misclassified/meps_speeches_with_translation.csv huggingface dataset:
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-11-24
Debate: The geopolitical implications of the Abraham Accords in the Middle East region (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, Land for Peace! That was in 2002 with the Arab Peace Initiative, the condition of the Gulf Arab states for normalising ties with Israel. The Abraham Accords have changed the condition for normalised relations with Israel, without consulting the Palestinians. Land for Peace became Peace for Peace, but between countries who actually didn’t have conflict. Don’t get me wrong: in a region beset with conflicts, dialogues and closer ties should be welcomed. I always favour dialogue over silence. Yet we should not ignore the circumstance in which these deals were agreed. De facto annexation by Israel continues, not to speak about the demolition of Palestinian structures, including EU-funded structures. The Abraham Accords may affect the chances of reaching a two-state solution if they legitimise and consolidate the status quo, while the status quo we all agree on is not the solution to the conflict. That, colleagues, that is what worries me.
Dear High Representative, the two-state solution is close to being dead and buried. It’s time to do more than declaring we remain firmly committed to it. The Arab Gulf States and the EU must prevent the consolidation of the status quo and revive the two-state solution. We must act, you must act in defence of the two-state solution. You have our support.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-11-23
Debate: Foreign policy consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak (short presentation)

  Hilde Vautmans,  rapporteur. – Madam President, the COVID-19 crisis has shaken up the world profoundly, and we haven’t found the politics yet to cope with it. That’s the harsh but undeniable conclusion of my report. Instead of working more closely together to find a solution, the world’s superpowers have abused the pandemic to compete and to try to shape the world order to their own advantage. 
So we urge Europe to strengthen its foreign policy presence in order to be able to defend its interests in the new geopolitical era – because it is a new political era. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a game changer. It has changed the relationship between the world’s biggest players. Look at the United States. Under the failed leadership of Trump, the United States opted to stand alone. There was no cooperation. Even worse, they sometimes denied the severity of the pandemic by spreading misleading information and undermined global institutions to deal with it.
China actually did the same. The lack of transparency on the outbreak of the virus and attempts to withhold information about its magnitude made at the start of the battle against the virus was ineffective. Since then, the ‘virus diplomacy’ as I call it is seeking to fill the global political vacuum, and in the light of such disturbing trends, our response has been slow and disjointed. 
We need to reduce our dependency on third countries in strategic sectors. We need better communication strategies and strong resilience in order to counter this information. That is what we need to do to play a bigger role in the world. My report is very clear. We need to get our own house in order first. We need to reclaim our place on the world stage to make sure our children will continue to live in a world of cooperation, democracy and the rule of law. We can no longer count on others for solutions. We need to be able to count on Europe by making it more decisive, more dynamic, and more resilient internationally. 
Let us work together to finally get rid of the unanimity rule in foreign affairs, to be able to push back against the strongmen surrounding us, to build a real European defence union as the European pillar within NATO, to re-engage with the United States, to develop a new strategy towards China, and to urge them to fully cooperate with an independent international investigation into the origin of the virus.
Colleagues, Commissioner, let us roll up our sleeves and launch the conference on the future of Europe. Let us show that we are serious about the geopolitical Commission. Thank you very much.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-11-11
Debate: The outcome of the US presidential elections (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, after the elections, we all felt relief: relief from the endless stream of fake news and – let’s be honest – the racism of Mr Trump. But relief is not a strategy; relief doesn’t tell us what to do next. Millions of Europeans have been watching the American elections, waiting for the verdict of the American people. But the Americans will not solve our problems. We shouldn’t live our lives to the rhythm of American democracy. We should live our lives to the beat of our own drum, to the rhythm of European democracy.
So, let’s welcome and congratulate President—elect Joe Biden and Vice—President—elect Kamala Harris with open arms. But let’s do so by building from our own strength. This Commission promised to be a geopolitical Commission. We have the perfect opportunity now to show the Americans we mean business by going forward with the European Defence Union, by creating a real European migration policy, by building a European intelligence capacity that is able to combat terrorism on the same level as American agencies.
Mr Biden is a friend of Europe, but he is also an important architect of America’s China strategy. He might – and let’s hope – he might tweet less than his predecessor, and more politely, but he is also more focused on Asia than on Europe. It’s high time that Europe stood on its own feet. Instead of always hiding behind the Americans, we need to stand next to the USA. That will be in the interests of both sides of the Atlantic.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-10-20
Debate: Common agricultural policy - support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States and financed by the EAGF and by the EAFRD - Common agricultural policy: financing, management and monitoring - Common agricultural policy – amendment of the CMO and other Regulations (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Voorzitter, vandaag ligt een noodzakelijke hervorming van het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid op tafel. Noodzakelijk, collega’s, voor het voortbestaan van de landbouw, voor een leefbaar inkomen voor de boeren, voor het aantrekken van jonge boeren. Want vergis u niet, in Europa verdwijnen elke dag duizend boeren. 
Ik ben met hen gaan praten. En ik bundelde hun verhalen in een boek: “Boerentrots”. Als je naar hen luistert, dan hoor je de passie, dan voel je hun vakmanschap. Maar je ziet ook de problemen en uitdagingen waarmee zij elke dag geconfronteerd worden. Dan besef je meer dan ooit dat die hervorming nodig is. 
En die hervorming is ook nodig om het landbouwbeleid groener te maken, meer in overeenstemming met de Green Deal. Wel, collega’s, voor sommigen is het voorstel te groen, voor anderen is het niet groen genoeg. Ik zeg u: voor mij is het realistisch en ambitieus en zal het het landbouwbeleid combineren met de Green Deal. Dus wees “Boerentrots” en stem voor deze landbouwhervorming.
Mijnheer de commissaris, ik wil u heel graag dit boek overhandigen.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-10-07
Debate: The resumption of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Voorzitter, mijnheer de hoge vertegenwoordiger, de situatie in Nagorno-Karabach baart mij, net als u, net als alle collega's, grote zorgen. Daarom debatteren wij hier vandaag ook over. En als je vandaag Brussel binnenreed, dan zag je de vlaggen in de straten: de mensen zijn bezorgd om de mensenlevens die sneuvelen in de regio.
Mijnheer de hoge vertegenwoordiger, de Europese Raad heeft u vorige week de opdracht gegeven om u te beraden over verdere EU-ondersteuning in het vredesproces. U was heel duidelijk vandaag: u gaat voor een staakt-het-vuren, u spreekt met alle partijen. Maar wat mij verwonderd heeft: u hebt eigenlijk niet gesproken over het gebruik van clusterbommen. U hebt eigenlijk niet de buitenlandse partner genoemd die zich daar inmengt, namelijk Turkije. U hebt niet gesproken over de buitenlandse strijders die naar daar gestuurd worden. Nee, u spreekt over een positieve agenda met Turkije voor het conflict dat mijn Cypriotische collega aanhaalde, wat ik begrijp. Maar met Turkije gaan we eens alle kaarten op tafel moeten leggen om duidelijk te maken dat dit niet verder kan. 
Dank u wel, u hebt onze steun om dit conflict op te lossen.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-10-06
Debate: Conclusions of the Special European Council meeting of 1 and 2 October 2020 - Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 October 2020 (continuation of debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Voorzitter, meneer de commissaris, ik denk dat we een gedreven Charles Michel hier net hebben horen zeggen: “wij gaan voor een sterker Europa, minder afhankelijk, meer invloed”. Dat deel ik natuurlijk. Ik ben ook blij dat hij in moeilijke omstandigheden toch een akkoord heeft kunnen bereiken. Maar laat ons eerlijk zijn, collega’s – en we hebben het hier al verschillende keren gehoord –, eigenlijk moeten we zeggen: te traag, te soft en niet verenigd genoeg. 
Te traag. Twee maanden na de opstanden in Belarus. En eigenlijk, over Hongkong, hoelang praten we daar al over? Maar wanneer komen er acties? Te soft. Ja, sancties, maar zonder – een collega noemde hem de olifant in de kamer – Loekasjenko op die lijst. En niet verenigd genoeg, als je ziet dat één land heel veel kan blokkeren.
Voor mij is het echt duidelijk, collega’s. We moeten een vuist maken. We moeten geopolitiek kunnen meespelen, en dan moeten we de Unie hervormen. We moeten af van die unanimiteitsregel. Ik roep dus de Raad en de Commissie op: maak daar werk van.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-09-17
Debate: Combatting the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, what’s in a number, dear colleagues?
If I told you that the number of reports of child sexual abuse has increased to nearly 70 million in 2019, would you believe it? Or if I told you that, according to the Council of Europe, one out of five children falls victim to sexual violence. Would you believe it? What if I told you that Europe is the biggest hub for child pornography, that can’t be true, right?
The list of these numbers goes on and on. Sixty per cent of worldwide child sexual abuse content is circulating in Europe. Isn’t that staggering? Let it be clear. Sexual abuse of children is not just one of the 99 problems. it is ‘the’ problem that all European decision makers have to face, and the fight against it must be our priority.
Therefore, I would like to thank you, Commissioner Johansson, for the bold and concrete steps forward in the fight against child sexual abuse. This is a strong, balanced and comprehensive strategy. But this alone is not enough. We all know that, we all have to play a role in this fight. I am fully convinced that a dedicated EU centre will be a major added value in the fight against these terrible crimes.
Commissioner Johansson, I fully support your strategy. You can count on me, on us, on Renew Europe and on the Intergroup on Children’s Rights to implement it. If we don’t do it, who will do it?
So European leadership please, you can count on us.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-09-17
Debate: The need for an immediate and humanitarian EU response to the current situation in the refugee camp in Moria (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Madam President, I would like to say to the Commissioner that I have visited refugee camps many times. Next week – I invited you but you can’t come – I will go to Dunkirk not far away from here, because another ‘Jungle’ is starting to unfold there. 
Honestly, these camps are a shame for Europe. I always say, if we put our dog or our cat in such conditions, animal rights organisations would be at our door, but we put human beings in camps like that.
Next week, you will come with a new migration strategy. I have one specific question for you because a lot has been said by my good colleagues. I want you to pay a lot more attention to the unaccompanied minors. You know that Europol stated that 10 000 went missing in Europe.
Please, Commissioner, pay specific attention to these children. If we don’t protect them, who will? 
(Applause)
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-09-17
Debate: The case of Dr. Denis Mukwege in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

  Hilde Vautmans,  au nom du groupe Renew. – Madame la Présidente, chers collègues, je suis outrée, choquée et inquiète par le fait que nous devions discuter de la sécurité du Dr Denis Mukwege. Ceci montre à quel point la terreur et l’impunité ont atteint un niveau sans précédent à l’échelle humaine dans cette région. 
Cet homme, que l’on ne doit plus présenter – prix Sakharov, prix Nobel de la paix, et surtout un héros pour tout un peuple –, est la voix des femmes violées, le mur contre la souffrance, la terreur et les exécutions.
Chers collègues, il est de notre devoir de renforcer ce rempart qui défend nos valeurs fondamentales dans son pays. Amani Kwenu. La paix pour vous. Vrede voor u.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-09-15
Debate: Preparation of the Special European Council, focusing on the dangerous escalation and the role of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Mr President, High Representative, it’s good that we will have a special European Council on external affairs in 10 days. We really need it. Look at the world around us –Trump, Putin, Erdoğan, they all challenge the status quo in Europe. Europe stands by and watches, instead of living up to its ambition to become a strong geopolitical actor. Take Turkey, which we are debating today, an EU candidate country. Our relations have been under strain for a long time and not because of the EU’s actions, but because of Turkey’s actions. Yes, we need to stay on speaking terms, but let’s be honest and acknowledge that this Turkey cannot join Europe. We need to stop the accession negotiations and build a strong, new partnership with Turkey. This should be our message ahead of the special European Council.
(Applause)
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-09-15
Debate: Situation in Belarus - Situation in Lebanon - Situation in Russia, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Mr President, I say to the High Representative and the House: it’s incredible I think that in 2020 people are poisoned to silence them for their political ideas, and it’s not the first time this has happened. I would like to wish Mr Navalny a quick recovery. Our group condemns firmly the poisoning of Mr Navalny.
We ask Russia to investigate in a transparent and impartial manner the assassination attempt on Alexei Navalny, and we ask Russia to bring to justice those responsible for it on whatever level they might be. For me, it’s very clear with everything that happens with Russia, and colleagues have said it already: we need, Mr Borrell, a new EU-Russia strategy, one of sticks and carrots and we need to adopt an ambitious EU human rights sanctions regime. Let’s make work of it. 
(Applause)
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-07-09
Debate: The 2019 Human Rights Annual report - Stability and Security in the Mediterranean and the negative role of Turkey - Situation in Belarus (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, I have a question for the esteemed High Representative. I really wonder whether President Erdoğan is still in favour of joining the EU, don’t you?
Look at Turkey’s recent actions. They go completely against all European values and interests. Its illegal drilling activities in territorial waters; its violation of the UN arms embargo and its intimidation against EU and NATO allies that are enforcing the Libyan arms embargo – not to speak about its purchase of the Russian missile system and the arbitrary arrests of human rights activists, lawyers, judges and journalists. Last but not least, its repeated threats and blackmail to open up the gates to Europe. The list could go on. 
So to me, High Representative, Turkey’s accession wish is a joke! Yes, Turkey is a strategic partner, both for Europe and NATO. It’s a neighbour and I do believe in the necessity of a strong partnership, but Turkey continues to move further away from the EU. 
This Parliament has been clear about its position. This authoritarian Turkey cannot join the EU. 
I thank you for your efforts in continuing the dialogue with Turkey but I also ask you to be very clear and frank with Turkey that there can be no upgrade of relations, in whatever form, as long as its actions do not change and as long as Turkey does not show readiness for serious reforms. 
Thank you very much and good luck.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-07-08
Debate: Presentation of the programme of activities of the German Presidency (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Madam President, I’m not sure if we are still allowed to say this in the ‘Me Too’ era, but I would like to say to the Chancellor that for me, Madam, you are one of the only politicians that has the balls to take decisions.
(Scattered applause and laughter)
You showed courage when you decided to help Greece – courage, because your own Minister of Finance was against it. You showed the right moral compass during the migration crisis, the right compass, even when your own public opinion was against it, and again, during this crisis, we really count on your leadership to guide Europe. The proposal of the Commission, inspired by our resolution and the French-German proposal, is the right thing to do. Push it through! 
Finally, I would like to urge you to take one other important decision – go for a new strategy with China. China’s crackdown on human rights in Hong Kong needs to be on the agenda. We defend human rights and the rule of law. We must start to confront China with this. Good luck and you can count on us. We will be with you.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-06-18
Debate: Foreign policy consequences of the COVID-19 crisis - The PRC national security law for Hong Kong and the need for the EU to defend Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy - The EU's response to the possible Israeli annexation in the West Bank (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, it is very clear for me. I defend the ‘one country, two systems’ principle so I stand with the people of Hong Kong and support their freedom of expression. The arrest of four democratic leaders, the violent crackdown on protestors and the new security law are an assault on the autonomy of Hong Kong. 
Luckily, this Parliament is united in a very strong resolution, asking China to withdraw the security law, to respect the freedom of people in Hong Kong and to show that it is willing to respect the rule of law. If not, we, the international community, should consider a case before the International Court of Justice and Magnitsky—style sanctions.
Mr Borrell, let me stress that, with almost 500 million consumers of Chinese products, we have the necessary economic leverage to make a change. I want Europe to engage with China. I want Europe to look for a new China strategy. But we have to do this by defending our values and our interests. That’s why I plead again to China: withdraw the security law and give the people of Hong Kong the autonomy that has been agreed upon in the ‘one country, two systems’ agreement. Our group, Renew, stands for democracy values everywhere in the world.
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-06-17
Debate: The Anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Madam President, can you imagine what it does to a mother’s heart when your daughter asks you every day, ‘Mama, I don’t want to have my colour. I want to be white. Can you make me white?’ Can you imagine? Well I can, because it happens to me. I have a beautiful black husband and two beautiful coloured children, so this debate is a very important one. Let the death of George Floyd be a game-changer. Let us fight against racism, online hate speech, discrimination, all together and harder than we did in the past. 
Europe is the most progressive continent on human rights, on values, but Ms von der Leyen, over the last days, I was a little bit disappointed. Today you made a very strong statement, but these last days the Commission and the Council were too silent. That’s why we speak out loud today, why we vote a strong resolution, to come out and speak and not speak but to act, so that every child of every colour can grow up safe in Europe. Black lives matter. 
(Applause)
Speaker: Hilde VAUTMANS (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2020-03-10
Debate: Coronavirus outbreak, state of play and ensuring a coordinated European response to the health, economic and social impact (debate)

  Hilde Vautmans (Renew).   – Voorzitter, laat me natuurlijk allereerst mijn medeleven betuigen met de getroffen families en vooral met de Italianen, en ook de waardering uitspreken voor hen die elke dag goede zorgen geven – dokters en verplegers – in moeilijke omstandigheden. Europa heeft enkel een ondersteunende en coördinerende rol, maar eerlijk gezegd, als je naar de omvang van de crisis kijkt, dan zeggen de Europese burgers terecht: “Europa, doe wat meer”. 
Dit virus kent geen grenzen, en vandaar, mevrouw de commissaris, dank ik u voor de initiatieven die al genomen zijn. Maar ik zou ervoor willen pleiten om een versnelling hoger te schakelen, meer te coördineren, meer te ondersteunen op het vlak van gezondheidszorg. Versterk het Centrum voor ziektepreventie en -bestrijding, geef het meer middelen voor onderzoek naar dat noodzakelijke vaccin. Laten we met z’n allen meer samen gaan aankopen, zodat onze gezondheidswerkers tenminste in goede omstandigheden de zorgen kunnen verlenen aan hen die ziek zijn of denken dat ze ziek zijn. En tot slot de economische gevolgen: ook dat moet Europa opvolgen. L’union fait la force, samen sterk!