misclassified/meps_speeches_with_translation.csv huggingface dataset:
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2022-02-16
Debate: EU-Russia relations, European security and Russia’s military threat against Ukraine (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE).   – Frau Präsidentin, werte Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Dass wir Europäerinnen und Europäer mit der Ukraine solidarisch sein müssen, ist hier von den meisten Rednerinnen und Rednern zu Recht betont worden. Nur die Extremisten von links und rechts machen sich zu Instrumenten des russischen Neoimperialismus. Doch die Abwendung einer neuerlichen Intervention in der Ukraine ist nicht genug.
Putins Sinnen und Trachten geht auf die Revision der Stabilitätsordnung in Europa. Deshalb muss unsere Antwort allen Aspekten dieser Politik ganz praktisch entgegentreten. Eine russische Anerkennung der sogenannten Volksrepubliken im Donbass müsste harte Sanktionen zur Folge haben. Und wir dürfen nicht zulassen, dass westliche Gier für Putins Aggression genutzt wird. Deshalb: Stopp für Nord Stream 2 und endlich harte Kante gegen russische Korruption und Geldwäsche in der EU.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2022-02-15
Debate: Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2021 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2021 (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  im Namen der Verts/ALE-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident, werte Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Ich möchte diesen Bericht zur Gemeinsamen Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik der Union loben, und die Tatsache, dass meine Fraktion keine Änderungsanträge dazu gestellt hat, reflektiert unsere Zustimmung. Dafür möchte ich dem Berichterstatter, Herrn McAllister, danken. Es ist die Frucht guter Zusammenarbeit.
Mein Lob für den Bericht ist keine Routine. Meine Fraktion hat nicht immer für diese jährlichen Berichte gestimmt. Diesmal können wir es guten Gewissens tun. Drei Punkte möchte ich hervorheben: Der Bericht formuliert eine selbstbewusste, proaktive Antwort auf die wachsenden Herausforderungen durch autoritative Potentaten wie Putin und Xi. Deren Bedrohung wird sich zwar nicht in Luft auflösen, wie die Dragon-Bear-Alliance, die Drachen-Bär-Kooperation zwischen Putin und Xi zeigt. Und ihre aggressive Politik wird nicht verschwinden. Aber wir sind bei Weitem nicht am Ende unserer europäischen Möglichkeiten.
Der Bericht benennt zudem zu Recht die Sicherheitsherausforderungen, die der Klimawandel mit sich bringt. Dafür brauchen wir die Vision einer internationalen Politik der EU, die die grüne Transformation als zentrale Aufgabe betrachtet, ebenso wie die faire Partnerschaft dabei mit allen Ländern unseres Globus. Und schließlich geht es darum, nicht unter der Parole der strategischen Autonomie eine Nabelschau-Politik zu machen, sondern zu verstehen, dass wir die Stärkung der strategischen Souveränität der EU am besten erreichen, indem wir die strategische Solidarität mit Demokratien und anderen gleichgesinnten Ländern üben. Dafür wird insbesondere die Global-Gateway- Initiative der Europäischen Kommission eine zentrale Rolle spielen.
Die EU ist, lassen Sie mich das zum Abschluss sagen, lange nicht am Ende ihrer Möglichkeiten, für die Zukunft unseres gemeinsamen Planeten Verantwortung zu übernehmen – wenn wir Einsicht und Mut gleichzeitig zeigen.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2022-01-19
Debate: Violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  author. – Mr President, congratulations on your election.
China’s policy is once more on our agenda, and that will happen quite often in the time that we have ahead of us, because China is pursuing an increasingly aggressive, oppressive policy.
I want to thank the democratic political groups in the European Parliament and all the colleagues that contributed to the drafting of this resolution for their efforts, because it is important for the European Parliament to remain a champion of the defence of human rights and the defence of democracy. And this is even more important since the Council has been hesitating, to say the least.
When we look at the facts, it is clear that oppression in Hong Kong is not relenting. Just the opposite: 64 democratic and civic groups have been dissolved over the last year, more than 150 democrats, activists, journalists are languishing in jail, some of them more than a year without having seen a court yet. The last free media have been muzzled.
This is a situation that bears out the worst nightmares that Hong Kong democrats had when they did courageously stand up for democracy. But they’re not shying back: democracy is not dead in Hong Kong. It merits our support, and I call upon the Member States and also our colleagues in the national parliaments to join forces with us in the European Parliament in that regard.
We should not be delusional. If we forget about what China does, China doesn’t forget about us. We see that in the case of Lithuania. China is willing to break all international rules to pursue its hegemonic imperial goals.
Let us carry the flag of the fight for democracy and the fight for human rights. If it’s not possible in Hong Kong to have Fourth of June vigils, let us organise the Fourth of June vigils this year. Let us organise Hong Kong Day on 1 July this year to commemorate our courageous colleagues in Hong Kong.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-12-16
Debate: Continuous crackdown on civil society and human rights defenders in Russia: the case of human rights organisation Memorial

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, Memorial was founded and began to thrive in the waning days of the Soviet Union. They have valiantly followed their founding spirit with their anti—Stalinist work until this day. All these years, they have been upholding the values that we all hold dear.
In 2009, the European Parliament honoured them by bestowing upon them the prize that carries the name of their co—founder, Sakharov. Now, Vladimir Putin, a late admirer and disciple of Stalin, wants to close down Memorial – to ‘liquidate’ Memorial, as they say. Even his language gives testimony to what he represents.
We today express our unbreakable solidarity with Memorial. The torch with which the courageous people of Memorial have carried over 30 years will be carried on. Memorial represents the dignity and Europeanness of Russia.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-11-23
Debate: Multilateral negotiations in view of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, 30 November to 3 December 2021 (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, a couple of years from today when we look back at this moment, what will we say? Will we say this was the moment when, finally, our hope in trade multilateralism collapsed? Or will we be able to say this was the time when we pulled together and created a new progressive agenda for trade multilateralism? It’s obviously not only in our hands, but it also needs our contribution, and the one thing that we need is pragmatism and the one thing that we don’t need is dogmatism. When I listen to Mr Simon who wants to sacrifice solidarity on the altar of intellectual property, that’s not pragmatism, that’s dogmatic. 
We need that pragmatism also when it comes to structural issues like reforming the appellate body, and we need that pragmatism also when we take advantage of plurilateral initiatives to enhance the multilateral overall framework. But we have the choice between pragmatism and dogmatism.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-11-11
Debate: The outcome of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, Executive Vice—Presidents, it is good that the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) had a successful start. The first TTC meeting in Pittsburgh, however, does not mark the end of our trade controversies with the US. It doesn’t even mark the beginning of the end, but hopefully it marks the end of a new beginning in sorting out some of the issues. This assessment is borne out by what we see as a result of the recent trade and aluminium deal that you negotiated, Executive Vice—President. This is a welcome result, even though it is weaker than we had hoped and issues do remain.
Even more important strategically, I believe, is the standard—setting dimension going forward. Shaping the future, not just sorting out legacy issues. And there we have to work very diligently with the US because this is of geopolitical relevancy. And if you allow me to say that, in the spirit of geopolitical responsibility, wouldn’t it make sense if there would not just be the American Secretary of State, but also our foreign minister?
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-10-19
Debate: EU-Taiwan political relations and cooperation (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, the overarching goals of the EU’s Taiwan policy have always been stability, peace and respect for the will of the people, and therefore we have consistently opposed unilateral changes of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. But these worthy goals are under assault from the People’s Republic of China. Beijing is undermining peace and stability through aggressive actions in many different dimensions. The threat of a military attack against Taiwan is openly being peddled by Chinese ultranationalists. The Chinese dictator Xi Jinping has promised to conquer the island during his lifetime. 
Taiwan, a vibrant democracy and a society with many progressive achievements, needs and merits our strategic solidarity. The Weimers report which we’re discussing here spells that out. It also formulates perspectives for wide—ranging cooperation as partners which is very much in our own interest. 
Our message to the people of Taiwan is clear: we will stand with you. Our message to Beijing is: reconsider your policy. Historical patience will be better for China than any other hypothetical alternative. 
Our message to our European citizens, not only in Lithuania, is let’s stay united on China policy. I thank Charlie Weimers for his report and all the colleagues for their good cooperation, and I thank Vice—President Vestager for her remarks too.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-10-05
Debate: The future of EU-US relations (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, let me first thank Mr Picula for the report that he drafted and for the great cooperation that he offered.
Certainly, when he started his work, the high—flying hopes that we had in the renovation, the resurgence, the reinvigorating of the transatlantic relationship were not tainted with some of the more recent disappointments. But on the other hand we should not forget – and the report says so – that also the European side made mistakes, for instance by rushing the CAI just before the end of the year and just before Biden came into office. 
Today we know that the new development, the renewing of the transatlantic relationship, needs realism and laborious efforts. It’s not going to be a sprint, rather a long and arduous cross—country run with up—and—down. 
The rhetoric sometimes sounds better than its implementation turns out to be. Like Mr Lange, I liked the rhetoric about trade that helps the working class. But if this is just a nice phrase to cover economic nationalism, that is not all that good, and I would second you by demanding that the US move substantially, according to the Airbus—Boeing model, also with regard to steel and aluminium. 
The report says we want ‘partnership in leadership’ with the US. That leadership claim also, of course, implies more responsibility. We cannot live up to that responsibility by transatlantic navel—gazing, forgetting about the rest of the world. Even though, in the conflict between democracy and authoritarianism, we know which camp we belong to, we cannot build that relationship either just as a reaction to what China does and to China’s hegemonic plans. 
We have to offer a vision to the world of a better future, including climate responsibility, infrastructure development, health, solidarity, fair and open trade and peace instead of arms races. I believe in that regard – and this is my last sentence President – that the Global Gateway initiative that President von der Leyen put on the table will have to play a major role. I hope that we can cooperate on that with the US too.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-09-14
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, Mr Borrell, colleagues, extremists from the left and from the right have argued that going to Afghanistan was illegal or selfish or imperialist. I disagree.
It was in self-defence against international terrorism, but soon our involvement went astray. We must also confess that. In overshooting self-confidence instead of helping nation-building, we try to impose nation-building, and that did not succeed. 
And then the second major mistake was that we grew tired of the burden without thinking about our strategy. And after the West had invested trillions, we were too short-sighted to make the small additional investment that would have been necessary to keep the situation relatively stable. I think the withdrawal was a mistake. 
Of course we should be able as Europeans to hold an airport for a humanitarian evacuation, but that’s not the core problem. The tools and the means are not the core problem. The perspective and the will, that’s the core problem.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-09-14
Debate: A new EU-China strategy (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, let me first thank Ms Vautmans for a very good report and for all the efforts at keeping this House united – and indeed we are. We are also self—confident. We don’t believe in defeatism and declinism. We think that if Europe mobilises our positive energies, we can well stand up to the Chinese challenge. 
But we have to acknowledge – and it’s long past time – that we believed that this was just about trade. This is much more about geopolitics and on many fronts increasingly we see that the systemic rivalry is coming to the fore. I would hope we would have more opportunities for cooperation on climate policy, for instance. 
But what is it that China tells us? They say we’re not willing to be a partner on climate unless you stop criticising our atrocious human rights record with regard to Xinjiang. This is not what we are willing to accept. We are proposing positive European policies to create alternatives, like an alternative to the Belt and Road Initiative. We want to stop the import of slave labour products. 
We will continue telling Ms Merkel and all the others that CAI will remain in the freezer until China changes course. We will uphold the solidarity with Lithuania and we are encouraging our leaders not to go to Beijing, not to accept invitations to the Olympics, if the Chinese human rights situation does not change.
For this policy, on which we have been united for quite a while in this House and which is a policy of pride and confidence, we would hope we get support also from the European Commission and the Member States.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-07-08
Debate: Hong Kong, notably the case of Apple Daily

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  author. – Madam President, this is not the first time today that we are discussing Hong Kong in this House. It is important that we do it because we stand with Hong Kong’s fight for their freedoms and for democracy. This is not an internal affair. Upholding human rights is our common global responsibility. Systematically in Hong Kong the freedoms that were once guaranteed for 50 years to come are being dismantled. I’m very grateful that we have such a good consensus between the five big democratic groups in this House to stand against that. 
Today, we can – we must – say that free media are a thing of the past with the closure of Apple Daily. But this is just one additional step. The Legislative Council (LegCo​) has seen the Democrats evicted. The new electoral law is perverse. Universities, educators and public servants have been told that they now owe loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). On the basis of spurious excuses, the traditional 4 June vigils have been denied, as have other demonstrations. Businesses like HSBC have been forced, or lured, into doing the regime’s bidding in the unjust persecution of democratic activists, and the judiciary has been put on notice that, in the future, they are expected not to apply the law, but to apply Beijing’s will. 
The European Parliament speaks up. It does so today, and it will do so in the future. But we will need some more voices from Member States’ capitals to join the chorus. Human rights stand at the centre of European foreign policy, not just for the European Parliament. That’s why we also call on political leaders to refrain from accepting invitations to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing unless the situation changes fundamentally.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-06-09
Debate: Preparation of the G7 summit of 11-13 June and the EU-US Summit (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, Vice—President Dombrovskis has justifiably heaped high praise on the return of the US administration to the tradition of working with allies. Mr Dombrovskis, you have sung well the gospel of transatlantic allegiance. You have emphasised that we have to translate intentions into action and you have promised joint leadership. 
But alas, as I listened attentively to what you said, I missed one very important topic for showing leadership. If we want to create, as Biden says, a 3B world – a ‘built back better’ world – we have to emphasise the need for an international infrastructure investment initiative, or call it a connectivity strategy, or call it a European Global Partner Europe Initiative. Whatever the name, this House has shown the way.
When we discussed the topic in January, the Commission pledged full support for the agenda. But I get the impression that the Commission still hasn’t got it. Not a single word from you on the topic, even though President Biden has emphasised it.
We have lost too much time already. We have moved forward only little by little, against internal opposition. Now there’s a chance for a breakthrough. If the Commission fails Europe on this, it is also failing Member States and Parliament at the same time. Now is the time to go big, Vice—President. Go big or go out of the way!
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-05-18
Debate: EU strategy towards Israel-Palestine (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, let me start with the obvious. Israel has every right to defend itself against the indiscriminate terrorist attacks from Hamas. Europe has every obligation to strongly oppose any form of anti-Semitism that we unfortunately experience in this context again. We mourn the victims and we want a ceasefire and a stop of escalation without delay, but the reality that people would return to after cessation of hostility is in itself unsustainable. 
The region is looking into the abyss. This is a perfect storm that touches every aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It’s been a mistake to think that this issue can be put on the backburner. We need new leadership on all sides, leadership able and willing to avoid actions that undermine a peaceful future, and that includes incitement, violent attacks, terrorist acts, evictions, demolitions and settlement construction east of the 1967 line.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-04-29
Debate: Blasphemy laws in Pakistan, in particular the case Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel

  Reinhard Bütikofer,  author. – Mr President, we are all united in the one stance that we oppose not only the specific cruel blasphemy laws that are being implemented in Pakistan, but also any persecution of individuals, because these are an abuse of the right to religious freedom. 
In this particular case we are talking about a Christian couple that is under the threat of the death penalty, but as Mr van Dalen has pointed out, in his words, the same terrible laws have been putting many other people, many other citizens belonging to different creeds and faiths also in prison, and we could just the same be talking about other individuals. 
We are not making a distinction there. We support wholeheartedly religious freedom, including the freedom not to profess a religion, and we should indeed support, as our colleague has just said, interfaith dialogue also in our own home countries to give a positive example of how to deal with religious differences, without allowing those who would want to turn that into antagonism to prevail.
Speaker: Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-04-28
Debate: Russia, the case of Alexei Navalny, military build-up on Ukraine's border and Russian attack in the Czech Republic (debate)

  Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, in this House we do not always all see eye-to-eye on Russia policy, and that is alright in a democratic parliament, but the resolution that we debate today demonstrates how strongly united we are in the basic defence of the EU’s values and interests. 
Why can’t Member States show the same level of agreement? The battles over having a good Russia policy will be won or lost in the national capitals, and I would say: let’s stop saying that the EU is failing when the national capitals are failing all of us. Speaking here as a German MEP, I say it’s also the fault of my own government that the EU looks weak. How can you allow holding on to Nord Stream 2 when you see how this divides our nations and benefits Putin’s aggression? We will be weak in dealing with strongmen until our governments understand three things: EU unity must prevail; short-term economic greed doesn’t pay off; and timidity in defending our values will be costly.