Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
Member of the European Parliament · Renew · NL
“Voorzitter, iedere dag weer gaan onze mensen van de politie en de douane de strijd aan tegen internationale drugsbendes. Door kleine ruimtes kruipend op zoek naar drugs, verstopt op de meest onwaarschijnlijke plekken, geïntimideerd door georganiseerde criminelen die ze proberen te corrumperen.”
“A mim parece-me que isto é um aproveitamento político verdadeiramente indecente do tráfico de droga e é particularmente difícil de compreender como é que é possível fazer este tipo de aproveitamento quando estão em causa, por exemplo, as vidas de profissionais das forças e serviços de segurança, como aqueles que foram, infelizmente, assas…”
“Ten derde, durven blijven investeren in preventie in onze wijken om te voorkomen dat kwetsbare kinderen gerekruteerd worden door drugscriminelen. Narcos is meer dan een Netflixtitel en cosmetische oplossingen krijgen van mij een duimpje omlaag.”
“Colleague Tertsch will remember that, in Spain, the country that I come from originally, we had huge problems with drug gangs in Galicia and they were all home-grown. They were not coming from outside the European Union – they were Spanish home-grown.”
“Madam President, colleagues, this point of order is according to Rules 122, 150 and 154. On 23 June, five representatives of the Taliban regime visited Brussels on an official mission invited by the European Commission – a shameful betrayal of the cornerstone of EU diplomatic engagement: fundamental rights and women's rights.”
“Voorzitter, commissaris, we hebben een explosievenprobleem. Vorig jaar werd in Nederland 1 534 keer getracht een aanslag te plegen met explosieven. De helft van de aangehouden verdachten is jonger dan twintig jaar en verkeert vaak in een psychisch en sociaal-economisch kwetsbare situatie.”
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“Colleague Tertsch will remember that, in Spain, the country that I come from originally, we had huge problems with drug gangs in Galicia and they were all home-grown. They were not coming from outside the European Union – they were Spanish home-grown. In the Netherlands we see criminals that are international, but also home-grown, and in other countries we see the same. So it's really important that we take this as the problem that it is and not try to make it into a different problem which citizens are not particularly interested in. 3-0300-0000”
“A mim parece-me que isto é um aproveitamento político verdadeiramente indecente do tráfico de droga e é particularmente difícil de compreender como é que é possível fazer este tipo de aproveitamento quando estão em causa, por exemplo, as vidas de profissionais das forças e serviços de segurança, como aqueles que foram, infelizmente, assassinados em operações de combate à droga. O que lhe pergunto é se não acha que este é um aproveitamento que não devia ser feito? 3-0299-0000 Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew), blue-card answer. – Mr President, thank you colleague Oliveira, yes – debates get hijacked all the time in this House by those who want to put every single fault on a single country or a single group of people. To me, it is really important to understand that drug trafficking is from all times.”
“Ten derde, durven blijven investeren in preventie in onze wijken om te voorkomen dat kwetsbare kinderen gerekruteerd worden door drugscriminelen. Narcos is meer dan een Netflixtitel en cosmetische oplossingen krijgen van mij een duimpje omlaag. (De spreker stemt ermee in om te antwoorden op een “blauwe kaart”-vraag) 3-0298-0000 João Oliveira (The Left), Pergunta segundo o procedimento «cartão azul». – Senhora Deputada García Hermida-Van Der Walle, ouvimos neste debate um deputado da extrema-direita espanhola, Hermann Tertsch, fazer uma diferença entre o tráfico de droga, que é mau se vier de alguns países, mas que já pode não ser tão mau se vier de outros.”
“Voorzitter, iedere dag weer gaan onze mensen van de politie en de douane de strijd aan tegen internationale drugsbendes. Door kleine ruimtes kruipend op zoek naar drugs, verstopt op de meest onwaarschijnlijke plekken, geïntimideerd door georganiseerde criminelen die ze proberen te corrumperen. Het gevecht tegen deze onterechte criminaliteit dwingt ons allemaal harder en slimmer te gaan lopen. Een paar heilige huisjes zullen omver moeten: minder nationaal denken, meer Europees. Ten eerste, meer middelen, meer bevoegdheden en meer mogelijkheden voor Europol, onze unieke Europese politie, met meer operationele aanwezigheid in het veld en meer investeringen in innovaties zoals artificiële intelligentie en drones. Ten tweede, een ambitieuze Europese anti-corruptiestrategie. Zonder corruptie is er geen drugshandel.”
“We are not merely a place for grandstanding or an accessory which you can take off or take on depending on the mood of the day. Please, Madam President, I ask you respectfully to convey this message to the European Commission. 1-0042-0000”
“Madam President, colleagues, this point of order is according to Rules 122, 150 and 154. On 23 June, five representatives of the Taliban regime visited Brussels on an official mission invited by the European Commission – a shameful betrayal of the cornerstone of EU diplomatic engagement: fundamental rights and women's rights. Shameful because Afghan women pleaded with us: 'Please don't do this to us, don't invite our oppressor into your diplomatic capital'. And shameful because just two or three weeks before, this Parliament – with a very large majority – condemned the meeting and explicitly asked the European Commission to not legitimise the Taliban any further. Colleagues, this Parliament has to keep taking itself seriously.”
“Die aanpassing kan er niet snel genoeg komen, net als de verplichting voor landen om informatie over internationale bendes met elkaar te delen en véél strenger op te treden tegen winstgevende online platformen waarop deze jongeren worden gerekruteerd. 3-0481-0000”
“Voorzitter, commissaris, we hebben een explosievenprobleem. Vorig jaar werd in Nederland 1 534 keer getracht een aanslag te plegen met explosieven. De helft van de aangehouden verdachten is jonger dan twintig jaar en verkeert vaak in een psychisch en sociaal-economisch kwetsbare situatie. Zij zijn een gemakkelijke prooi voor de georganiseerde misdaad. Ze worden online gerekruteerd, soms voor een paar tientjes. Het zijn kindsoldaten die met legaal vuurwerk in hun rugzak mensen intimideren en schade aanrichten, met gevaar voor eigen leven. De Rotterdamse moeders die ik vorig jaar sprak, staan machteloos. Dit gebeurt niet alleen in Nederland, maar ook elders in Europa. Daarom is het goed dat de Europese Commissie de vuurwerkregels wil aanpassen.”
“Het is niet normaal dat het narratief van “alpha males” en “trad wives” dat onze jongeren aan de lopende band voorgeschoteld krijgen, zulke ongelijkheden verheerlijkt. Het is gif en gif moeten wij bestrijden. 3-0341-0000”
“Voorzitter, iedereen weet wat het is om stress te ervaren. Iedereen heeft wel eens een drukke dag op het werk of op school. Maar wat gebeurt er als die drukte niet stopt als je thuis je hakken, je gympen of je klompen uitdoet? Als werk naadloos overgaat in een privéleven waar ook verwacht wordt dat wij alles tot in de puntjes regelen. Het resultaat is dat vrouwen twee keer vaker uitvallen met stressklachten dan mannen. Dus ja, ik wil ook betere en meer kinderopvang, en betaalbare zorg voor ouderen blijft nodig. Maar ik wil ook dat wij, vanuit de politiek, actiever gaan normeren. Het is niet normaal dat de zorgkloof nog steeds groot is. Het is niet normaal dat vrouwen bij bosjes omvallen.”
“Mr President, Europe is the greatest place on earth to be born. Not the US. Our infant mortality rates are the lowest worldwide. The best and most affordable education, whether vocational or academic, is a founding principle of our societies. And our Erasmus+ programme is the envy of many. Europe is the best place to work. We have the right to mind-blowing things like family leave or vacation. In Europe we can work to live and not live to work. Our collective life expectancy is unmatched, worth much more than raw GDP, if you ask me. Europe is, simply put, the place to be. And the EU is the foundation for that greatness. But like every great project, it requires maintenance. It requires courage to reform. It requires vision to integrate further towards an ever closer Union, towards a federal Union. We do not need an American dream.”
“Mr President, I think it's Rule 10 about the dignity of this House. I don't think that an MEP who speaks about this Parliament as a rubber‑stamping machine is doing an honour or a service to the dignity of this House. 2-0192-0000”
“Voorzitter, als het gaat om transpersonen en specifiek jonge mensen die gebruik willen maken van genderbevestigende zorg, staat extreemrechts hier moord en brand te schreeuwen dat we jonge mensen moeten beschermen tegen iets wat hen vanuit woke cultuur — hebben we weer net gehoord — opgelegd zou zijn. Vandaag hebben we het over therapie die precies dat doet: een wereldbeeld opleggen aan jonge mensen. Een therapie waarvan we weten dat ze jonge mensen schaadt, tot zelfmoord leidt en jarenlange trauma’s tot gevolg heeft, want “vrijheid van geloof”. Maar nee, want het geloof van religieuze fanatici verdient geen vrijheid. Wat wij niet accepteren voor praktijken zoals vrouwelijke genitale verminking, zouden we niet moeten accepteren voor dingen zoals conversietherapie. Dat moet verboden worden. 1-0220-0000”
“Madam President, colleagues, the Ombudsman – or Ombudswoman in this case, in the previous case – is one of the biggest fighters for transparency in our Union, and more specifically for the right to access public documents. She has rightly pointed out that the Commission President's deliberate deletion of text messages is a case of maladministration. I note in my conversations – and we have seen it very often in this Parliament – that this has given ammunition to the extremes to come up with all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories. This has unfortunately hurt trust in the EU enormously.”
“Madam President, colleagues, I will try to strike a slightly different tone. Listen, we are a house of democracy, and we should have a lot of freedom to engage in also radical ways of calling for the attention of citizens for different subjects. But we have had already two plenary sessions when banners, including this one that we have seen today, have been hung without permission, infringing the Rules of Procedure of this House. And I will go into the message, because this banner that six or seven boys have hung out here is directed to intimidate and scare the women of this House and beyond. So I would like this House to take action, and the President to take action. 4-0147-0000”
“The people in Slovakia deserve better, just like European taxpayers do. So it is our duty in this Parliament and the Commission to protect them both. 3-0288-0000”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, Europeans want a strong and united Europe in times of international turmoil – just like the majority of Slovaks do. However, Europe can only be as strong as our weakest link. And if we tolerate corruption running rampant in one of our European capitals, it weakens all of us. Corruption kills trust: trust between citizens and their governments, but also trust between our countries. And that is exactly what Robert Fico wants. Fico's government has abolished the national anti-corruption agency and shortened sentences for corruption. Yes, the number of prosecutions dropped by 70 %, but – breaking news – that's not because there is less corruption; it is simply not being investigated, let alone taken to court. So don't be fooled: corruption is only getting worse.”
“Madam President, madam Commissioner, dear President Costa, in the words of California Governor Gavin Newsom, it is time to buck up and have a backbone, and growing a backbone will take more than words, even though I do appreciate President von der Leyen saying yesterday in Davos, nostalgia will not bring back the old order. And that is why I would like to remind you and all of us in this House, that the United States is currently threatening Europe of getting rid of the visa-free travel to the US if we do not give them free access to our biometric police databases. And why on earth is the Commission going along with this? And why did the Member States approve a mandate to negotiate with the US on this in December, when we could all see the direction that things were taking? The Commission must put all negotiations on this matter on hold.”
“So let me ask the Commission and let me ask the Council to be the adults in the room here, to do the right thing and not to lend any money to Orbán, to protect our safety and protect our budget. 2-0553-0000”
“Madam President, colleagues, the days of Viktor Orbán at the head of possibly the most corrupt government in the EU are numbered. And so I guess he thinks that desperate times ask for desperate measures. And that must be exactly why Hungary has requested billions from Europe, this time from the SAFE loans programme, despite vowing – vowing! – to stay out of the same defence cooperation which SAFE aims to strengthen. It's just more taxpayers' money to get his hands on. And I get it: you do you, queen! But why on earth do the Council and the Commission think that it is a good idea to lend Orbán EUR 16 billion while he keeps rolling out the red carpet for Trump and for Putin – and that without any real improvements to the rule of law? So to me this is like a '6-7' situation where I really don't understand what's going on.”
“I think this is the moment of truth, and I call on the Commission to take action swiftly in this domain and also other policy fields. 2-0066-0000”
“Madam President, colleagues, we have heard many, many good things today, but I think that we have heard too little about enforcement and why it's taking us – why it's taking the Commission – so long sometimes to publish investigations, to come up with the fines, to enforce the rules that we already have in place. I wonder: might this have something to do with the threats that we're getting from some tech oligarchs in the United States and their protector in the White House – as has been said in this room today? I think that there are a lot of Europeans who are looking at us on this day, this week of all weeks, as the week of truth. What are we going to do as the European Parliament to break our tech dependency on the United States and claim not only our digital but our general sovereignty?”
“There will be more unsafe abortions with health risks and deaths as a result. Please reconsider your position. 1-0132-0000”
“Madam President, what we are trying to do here is to guarantee supply of medicines for which inefficient supply would result in serious harm or risk of serious harm to patients. Now, let me remind you that there are a lot of women in Europe who are still not enjoying the right to safe and legal abortion, and this situation will only become worse if we do not include abortion medicines in the list of critical medicines. Please, when you are going to vote tomorrow to decide whether we do include these medicines in this list or not, think about friends, think about sisters, think about daughters. Think about what happened if they, for whatever reason, including medical reasons, needed an abortion and the medicines were not available. Do you think that there would be fewer abortions? No there won't.”
“And Brussels is not the reason why 600 000 people have left the country. So, to the Commission, I will say: the next time that you have the opportunity to take swift action, please do so and apply conditionality properly, because the Hungarian people deserve our protection. Thank you so much in advance and please – please –do not leave it at promises. Take action. 3-0322-0000”
“Madam President, I've been told that Viktor Orbán really cannot get enough of a Hungarian comedian called Somogyi András, because he does a wonderful impersonation of how Brussels is an evil conspiracy and how Ursula von der Leyen doesn't want anything to do with democracy and only wants to punish Hungary. And I understand why people in Hungary love him, because that's exactly what we have heard today – that Brussels is the evil conspiracy and that we are only trying to kill Hungarian democracy. But I think that you have to be very serious and very real. And Brussels is not the reason why Hungary is in economic decay. Brussels is not the reason why Hungary has an education system which is crumbling. Brussels is not the reason why people in Hungary have to bring their own toilet paper when they go to hospital.”
“Daarom vraag ik de commissaris om haast te maken met actie, met strengere Europese regels op het gebied van het strafrecht, met meer bevoegdheden voor Europol en Eurojust, zonder taboes, en met betere samenwerking met private partijen in de havens, zoals rederijen en havenbedrijven, en tot slot met preventie via het onderwijs. We kunnen dit winnen. 1-0080-0000”
“Voorzitter, commissaris, Mehdi Kessaci, advocaat Derk Wiersum, misdaadjournalist Peter R. de Vries, Hakim Changachi, Mohamed Bouchikhi: allemaal vermoord door drugscriminelen. Een bedreiging voor onze Europese veiligheid, vrijheid van meningsuiting en democratie. In de strijd tegen internationale drugscriminaliteit gaan we niet winnen met eindeloze discussies over “soevereiniteit” of “subsidiariteit”, zoals we die in dit huis voeren. Criminelen hebben daar geen boodschap aan en lachen zich rot. Alleen door écht Europees te denken en doen kunnen we deze criminelen de baas zijn.”
“Mr President, I really listened very carefully to the Commission President earlier this afternoon. I heard her saying that she will always listen, and I listened to her saying that she will always be open to find common solutions. I also heard her speaking of a sense of frustration among citizens, and also that in Europe we want to be 'masters of our own destiny'. And that's exactly what our regions want to be. They want to be and remain the masters of their own destiny when it comes to how we invest European funds in our future. So, I would like to ask the Commission President to listen very carefully to the opinion of this Parliament on her plans for the European budget, to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, and to the opinion of many, many citizens who are expressing their concerns with us.”
“Señor presidente, iba a decir otra cosa, pero, señor López Aguilar, me sorprende y me apena mucho que la acusación implícita de su contribución sea que estamos utilizando incorrectamente el homenaje a la señora Caruana Galizia para acusar al Gobierno de Malta de algo de lo que no es culpable. No, no. Estamos aquí denunciando que no se ha hecho lo suficiente para rendir justicia a Daphne, a sus hijos y al pueblo de Malta. Estamos aquí para defender el Estado de Derecho en toda la Unión Europea, independientemente de consideraciones políticas o de partido. Así que vamos a ser serios y vamos a dejar las cosas muy claras. Aquí no se está haciendo un mal uso de nada. Recordamos a la señora Caruana Galizia y su trabajo contra la corrupción en Malta, que es el trabajo contra la corrupción en toda la Unión Europea. 2-0304-0000”
“Voorzitter, commissaris, collega’s, de heer Lenaers zei het net heel goed: onze agenten worden belaagd en bespuugd. Maar hoe worden ze belaagd? Aangevallen? Heel vaak gebeurt dat met explosieven die de kracht van een handgranaat hebben. Explosieven die legaal geproduceerd worden in de EU en vervolgens verkocht. Een Cobra 6 is online te vinden voor een prikkie. En dat heeft niets te maken met vuurwerk. Criminelen maken graag en slim gebruik van de mogelijkheden van onze interne markt. De recente evaluatie van de huidige vuurwerkregels toont aan dat het tijd is voor Europese actie. Dit bevestigt waar burgemeesters overal in Europa al lang voor waarschuwen. Commissaris, neem dit alstublieft serieus. Zorg ervoor dat onze agenten hun werk veilig kunnen doen. Geef de mensen onze straten terug.”
“Het is een wereldbeeld waarin online haat tegen vrouwen en kwetsbare minderheden niet alleen geaccepteerd, maar zelfs gepromoot wordt. Een wereldbeeld dat helaas steeds luider klinkt in dit Parlement. Ik kies om te vechten tegen dat wereldbeeld, voor onze rechten en voor onze levens. 4-0041-0000”
“Voorzitter! “Vrouw overlijdt na steekincident in Groningen. Man opgepakt.” “Vrouw in Sneek neergeschoten en overleden. De dader: een man.” “Vrouwen neergestoken en overleden in Lent. Man opgepakt.” “Vrouw doodgeschoten in huis in Purmerend. Man aangehouden.” “Overleden vrouw gevonden in woning in Heerlen. Man aangehouden.” Vijf dodelijke slachtoffers in één maand tijd, in mijn land, waarbij de daders vaak in beeld waren. Femicide is een voorkombare epidemie, maar femicide is “slechts” het tragische topje van de ijsberg. Het is de extreme vorm van een wereldbeeld waarin vrouwen gereduceerd worden tot eigendom, tot “dragers van kinderen” of — in de woorden van Nederlandse universiteitsstudenten — tot “sperma-emmers”.”
“There will be a direct link to the rule of law, respect for the rule of law and also respect for the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as well. So thanks to all of the colleagues for their attention and for their contribution this evening. All of the contributions will be carefully reflected on, and I will continue to give these issues my close personal attention. 3-0511-0000 Marie Bjerre, President-in-Office of the Council. – Madam President, honourable Members, Commissioner, thank you for your comments and remarks. We all – EU institutions and Member States together – share a common responsibility to protect the rule of law and to address problematic situations that may emerge on the ground. I want to say thank you very much once again. 3-0512-0000 PRESIDE: ESTEBAN GONZÁLEZ PONS Vicepresidente 3-0513-0000”
“The rule of law is clearly set out in the context of the legal code of the European Union, as interpreted and applied by the Court of Justice as well. The Commission will continuously monitor the use of all EU funds, as I said. in all Member States, because protecting the Union's financial interests is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral duty towards European citizens and taxpayers. As evidenced in July's Rule of Law report, more work is necessary in Slovakia to address the report's recommendations. Dialogue with the Commission is a very important part of the process, but it must be matched by concrete results on the ground. Reforms in Member States should strengthen, not weaken, the ability of institutions to fight corruption and to uphold the rule of law.”
“It refers to the Union value enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. It includes the principles of legality, implying a transparent, accountable, democratic and pluralistic law-making process, legal certainty, prohibition of arbitrariness of the executive powers, effective judicial protection – including access to justice by independent and impartial courts. Also, as regards fundamental rights, separation of powers, and non-discrimination and equality before the law. The rule of law shall be understood, having regard to the other Union values and principles enshrined in Article 2 of the TEU. So any Member is entitled to their own opinion, their own view, but they are not entitled to their own facts.”
“Een regering die corruptie aanpakt en het anders doet. Een regering die de rechten van lhbtiq+‑mensen respecteert. Dat hebben we gezien vanavond. Het is mogelijk. Er is hoop. 3-0509-0000 (Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen) 3-0510-0000 Michael McGrath, Member of the Commission. – Madam President, thank you, and thank you, Commissioner McGrath. Thanks also to all of the honourable Members who contributed to the debate this evening. Let me recall that the Commission welcomes Slovakia's engagement in intensive dialogues – this openness to dialogue is valued, and it has brought tangible results. At the same time, concerns do remain. The 2025 Rule of Law report provides the Commission's latest assessment of the situation. It showed the progress made on last year's recommendations and issued new ones.”
“Madam President, we have heard a lot of good things tonight, and the rest, because it will be about the people, I will say it in Dutch for also the people at home. Want ik wil het hebben over de mensen, de mensen over wie dit gaat. Dat zijn de Slowaakse mensen. Ik was daar, in Slowakije, deze zomer nog. Ik sprak daar met mensen die het corrupte wanbeleid van premier Fico helemaal zat zijn. Helemaal zat. Net als andere Europeanen. Die hebben er ook genoeg van dat hun belastinggeld naar zo’n corrupte bende gaat. Daarom moeten we naast het Slowaakse volk staan. Daarom moeten we de mensen daar steunen. De mensen willen ziekenhuizen. Ze willen wegen. Ze willen scholen. De mensen willen een einde maken aan de corruptie van deze regering. Er is hoop, want in Slowakije hoorde ik dat mensen iets anders willen.”
“And if the extreme right was interested in building a healthy society where we can live with one another, they would not have put this debate forward. I refuse. 3-0225-0000”
“Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, I actually came here to have a serious debate on root causes of criminality and violence against women, but I'm not going to do that because I'm not going to legitimise this intention of this debate after what we have heard today from the extreme right to demonise entire groups of people and put them aside and put groups of people against one another. Because if the extreme right was interested in fixing the problems which might come with migration, they would be working constructively to implement a good migration pact and everything which comes with it. If the extreme right was interested in the rights of women, my own daughters, they would not be voting as they do in the Netherlands against more money to combat femicide.”
“I think that we have to make very clear to the European Commission that they also have to make clear that Europe stands with the people of Afghanistan – their most vulnerable, their women and their girls – and that help should be deployed immediately and without any restrictions, in that any of the restrictions that would get in the way of life‑saving help should be lifted immediately. 1-0026-0000”
“Madam President, I would like to have a minute of your attention for the catastrophic situation unfolding as we speak, as we gather here, in Afghanistan as a result of the recent earthquakes. I am informed that EU help is already on the ground and that is something that we should all be proud of. But let me also remind you that in the four years since the fall of Kabul, we have learned one thing, and that is that the Taliban do not care about the lives of women. They do not value them. That is what we are seeing right now, with help not being able and not being allowed to reach the most vulnerable in the country: women and girls. I think that we, as this Parliament, have to stand firm with the Afghani people and with Afghani women.”
“And that's why the title of this debate is 'Alleged misuse of EU funds', which is not the case in the case of Ms von der Leyen. 3-0437-0000”
“– Te puhutte kauniisti korruption vastaisen lain edistämisestä, mutta samaan aikaan olen ymmärtänyt, että teidän ryhmänne aikoo antaa huomenna tukensa Ursula von der Leyenille, joka on tehnyt tekstiviestein 35 miljardin euron arvoisia kauppoja, ja oikeus on päättänyt, että hänen pitää julkistaa nämä tekstiviestit. Hän ei suostu sitä tekemään. Oletteko silti sitä mieltä, että tästä huolimatta olette valmis antamaan hänelle tukenne ja että tämä ei ole teille mikään "big issue"? 3-0436-0000 Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew), blue-card answer. – I honestly don't think that the question of the motion of censure has anything to do with this, because in the rule of law system that we have in the European Union, no one is proven to be corrupt until that has been judged and evaluated in the proper judiciary system.”
“– Thank you so much for the question, for returning it, because that gives us an opportunity to show citizens how we approach this matter. Of course, there are issues which have to do with the total lack of integrity of some groups in this House, and that's something we're not going to fix with an EU ethics body. I agree with you. But there are a lot of grey zones in the way that the laws are being applied, and there are a lot of instruments which we can use to help these institutions to stand up and fulfil the standards which citizens expect from us. So, I don't think they're mutually exclusive; I think they're complementary. And again, I hope that the European People's Party is willing to work with us on that. 3-0435-0000 Sebastian Tynkkynen (ECR), sinisen kortin kysymys.”
“They are playing political games at the expense of citizens' money. So, I ask the Danish Presidency and colleagues here to keep supporting the efforts for better anti-corruption legislation in the Union. (The speaker agreed to take several blue-card questions) 3-0433-0000 Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE), blue-card question. – Thank you, dear colleagues, I have one question: do you think that some decision of ethics body will have an impact on the behaviour of some groups that are not respecting the law, that are systematically misusing funds? There are, in this group, many decisions of the courts that the members of this group were stealing money, including Marine Le Pen. What do you think, how will they behave? 3-0434-0000 Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew), blue-card answer.”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, as it has been noted already, not a week goes by without a new corruption scandal. This is indeed killing the trust of citizens in politics, in the EU, in our institutions, in our democracy. And where misappropriation of public funds is proven, those responsible should be punished accordingly. I also think that we should not spare any instruments. I do believe that we do need an EU ethics body to help us in that task. But, of course, this is a matter of criminal justice and that's why we urgently need a strong anti-corruption directive. We have been negotiating for a while and it has not come to fruition yet, because Member States seem to have found each other in a very disgraceful tit for tat. Governments are supporting weak anti-corruption measures in return for weak green laws.”
“So my question to you, Madam Commissioner, is: would you be willing to explore the possibilities within the Instrument for Pre‑accession Assistance for specific funding for victims or survivors of this genocide, maybe as part of the growth plan for the Western Balkans? 2-0470-0000”
“Madam President, thank you to the rapporteur and thank you, Madam Commissioner. Nearly 30 years ago, more than 8 000 men and boys were murdered in Srebrenica. The international community, including the Netherlands, failed them. This truth leaves us as Europeans and me as a Dutch politician with a debt of honour, an ereschuld, that's what we say. Today, I met a genocide survivor. He was 10 when he fled through the forest with his little brother. Six days without food. Dead bodies along the way. Today, he lives back in Srebrenica, but he doesn't have a job – even though he has the right skills to be a history teacher – because he faces institutional discrimination and economic exclusion. I think that in such a way, scars will never heal. They're not allowed to.”
“But I believe that with the ambition of the Danish Presidency to propose negotiating books already by the end of the year, we will get there, we will do that, and we will have a good start. So, Madam Prime Minister, good luck. Lots of success to your presidency. Thank you very much. 2-0121-0000”