Daniel Attard
Member of the European Parliament · S&D · MT
“Mr President, 73 000 Palestinians have been killed. Among them, 21 000 kids; 10 000 kids have suffered life-changing injuries; 60 000 kids have lost one or both of their parents. Hundreds of journalists have been killed. Hundreds of thousands of homes have been completely damaged or totally destroyed.”
“So please spare us the empty speeches, especially from the right side of this House, because there is no reconstruction without justice. There is no reconstruction without a Palestinian state. Israel has every right to exist, but so does Palestine.”
“Mudell li jsaħħaħ il-konnettività, speċjalment tal-gżejjer u għaż-żoni fil-periferija; mudell illi jħares il-wirt storiku u l-identità unika tagħna Ewropea; mudell illi jtejjeb il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol; mudell illi jipproteġi l-ambjent u, iva, mudell illi jipproteġi lir-residenti billi jirregola dik li llum hija ġungla tax-short-term…”
“Mr President, let us stop pretending that this crisis appeared out of nowhere. For decades, the Iranian regime has imprisoned its citizens, brutally crushed protesters and exported instability elsewhere in the region. That is the reality we are dealing with. But we should also stop pretending that bombs will magically deliver freedom.”
“Europe, therefore, has a responsibility: first of all, protect our citizens, push for de-escalation and also stand firmly with the Iranian people in their long struggle for freedom and dignity. Because if Europe continues to be a spectator, then we should stop pretending to be a geopolitical actor.”
“Mr President, another debate, another resolution on Iran. In the meantime, people are being murdered in the streets, arrested in their homes, cut off from the rest of the world. Let us stop pretending. In the face of the atrocities unfolding in Iran, we have the responsibility to protect, to move from words to actions.”
The complete record
Every one of 27 lines we hold for Daniel Attard, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“So please spare us the empty speeches, especially from the right side of this House, because there is no reconstruction without justice. There is no reconstruction without a Palestinian state. Israel has every right to exist, but so does Palestine. And recognising the right of the Palestinian people is no punishment against Israel; it is the rightful recognition of the Palestinian people. So end the EU-Israel Association Agreement now. 3-0274-0000”
“Mr President, 73 000 Palestinians have been killed. Among them, 21 000 kids; 10 000 kids have suffered life-changing injuries; 60 000 kids have lost one or both of their parents. Hundreds of journalists have been killed. Hundreds of thousands of homes have been completely damaged or totally destroyed. So when this genocide is being perpetrated, settler violence still continues to this very day. Land is stolen. Families are beaten. Children are being terrorised. Now, let's be honest: no horror will ever justify another. But what if these were Ukrainian kids or Ukrainian families? What if this genocide was being perpetrated by the Iranian regime? This Chamber would not be empty as it is today. It would roar. It would call it for what it is.”
“Mudell li jsaħħaħ il-konnettività, speċjalment tal-gżejjer u għaż-żoni fil-periferija; mudell illi jħares il-wirt storiku u l-identità unika tagħna Ewropea; mudell illi jtejjeb il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol; mudell illi jipproteġi l-ambjent u, iva, mudell illi jipproteġi lir-residenti billi jirregola dik li llum hija ġungla tax-short-term rentals. Għalhekk, it-turiżmu li nemmen fih jien huwa turiżmu illi jrid iservi lill-komunitajiet tagħna u mhux jisfruttahom. Dan mhuwiex rapport kontra t-turiżmu, imma huwa rapport favur turiżmu aħjar. U għalhekk, vot favur dan ir-rapport, huwa vot favur turiżmu aktar b'saħħtu fuq livell Ewropew. 2-0198-0000 (Con questo si conclude il turno di votazioni) 2-0199-0000 (La seduta è sospesa alle 13:32) 2-0201-0000 PREDSEDÁ: MARTIN HOJSÍK Podpredseda”
“Europe, therefore, has a responsibility: first of all, protect our citizens, push for de-escalation and also stand firmly with the Iranian people in their long struggle for freedom and dignity. Because if Europe continues to be a spectator, then we should stop pretending to be a geopolitical actor. Strategic autonomy means shaping events, not simply reacting to them. And finally, missiles will not decide the future of Iran – the Iranian people will. 3-0115-0000”
“Mr President, let us stop pretending that this crisis appeared out of nowhere. For decades, the Iranian regime has imprisoned its citizens, brutally crushed protesters and exported instability elsewhere in the region. That is the reality we are dealing with. But we should also stop pretending that bombs will magically deliver freedom. History teaches us a very, very simple lesson: missiles can kill dictators, but they will not build democracy. The future of Iran will not be decided in Washington, Tel Aviv or Brussels. It will be decided by the Iranian people themselves, by the women, the students and the young generation that continues to courageously demand freedom and dignity despite the brutal repression.”
“Mr President, another debate, another resolution on Iran. In the meantime, people are being murdered in the streets, arrested in their homes, cut off from the rest of the world. Let us stop pretending. In the face of the atrocities unfolding in Iran, we have the responsibility to protect, to move from words to actions. How many more must die before we act? This is not about foreign interference. It is about a young society saying, loudly and clearly, 'We want a future.' We hear you, we see you and we support you. The EU must now engage with the opposition, not with the oppressor. You do not negotiate with a regime that kills its own people to stay in power. Europe cannot be cautious while people are being executed. The time of the Iranian regime is up. The time for change is now. 3-0580-0000”
“Let's be clear: support for Syria is good, but it must also mean protection for Kurdish rights, security guarantees and strict human rights conditionalities. Otherwise, we will betray those who defeated ISIS and in the meantime, we weaken our own security. Europe must stop being naive. Stability without rights is just an illusion. 2-0292-0000”
“Mr President, colleagues, when ISIS was advancing, many looked away. But the Kurdish forces did not – they fought, they bled and they died. Not just for their land, but also for our own security here in Europe. Today, the very forces that crushed Daesh risked being dismantled. This is not just morally wrong, but it was also strategically reckless. In Rojava, we saw something rare in Syria and beyond: women leading, communities coexisting, local self-rule instead of sectarian chaos. And what was our response? The European Commission pledged EUR 600 million to Damascus without real conditionality, no hard guarantees on rights and no real accountability. This is not foreign policy. In my opinion, this is just wishful thinking.”
“To the people of Iran, Kurds, Azeris, Arabs, Turkmens, Persians, Baha'is, Baluchis: the future of Iran belongs to you. Women, life and freedom. 2-0329-0000”
“Mr President, what you are witnessing in Iran is not simply unrest, it is systematic repression – thousands killed, thousands arrested, and the justice system weaponised against its own people. And I have one clear message to the regime in Tehran: stop hiding behind the claim that this is foreign interference. This is coming from within, from the population – a young population, mostly born after 1979, that no longer accepts fear as a form of governance. Violence is not strength. It is a sign of weakness. Your time is up. This Parliament has spoken enough before. Today, we must go further. We want accountability. We want international investigations, sanctions against those responsible, and yes, designating the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. This is long overdue – action and not words.”
“ETS revenues have a clear purpose: they must strengthen connectivity, modernise fleets and support fair access, especially for regions that have no real alternative or fallback option. Decarbonisation is necessary, but it must be designed with territorial reality in mind. A transition that overlooks islands and outermost regions will weaken Europe's cohesion and credibility. 4-0027-0000”
“Mr President, for Malta, other regions and islands, aviation and maritime links define our economic reality. Without them, there is no trade flow, no tourism sector, no real integration. We back the development of a European sustainable fuel industry, but ambition must be matched by delivery. Production capacity, stable pricing and long‑term certainty are what will make this transition real. If sustainable fuels remain scarce or unevenly distributed, islands will pay the price first. Ticket costs rise, freight costs rise and competitiveness shrinks. This is simply not acceptable. The EU intermediary mechanism must actively de‑risk projects and guarantee market uptake, not just facilitate dialogue.”
“Mr President, protection of minors online is the protection of society itself, it is the protection of our future leaders and, therefore, it is the protection of democracy. We all know the problems posed by fake profiles – not just fake profiles of children, but of those who target them, who prey on them. Let us be honest: the tools exist – age verification is just one of them – but what we need is the courage to implement but, even more, to enforce the tools which are at hand. Yes, parents will always carry the responsibility. We are not here to take away that responsibility, but to support them. We regulate what our children consume – medicine, food, toys – so now let's ensure that the children are not consumed by the spaces which they use. We regulate everything our children consume, so let us act now.”
“As I always say, credibility is not declared; it is proven. And on Sudan, our credibility will be judged by what we do and not what we say. 2-0365-0000 Procedura "catch-the-eye" 2-0366-0000”
“Madam President, Sudan today is a test of credibility for this Parliament. In el-Fasher and across the country, civilians are being killed, displaced and stripped of their dignity on an industrial scale. Families are starved into submission. Women and girls are sexually violated to instil fear and control. And this horror persists with the awareness – and at times the direct facilitation – of actors beyond Sudan's borders. Accountability does not end with the men on the ground. It reaches those who fund, equip and profit from this war. Europe cannot speak of human rights while conflict gold flows through our markets. This resolution as such is not just a gesture; it is a line being drawn. Sanctions must bite; pressure must be real; support for Sudanese civilians and for those risking everything to document these crimes must be unwavering.”
“U allura, jien nitkellem fuq il-fatti u mhux fuq il-perċezzjoni. Malta hija pajjiż illi miexi 'l quddiem. Fadal x'nagħmlu, però żgur mhu se nieħdu lezzjonijiet minn parlament illi jibża' jlissen il-kelma "ġenoċidju". 2-0287-0000 Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew), blue-card reaction. – Mr President, thank you for allowing me the right to answer. You say that the Corruption Perceptions Index is not facts, but it is from Transparency International, the most respected index to measure corruption in its perception among citizens, which is important to us as representatives of the people. How can you say that that index does not reflect facts? What index would you like to choose instead of that one? 2-0288-0000 Daniel Attard (S&D), reazzjoni "karta blu".”
“The Maltese people are a European people and deserve our protection, just like in any other Member State, and that's what we're doing here. And now my question: you say there is no backsliding in Malta. How do you explain that? In the Corruption Perceptions Index, Malta has dropped five places since 2023 – a quite steep decline. 2-0286-0000 Daniel Attard (S&D), tweġiba karta blu. – Sur President, aktar milli fuq il-perċezzjoni, nippreferi nibbaża lili nnifsi fuq il-fatti, u ngħidlek illi f'Malta m'għadekx tisbaħ filgħodu avukat u filgħaxija tmur id-dar imħallef wara laqgħa mal-Prim Ministru. F'Malta, ma tilħaqx kummissarju tal-pulizija wara laqgħa mal-Prim Ministru. F'Malta, il-Prim Ministru ma jaħtarx lilu nnifsu President. F'Malta, m'għadniex nagħtu maħfriet presidenzjali lill-barunijiet tad-droga.”
“U allura lill-kollegi sħabi Maltin illi jaħdmu kontra pajjiżhom fil-Parlament Ewropew, ngħidilhom ċar u tond: billi tħammġu isem Malta m'intom se tiksbu ebda rispett. U lil sħabhom il-konservattivi li jippretendu illi jiġu hawn jagħtu lezzjoni lil Malta filwaqt li pajjiżhom jibqgħu jbigħu l-armi biex jintużaw f'ġenoċidju, ngħidilkom ċar u tond: biex tiskonġra trid tkun pur. Parlament Ewropew li jibża' jlissen il-kelma "ġenoċidju" m'għandu l-ebda dritt jagħti lezzjonijiet lil Malta. (Il-kelliem aċċetta li jwieġeb mistoqsija “karta blu”) 2-0285-0000 Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew), blue-card question. – Thank you for taking my blue card. First of all, I would like to repeat what some colleagues have said: this Parliament is not acting against the Maltese people.”
“Madam President, Iran is no longer simply breaching the nuclear deal, but is intentionally dismantling it. Uranium enrichment has surged, international inspections are restricted, and threats to regional stability are growing. And as such, the EU was right to support the triggering of the snapback mechanism. But unless we enforce these sanctions fully and consistently, we send the wrong message – that Europe will respond only on paper. Sanctions must be coordinated, visible and enforced by all Member States. And let us be clear, those enabling Iran to bypass international restrictions are not neutral actors, they are undermining global security. This is not about escalation, it is about credibility. If we want diplomacy to succeed, it must be backed by consequences.”
“The EU must stop reducing itself to an observer, and we must stand up for our own values, insist on compliance with international law, enforce sanctions and enforce our own treaties... (The President cut off the speaker) 2-0247-0000”
“Dear colleagues, the very title of this debate exposes the sorry state of our Union; reduced to an observer on the global stage. We were first in line for the photo, but once again we are last when it comes to global policy. We even heard colleagues today shamelessly attacking humanitarian efforts, ridiculing the Sumud Flotilla, parroting Netanyahu instead of defending our shared European values. Yes – we welcome every peace effort. Yes – we condemn the terrorist attacks by Hamas. And, yes – we demand the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. But colleagues, no agreement will erase the war crimes committed in Gaza. No agreement will bring back a future to the thousands of murdered innocent children. Of course we want peace, but equally, we want justice because there is no lasting peace without justice.”
“Madam President, colleagues, after the horrors of the Second World War, our forefathers said 'never again'. Yet today in Gaza, genocide is unfolding before our eyes. This is not anti-Semitism: this is the declared policy of Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and their extremist government. We present ourselves as the guardians of international law, yet when political conviction clashes with convenience, when human dignity clashes with commercial interests, we compromise. We look away. So let us act. Because every day we allow the Israel Association Agreement, every day we allow trade and arms to flow, we betray the promise of 'never again'. Because, colleagues, 'never again' must mean something, or else it would mean nothing at all. 2-0129-0000”
“Mr President, Ahmadreza Jalali is not a prisoner – he is a hostage held by a regime of executioners. Iran is not just violating human rights – it is waging a war on them. But Europe's voice is often too timid, too selective. We roar against some regimes, but whisper against others. This is not foreign policy. I'm afraid to say that this amounts to moral cowardice. Our credibility demands consistency. We must be unrelenting with Iran, but also strong with Israel's brutality in Gaza, with Russia's barbarity in Ukraine, with every tyrant who bombs hospitals and slaughters civilians. Human rights are not negotiable, and the world's war criminals must know: Europe sees you, Europe will call you out and Europe will act. Because if we stay silent in the face of tyranny, then we are not just neutral, but we are complicit. 3-0476-0000”
“And the second question I have is there seems to be a confusion between a passport and a residency scheme. I mean, I have also criticised the residency. I think that should stop as well. And the other Member States that have that should stop it. But there is clearly a difference, right? 3-0385-0000 Daniel Attard (S&D), tweġiba karta blu. – Sur President, Rigward l-approvazzjoni, jiena mhux għall-Kummissjoni rreferejt. Jiena għedt illi l-Qorti, u nikkwota mis-sentenza wkoll, il-Qorti qalet, ma qalitx illi l-iskema hija illegali, anzi qalet illi l-pajjiżi jibqgħu huma fil-kompetenza li jiddeterminaw il-kundizzjonijiet illi bihom jagħtu jew jirrifjutaw, jew inkella jtellfu ċ-ċittadinanza tagħhom. Rigward il-kwistjoni ta' dawn il-programmi, kif għedt qabel, naħseb għandna nkunu konsistenti biex inkunu kredibbli.”
“Għalhekk, fil-fehma tiegħi, dan id-dibattitu mhuwiex dwar is-sigurtà tal-Unjoni u l-prinċipji tagħha. Għax li kieku kien dwar is-sigurtà, konna nitkellmu wkoll dwar il-pajjiżi fostna li joperaw residenzi b'investiment bi skrutinju ferm aktar dgħajjef minn ta' Malta. Għalhekk, jiena nemmen illi dan kollu mhu xejn għajr teatru politiku, għax minflok qed niddibattu l-problemi veri tad-dinja, bħalma hu l- ġenoċidju f'Gaża, qed naqbdu ma' pajjiżna. (Il-kelliem aċċetta li jwieġeb mistoqsija “karta blu”) 3-0384-0000 Daniel Freund (Verts/ALE), blue-card question. – Dear colleague, I mean, two arguments that have been made by you and also your party colleagues. First one, that the Commission somehow authorised the scheme, but the Commission went to court against Malta over the scheme. So I don't understand – it's illegal, as the court said.”
“I'm only new to this House, but let us call a spade a spade, because we have lost all our moral authority. We cannot speak on anything else if we're turning a blind eye to genocide. Indifference is complicity. 2-0548-0000”
“Madam President, let's put things into context. Only the last plenary, our colleagues from the right wanted to strongly condemn Thailand for deporting 40 refugees and for having repressive laws. And we rightly condemned Thailand for deporting 40 refugees. But when it comes to Gaza, where 20 000 children have been killed – the equivalent of how many children we have in Maltese schools – this House loses its voice. It's not antisemitic to call out documented war crimes in 2025. This is not World War II, but the atrocities of World War II have returned in 2025. It is not antisemitic to call for the protection of aid workers and for the access of humanitarian relief. If we cannot speak out in the face of these atrocities, then what do we even stand for in this House? And I have one piece of advice.”