kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
we have industries and businesses that are realising that transformation needs to happen and they are looking to our institutions for clear commitment. for the socialists and democrats the green new deal is an opportunity to ensure a new economic model that puts employees and the most vulnerable people at the centre of our policies.
it is an opportunity to enhance our relationships with neighbouring continents such as africa for example to foster partnerships and provide cleaner and renewable energy. and it is our opportunity to protect the social well being of all our citizens.
we are ready to work with the european commission and we look forward to being partners in this transformation to concretely show to our citizens wherever they are that the eu project is very much alive and working.
i would point out that it is a legal obligation because the eu is a community based on justice and the rule of law for the uk to appoint a commissioner.
as fellow meps of course we have our own rights and privileges.
but presumably you're in favour of you yourself giving up your salary and allowances for the time that you're here if you're happy for us not to have a commissioner?
i am afraid that today's europe and to be more precise the european union is facing a very similar attempt only this time instead of the charming god we are under siege of internet trolls which thanks to modern technology do not even need to cross physical borders.
in my country lithuania journalists and civil society were the first ones and the most efficient ones to expose russian disinformation and to increase our societies' resilience.
does this action support russia's interest in the region?
are those people the representatives of the west? but those are the wrong questions.
the leaders of these countries do not have to believe in us they need to believe in the future of their countries.
and the question is not whether politicians can write nice press releases about western liberal values i'm sure they all can the question is whether they can carry out reforms backed by their societies.
the economic success of those neighbourhood countries would be putin's biggest defeat.
the societies of ukraine georgia and moldova want us to help in the process of transforming their societies which is not without sacrifice.
i know what i want to see in these countries. i do not advocate reforms because that would serve our geopolitical interest as you have mentioned ms mogherini or the business interests of germany's car industry.
i'm advocating painful reforms because the overwhelming majority of the people living there want to see democratic and prosperous societies;
an economy which works for the people and not for a few oligarchs;
a state which serves the citizens not the politicians' personal interests.
for meaningful change we need strong and committed governments.
however strong government does not mean having an executive power without control.
it is worrying to see those trends in georgia and in ukraine as already mentioned.
yes the governments are under pressure but they can by no means neglect or oppress criticism.
our criticism is not about someone being prokremlin or probrussels it is about being prodemocratic and in favour of functioning institutions.
our interest is to have functioning institutions which will work well without putin without the oligarchs and even without us.
mr president in the middle of a uk general election campaign it is right to be vigilant to the threats posed to our democracy by foreign powers not least as the lessons of the brexit referendum have not been learned.
and across the uk we still don't know the extent of the russian interference in our politics as boris johnson refuses to release the intelligence report into russian covert actions in the uk. the way we consume information and conduct our politics in the digital age leaves us vulnerable to targeted propaganda and disinformation campaigns including those orchestrated from overseas.
social media platforms have largely failed us.
just this week sir tim berners lee who invented the world wide web has called for action to tackle disinformation.
but we should not ignore the old ways of distorting and disrupting democracy.
in northern ireland candidates and parties have faced intimidation and threats by paramilitaries in this election we must fight to continue to uphold the integrity of our democracy.
mr president dear commissioner candidates you are running today for leading the european union a union that started out as a project of peace of democracy of human rights a fantastic project.
more than five women get killed by their partners every day.
and a union where some of the member states are turning away from these basic values of democracy of rule of law and of freedom that so many of the european citizens have fought so hard for.
a union that risks to fail in the face of the climate crisis thereby risking the livelihood of the younger generation and future generations. but it's also a union with a great potential to be the front runner for climate protection to be the place of innovation and for visionaries;
the continent that would stand up for its values and for human rights be it at home or in the world.
so today the question is will the new commission will you be ready to fulfil those potentials?
will you be able to meet the challenges of the environmental social and democratic crisis that we do have in europe right now?
this will take courage.
it will take conviction. during the hearings we've heard conviction in some of you but not in all of you and not on all topics.
how for example is the commission going to deliver an ambitious climate protection programme if there is no will to change the agricultural and the trade policy?
i can tell you that this is not going to work.
green headlines are just not enough.
we need ambitious content.
we need an ambitious agenda and without a deep reform of the agricultural policy and of the trade agenda any climate policy must remain half hearted.
and we just don't have the time for that.
applause let me point out some other problems as well.
it is an unprecedented situation that the boss of one of the biggest it companies in europe will be a commissioner for the internal market including the digital economy and thus overseeing the area his former company is one of the biggest players in.
we acknowledge and we appreciate even the steps that mr breton has committed himself to undertaking in order to minimise the conflict of interest but we do think that the conflict of interest here is inherent in his portfolio and he didn't have a voice over that.
but we do think that this is a big big problem and that the digital market should have been removed from his portfolio.
and as greens we cannot accept this sort of conflict of interest which risks our reputation as eu institutions. another big problem lies unfortunately with our commissioner from hungary sent to us with best regards from mr orbn.
how can somebody who represents a government that is constantly undermining and breaking eu law and values how can someone like that be telling countries that want to join the european union that they absolutely have to follow rule of law and european law?
that is cynical.
applause i believe that hardly anything embodies the european spirit as much as our integration policy.
the idea that countries are willing and eager to join the european union to join our common union built on peace democracy and freedom that is the flame burning for us in europe.
and what are we telling those countries that are right now willing to change their policies even their name?
we're telling them that they're not important that their voice doesn't matter that their aspirations don't matter.
i think we have made enough mistakes in that area recently.
let's not add another.
this is nothing new to you but it's really for those reasons that we cannot support your commission.
but we are willing to work with the commission in order to strengthen european democracy and human rights;
in order to tackle the climate crisis and to foster european integration.
whenever you and your college take initiatives in that regard we are more than eager to cooperate with you to work together with you.
you will find in us a constructive partner but rest assured that we will also be critical if you don't.
colleagues it is time for us to act climate cannot wait social inequality cannot wait to be resolved.
and we hope that this commission will surprise us in many positive ways and we're willing to give you a head start in that as well.
all the plot lines seem to lead to one man steve bannon who has openly declared his plans to fund and orchestrate a populist nationalist movement to take over the world.
this incredible plot is credible because he's been the driver behind cambridge analytica and breitbart news a propaganda machine synonymous with fake news.
we've seen allegations of dark money dirty data and campaigns based on lies and hate designed to discourage specific groups of people from voting.
the evidence is strong that this interference influenced the outcome of the brexit referendum.
this is not a fictional film plot this is a strategic campaign of manipulation that threatens not only the outcome of single elections but also our democracies our cultures and our freedoms.
knowing the situation on the ground very well and will try to indicate with wisdom and realism the way forward.
i am sure they will also manage to see what kind of further initiatives can be taken to try and help the situation move forward and avoid the wars becoming irreversible if you will allow me to put it this way. there are times when there are issues on which some advancements are possible
and some other issues and some other situations that in certain particular periods of time or of history require us i would say the forces of wisdom and reason in this region for sure but i would like to say in the world to try to avoid that the worst becomes a fait accompli irreversible.
let me just comment on one thing that i've heard during the debate and that has impressed me a lot because there is the issue of the settlements itself there is the work we have been doing and we will continue to do i'm sure as european institutions on the israelipalestinian conflict on the arabisraeli conflict
because there are two conflicts in one but then even more than that there's the role that the european union has in defending and preserving the international rulesbased order.
and someone in this chamber said and i quote the settlements are disputed yes but illegal no'. i have the impression that we are moving into a place and i hope the european institutions including this chamber don't move into that place where it's international law that is disputed.
that is a very dangerous place.
so i hope that beyond differences and divergences you will manage not only to advise and ask the commission and the council in this respect to help contribute to unblocking the situation in israel and palestine to help implement international law when it comes to the settlement issues but also that you will always keep in mind as members of
the moral aspect in my view is that we are talking about the only jewish state on this planet and we are talking about the ancient home of the jewish people which has been the home of the jewish people not only for decades or for centuries but for thousands of years. so who are we as the european parliament to judge any jew who settles there?
then there is the political aspect.
if we isolate the question of settlements from everything else this would mean violating the peace process not to support it.
because it is only one aspect of many different aspects.
the role of the european union in the peace process must be the one of an honest broker of a force that underlines that security is the thing that israel needs. security is the thing that is needed and that's why it is important that israel remains in control of the areas where threats for the civilians in israel
come from.
and as long as there is not security provided from these areas it is important that this control remains and the peace process needs the eu as an honest broker.
the overall position of the european union must be more than ever to stand beside israel in order to support israel.
israel is the only democracy the only rule of law state in the middle east.
by recognising the illegal settlements the united states has once again put itself outside the norms of international law.
it has supported those that seek to ensure that any future palestinian state would be unviable.
there are differing views i know across the chamber in regard to this conflict but i believe there is a common wish to see a lasting peaceful solution that represents both sides. each step along the road to occupation and annexation is a step away from a stable two state agreement.
what does it mean for the eu?
firstly we know that the us has not been and will not be a reliable partner in this process while the current administration is in place.
the eu is therefore the leading world power interested in promoting a lasting solution for the region and willing to act as an honest broker between peace seeking elements in both governments.
secondly we need to consider how we as an economic union can influence the situation.
i do not and will not support the bds movement but nor can i support the economic activities taking place on stolen land in contravention of international law.
in the irish senate i supported a bill from my colleague senator frances black to prohibit goods from illegal settlements being imported into ireland a measure that would only have called on the irish government to make real its commitment to the provisions of the geneva conventions.
currently goods grown or produced in illegal settlements in the west bank are being imported into the eu as part of a trade agreement with israel that does not extend to the territories.
i would ask you to consider how and why that is allowed to continue?
so it's not an elitist project.
that requires an unwavering commitment to international law.
going forward the eu needs to impose a ban on all imports of settlement products into the eu.
similar measures have been taken with products from crimea and northern cyprus; why not from the settlements?
the un should urgently release the database of companies operating in israeli settlements that are profiting from their construction and growth.
together these will send a clear message to the world.
any attempts to legitimise annexation and contravene international law will have concrete repercussions.
finally i would like to ask the high representative and her successor what other concrete steps will the eu take to ensure international law remains a respected point of reference for the middle east peace process?
i must remind you that israel is an important partner for the european union. colleagues in this house have declared several times the importance of a comprehensive solution in the middle east to end the conflict and contribute to the security and stability in the region and that includes also a safe israeli state.
the eu has to remain relevant as an honest and balanced broker in the future of the political process between israel and palestine. lasting peace can be based only on an enduring commitment to non violence justice and mutual recognition building upon previous agreements and legal obligations. the two state solution envisaged in the region where two states israel and palestine live side by side in peace within secure and recognised borders.
israel shouldn't be the only country that is being treated separately from other countries and this should be corrected as the eu is financing a multilateral system and it should be an honest broker that includes israel that is the greatest democracy in this part of the region.
it is indeed our obligation to spare no efforts to protect our elections and our democracies from foreign interference in full respect of fundamental rights such as freedom of speech media and association.
across sectors and across borders learning from each other through the exchange of information and best practices.
although progress has been made we must remain vigilant.
while we do not and should not prescribe to our partners the precise electoral systems they should use we do fully expect them to abide by their own previous commitments.
it is crucial not to let those legitimate aspirations become collateral damage in domestic political turmoil. the georgian political leaders will have to find a political solution to the crisis and be able to assure their own people as well as their international partners that the integrity and transparency of the political process is guaranteed.
because we are surrounded by actors whose doctrine for europe is the worse the better'.
we know this from the past especially the former communist countries and i lived half of my life in such a country.
we have also our own very hard working and capable producers inside the eu so we have to be very clear about who we have against us.
we are taking lessons from some past events you mentioned some elections in recent years so this is exactly what we are doing and we are clearly saying we will not be passive.
we work and will continue to work against illegal content.
my doctrine is what's illegal what's prohibited offline must also be prohibited online.
but we have to recognise the fact that this kind of lying this kind of disinformation can be pretty dangerous.
we work with the definition that disinformation is verifiably false or misleading information which is created presented and disseminated for economic gain or to intentionally deceive the public and which may cause public harm. for us what's important is its verifiably false factor
we are not fighting against opinions we are fighting against lies which are proven lies which we can counter through information.
but also we have to see the risks.
we also can see the cases when it is the starting point for revolutions.
it started on social media.
so this is not a black and white picture.
i just want to briefly react on some of your comments on the budget that it's underestimated.
we have to be better in analytical work;
we have to support research;
we have to be better in detection and education.
we will not pay for all that with big money because we have something very valuable we have started cooperation between the eu institutions the member states with the platforms with civil society and with research because as you rightly said we need to develop better technologies for detection and analysing disinformation which might cause harm to our society.
we have to protect better the elections and to be very serious about the strong demand for gdpr to be used is applied to protect the private data of voters so that we don't have any further cambridge analytica cases. we have to do much better and more on transparency including the transparency of the financing of political campaigning.
we have the obligation to guarantee that in our member states and in the eu there will not be the cases that the last elections will be the last free ones.
you never know but we have the obligation to guarantee that we will have free and fair elections.
we must not have winners of the elections who will win because they can lie better.
i think that this is what we have to work together
on. i have many more comments but i am quite far beyond the time.
i am looking forward to your cooperation and again thank you for your support for the new commission.
it must be right that a coalition of member states and other global players is part of that solution but only the active involvement of the us will help. many people in this parliament deny president trump but if we want to keep the middle east nuclear free resume trade and support the human rights of iranians we urgently need to restore friendships and influence in washington
i'm certain that britain's special relationship with the us can help.
indeed the eastern partnership has a strategic importance for the european union and the spread of european rules in the neighbourhood is the essence of the eu's external relations. but today we need to rethink our approach and to introduce new priorities.
significant changes have occurred in our eastern neighbours.
unfortunately political processes are still complex democracies are still fragile and we are constantly witnessing mass protests and the collapse of governments.
the main reason for these governments is the existence of hot and frozen conflicts on their territories. therefore i call on the incoming commission to continue and deepen our assistance in building stable and prosperous european democracies in the eastern neighbourhood.
the spirits of the iranian people throw off the hijab and state we recognise that this is a regime that cares more about terrorists than its own people that cannot tolerate dissent and free thought that faces annual widespread protest
that orders soldiers to fire at will on their fellow citizens that oppressed its people for decades.
but a painful reality.
europe cannot stay silent.
i urge the authorities of these countries to stop the violence against peaceful protesters immediately and to open the door to dialogue.
parliamentarians must act by reflecting the public interest for a new and different way of conducting politics restoring hope and bringing a brighter future.
that being said there is something that these countries have in common.
they've all suffered from relentless foreign interference in their affairs regime change wars civil wars long standing economic sanctions and the pillage of natural and public resources by politicians bankers billionaires and global corporations.
there are people dying in these different countries.
obviously it doesn't help matters that some foreign entities are funding opposition groups inside iran in order to destabilise the government. we should also condemn any deaths of protesters in iraq and lebanon.
likewise we should condemn the death of protesters in bolivia and iran.
we are certainly not deaf we've heard the european union's position on israeli settlement policy. we heard it in fact from the high representative here today as we have heard it many times in the past including last week.
we've certainly heard president donald trump as well as secretary pompeo speak very clearly on israel.
we're also not blind for decades we've seen blood soaking terrorist attacks against israeli civilians.
i've seen this with my own eyes in fact in the nahal oz kibbutz which is very close to the gaza strip where four year old daniel was murdered inside his own home by hamas rockets.
i've seen this with my own eyes looking over villages israeli villages near the golan heights where the local population is often used as a human shield against hezbollah smuggled missiles which are being used to attack israeli citizens. it's quite plain to see in fact that israel has legitimate security concerns.
we're also not mute in fact the european union has been very vocal in the past as a voice of peace and stability in the region.
israel is one of europe's closest allies and we share so many common values and common interests.
what we need to do now is to advance a common bilateral agenda for deepening eu israeli ties and it is critical that the newly elected commission prioritise this.
working more closely together will not only advance peace it will also help europe reinforce its role as an honest and balanced broker of peace. finally given the current political instability in israel i think that parliament has to act responsibly and refrain from interfering in internal politics.
addressing the high representative ms mogherini now we have a historical choice either we stand with the iraqi people or we choose to stand with the government.
we know all the governments they come and go but the iraqi people will always be there.
the un has lost its credibility and now someone else has to step up and take this responsibility.
the only ones that have this credibility is the eu the only union of democracies in the world.