritania ja Marokko olivat lahjoneet useita Euroopan kansanedustajia vaikuttaakseen EU-politiikkaan. Tänä vuonna tuotiin julkisuuteen tapaus, jossa kiinalaisen Huawein epäillään maksaneen Euroopan kansanedustajille, jotta nämä ovat ajaneet Huawein etua. Miettikää! Nämä ovat vain paljastuneita tapauksia.”
“Al arco parlamentario, desde la izquierda hasta la derecha, le pido por favor que todos pensemos con la cabeza, pero también con el corazón. Apostar por esta estrategia es invertir en democracia. 3-0397-0000”
“En definitiva, la accesibilidad universal posibilita los derechos humanos, los derechos fundamentales. No pedimos otra cosa que defender los valores de la Unión. Tenemos que luchar contra los discursos de odio porque nuestro colectivo es muy vulnerable y necesitamos instrumentos legislativos para hacer esto: claro que sí. Y necesitamos presupuesto: claro que sí. No se puede hacer todo lo que tenemos que hacer si no tenemos presupuesto. ¿Cómo habríamos hecho sin presupuesto la Garantía Juvenil, que tantos buenos resultados ha dado? Pues ahora tenemos que hacer una garantía de empleo con presupuesto. No se puede hacer sin presupuesto. Todas las cosas cuestan pero, sobre todo, lo que más cuesta es derribar las barreras mentales, las barreras sociales. Esas son las más peligrosas. Hay que romper estereotipos y estigmas.”
“Hago una llamada (dirigiéndose a la parte derecha del hemiciclo) a los grupos de esta parte para que den apoyo a esta Estrategia de la UE. Se construye la historia peldaño a peldaño, pero nos ayudará, nos ayudará sin ninguna duda a que puedan participar activamente mucho más de lo que lo hacen ahora todas las personas con discapacidad. En este momento todavía están excluidas de muchos ámbitos de la vida. Necesitamos, por ejemplo, conseguir la participación política: en muchos Estados miembros, todavía no pueden votar. Y por eso pedimos un instrumento legislativo para que eso no suceda. Para que no haya acoso en las escuelas y para que la educación inclusiva sea verdad. Para el empleo, para la vivienda, para el ocio, para el turismo, para el transporte.”
“Your strong messages today, the pain in many people's voices, the anger, the passion: they are very important for the battle for a social Europe in which I really believe. So I really thank you for that. And with honesty that we have much more to do ahead of us, let us also believe that it is in our common power to deliver for our citizens, including for citizens that experience disability but are in many ways stronger, more talented, and have much more potential to support Europe than many others who consider themselves advantaged. Thank you so much for the debate. I really was inspired by it. 3-0396-0000 Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, ponente. – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, gracias a todos los intervinientes de todo el arco parlamentario, a todos los que van a dar mañana apoyo.”
“Did we enforce the legislation as we should? Must we enforce it with a different rhythm and with a different commitment? With this in mind, I think that we can set our goals for the next years looking at what AI transformation means for people with disabilities, from assistive technologies to AI skills and literacy, and how we can significantly improve lives and health by looking at research. So you have in me – as Vice‑President also in charge of equality, supporting our Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and all our colleagues in the College – a partner, so that we can, with the tool that we launch in the spring next year with the enhanced strategy, a really strong and mainstream tool, because I am a believer that it is not by having a single silo that we can improve people's lives. We have to work across.”
“I am of the belief that maybe the optimum situation will be when we will no longer need a strategy for the rights of people with disabilities, but when everything is mainstreamed in all other policies. With my portfolio, I'm working on the Quality Jobs Roadmap, which will be published on 3 December, the very day we celebrate the rights of people with disabilities. We're looking at the affordable housing plan, so trying to mainstream, to integrate there initiatives that need to also serve women, people with disabilities, our citizens overall. But yes, we do still need a dedicated tool. Next year we will publish the enhanced strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities, and this is a good moment to collect your ideas and to assess where we are. We will have a report as well. We see the gaps: what we have done, what we have not done.”
“What I mentioned in my opening speech about accessibility is just one part of what is happening, but we do invest in social economy that many times means employment or entrepreneurship opportunities for people with disabilities. We are working on education, from infrastructure – EU funds supporting accessibility of schools or kindergartens – to teaching the teachers on the adapted curriculum. We did a lot of work with the Polish Presidency on the accessibility of education and on excellence, yes, because there is no there is no accessible education without putting the same level of excellence for all teachers and all students alike. I think that we are coming from a place where we show that we can improve the lives of our citizens.”
“Maybe not, but much more to do. The positive spin is the following: as a person that has worked her entire life with cohesion policy in an eastern European country that has huge emotional and social scars, also from the Communist times, for people with disabilities, for women who went through this ban on abortions. I don't want to go into that direction, because the suffering that women in Romania suffered is inexplicable. But the fact that the European Union has led and has financed with EU funds in a way that it took into consideration the specific needs of persons with disabilities, has changed many people's lives. The EU is perceived in many places of our continent as the leading voice and the leading source of financing that is, step by step, not solving everything, but is improving lives for the better.”
“And also, my colleague Langensiepen, even if one was a person with a disability, it does not have to mean that they have a disability in manners. 3-0394-0000 (Koniec zgłoszeń z sali) 3-0395-0000 Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the Commission. – Madam President, many thanks for your contributions. First of all, I was discussing with Mr Szekeres and I will say that, indeed, our debate – which was so important – should have been accessible online also to people with disabilities. We were discussing the situation of people that are deaf, or could not see subtitles or see a sign language – so we need to do small things first and foremost, so that we are integrating every citizen into our democracies. I will give you a positive spin to our debate, although I am the first to tell you that we have much more to do. Everything to do?”
“Madam President, dear colleague Langensiepen, it is truly offensive when you shout out from the podium calling this side fascists. My brother has Down syndrome. In Finland, the laws allow abortion almost up to the fifth month, but people like my brother or those with deformities can be aborted even a month later. What message does this send to these people? Well, that they are not equal. And this is something you Greens have supported in Finland, even though we on the right have many times demanded that this be corrected. You on the green left, have been the most active in promoting the screening of children in the womb and afterwards allowing abortion if the disabled child is not desirable. That is the purification of humankind into one kind and that is fascism.”
“Madam President, the EU-UK trade agreement is a lesson for the EU. When Brexit took effect, did the trade across the Channel suddenly grind to a halt? Was the UK suddenly inaccessible to continental Europeans? Did the UK collapse? Of course not. The British are doing more than fine without so-called 'help' from Ms von der Leyen or any of us here in this Chamber. The Brits know pretty darn well how to run their own country. Dear colleagues, we all know how to run our own countries better than the EU ever could. Let this be a wake-up call, Ms von der Leyen. We don't need your endless EU regulations. We don't need your harmful Green Deal. We don't need your mass migration. What we need are stronger national states. 3-0330-0000”
“Arvoisa puhemies, Suomessa tiedetään, millaista on elää Venäjän rajanaapurina. Pitää olla varautunut pienempään kiusaan ja pitää olla varautunut toimiin, joilla yritetään pohjustaa isompaa tulevaa pahantekoa. GPS-häirinnän kanssa on tultava toimeen. Ilmatilaloukkauksiin on vastattava välittömästi. Kun Itämerellä seilannut Venäjän varjolaivaston alus katkoi merikaapeleita, suomalaiset erikoisjoukot laskeutuivat köysillä helikopterista aluksen kannelle ja ottivat aluksen haltuun. Tällaista aloitteellisuutta tarvitaan myös lainsäädännön tasolla. Suomi sääti Euroopan tiukimman rajalain, jotta pystytään vastaamaan Venäjän masinoimiin siirtolaisvyöryihin. Tänä vuonna Suomi päätti kieltää venäläisten kiinteistökaupat. Ne muodostivat meille turvallisuusriskin, jota emme Venäjän kanssa halua ottaa.”
“Madam President, I can't help but notice that there are no 'Free Sudan' flags in this House. Why is that? Those who made freeing Palestine their entire identity are strangely silent on this issue. Where is the outrage about the systematic ethnic violence against black African non-Arab people in Sudan, or about the 12 million Sudanese fleeing death? Do they not deserve your passion? You raged at Israel's defensive war against Hamas, yet I don't see even a quarter of that energy aimed at those responsible for more than 150 000 deaths in two years in Sudan. Have you lost your voice when it comes to the over 4 million children facing acute malnourishment? This is beyond hypocritical. It is a complete disgrace. 2-0350-0000”
“Mr President, democracy is something we all believe in. But where we disagree is on who gets to decide what disinformation or hate speech is, and who defines what harmful content is. I was once in an election debate where I was told by a current EPP MEP that believing in God and posting about it on Facebook was misinformation. Unbelievable. Genuine immigration concerns can easily be labelled as extremism or hate speech, when in truth, millions of Europeans are concerned about the erosion of their cultures. Democracy depends on open and free debates, on hearing views you might not like and defeating them with better arguments if you can. Anything less than that turns the tool of safeguarding democracy into chains of authoritarianism. If we do that, we can no longer call ourselves democratic. 2-0122-0000”
“Madam President, 239 000. This insane figure is the amount of irregular border crossings reported on the EU's external borders in 2024. Migrant smugglers are sneaking people into Europe and making unbelievable profit doing so. Leftist policy is often directed against the rich. But when I look at the naive leftist migration policy, I can't help thinking that these rich smugglers would all be voting for leftist European politicians. Why? Because politicians on the right would swiftly shut down their business by closing our borders. So, let's be honest. To save Europe, the rotten era of European leftism and migration smugglers must end now. 1-0169-0000”