misclassified/meps_speeches_with_translation.csv huggingface dataset:
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-07-12
Debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 29-30 June 2023, in particular the recent developments in the war against Ukraine and in Russia (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Mr President, I want to come back to the absence of the Council here, because we all know why they are not here, the leaders of the European Union, because they are in Vilnius in the NATO summit. What do they have to do in the NATO summit? Nothing at all. The EU is not a member of NATO, in my opinion. But the photos are there and they are in search of a new Secretary General for NATO for next year. So there they are and not here in Parliament to answer the questions that we have.
On top of that, Mr President, what they are deciding there in Vilnius is nothing at all, because they are putting Ukraine again in a waiting room. That is not a wise decision, in my opinion, because it gives the impression for Russia that they can continue the war. The longer they continue the war, the longer Ukraine will be outside NATO.
Let’s not make this mistake here in Europe. My proposal is that, after the summer break, as fast as possible, the Commission comes forward with a proposal to open the negotiations with Ukraine as a member of the EU.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-06-13
Debate: Negotiations on the European Electoral Law (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, Minister, it’s one year that the Council has a letter about Article 48 and the launch of a convention and we didn’t receive a reply. It’s more than one year that you have the electoral law approved by Parliament and you have still no common position. But you are capable to send us a letter about the composition of Parliament; on the future composition of Parliament, we need to make progress. I find that you have guts to do that. 
So, one year and you are not capable to respond to Article 48, what is by a simple majority in the Treaty. You are not capable to respond to have a common position on the electoral law, but on the composition it needs to go fast, fast, fast. I can tell you one thing: I think there will be a link between all this, one day or another. 
The best way forward is not to send these letters. The best way forward will be that the President of the Council, the rotating presidency, takes contact with the President of Parliament and starts to have a meeting about the global issue that we have on the table. And that is the request on the convention, that is the electoral law and that is the composition of the Parliament. And the longer you are waiting with that, the more problems we will have and the more problems you will have and the next Presidency will have. The faster you propose, together with Ms Metsola, a common meeting about this, the faster we will have a solution for all these files, if that is an advice that I can give you.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-04-19
Debate: Repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny

  Guy Verhofstadt,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, it is fantastic here in this debate to hear described the courage of these two men – Vladimir Kara—Murza and Alexei Navalny. I think they have enormous courage to go back to their country, to Russia, to fight for a free and democratic Russia after they have been poisoned by Putin –both of them. 
I have to tell you that I would not have this courage, very honestly, to return in such circumstances. But the question is, are we courageous here in these two cases? I have to tell you, President, that we have sent with a number of colleagues, already on 6 April, a letter to the Commission, to Mr Borrell, asking for Magnitsky sanctions the fastest as possible in the case of Vladimir Kara—Murza. That’s from 6 April. The Americans have already two months ago taken Magnitsky sanctions in that case – and we are still waiting.
So what I ask, Mr Commissioner, is that the Commission and Mr Borrell come forward, with the Council, with the Foreign Affairs Ministers, with Magnitsky sanctions in the case of Vladimir Kara-Murza, in the case of Mr Navalny and in the case of all these political prisoners, the fastest as possible. 
I ask, we will ask – and we will have a majority in this parliament – that the point is again on the agenda in May or in June. We expect then that these packages will be announced in the coming weeks. Otherwise, in my case in any way, I will cancel my trust in the European leadership of today.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-04-18
Debate: The need for a coherent strategy for EU-China Relations (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Mr President, Mr Borrell, I have to tell you one thing. I was pleased that you got COVID. I was pleased that you got COVID a few days ago and that you didn’t go to China because it only add more cacophony to the positions of Europe on China. So very well that you stay at home. But I have a request you: it’s your task to come forward now with a new strategic paper.
You know, the strategic paper on China dates from 2016. 2016! I know! Then we added we actualised the paper of 2016, Mr Bütikofer, in 2019. And then in the meanwhile, what happened, is everything what happened in Hong Kong, because everybody is talking about Ukraine, but things changed fundamentally when? At the moment of Hong Kong, because the consensus worldwide was ‘one China, two systems’. And if China doesn’t accept any more two systems, why we should accept one China? It is the one or the other. So my plea to you is to come forward as fast as possible in the three months from coming with a new communications strategy paper on China, sending it to the Council, sending it to the European Parliament, and to define this new strategy, as fast as possible. That is what we need to do.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-03-29
Debate: Order of business

  Guy Verhofstadt,  au nom du groupe Renew. – Madame la Présidente, personnellement, je dois vous dire que je crois que cette affaire serait mieux discutée et débattue dans l’Assemblée nationale de la France. C’est une démocratie, la France. Il ne faut pas l’oublier. En plus, pour qu’il n’y ait pas de malentendu, Madame Aubry, s’il y a des ripostes policières exagérées, je vais être le premier à les dénoncer et aussi à les condamner. Mais cela reste naturellement des ripostes. Cela veut dire une réaction à d’autres violences qu’on a vues sur nos télés. C’est ça la réalité. Et des violences qui sont, et ça c’est encore plus grave, Madame Aubry, parfois encouragées par des partis politiques aujourd’hui en France.
Des gens qui disent: «N’écoutez pas les élections, ce n’est pas légitime. Ce qui est en fait le plus important, c’est la censure populaire, pas la majorité parlementaire. Eh bien, vous faites des gestes, Madame Aubry, mais j’ai quand même, une fois, regardé votre compte Twitter.
J’ai été interrompu deux ou trois fois, Madame la Présidente, il faut me laisser tout de même donner ces quelques exemples. Permanence de M. Ciotti vandalisée: pas de condamnation sur votre Twitter. Le bébé d’Aurore Bergé menacé: rien sur votre Twitter. La porte d’entrée de l’hôtel de ville de Bordeaux incendiée: pas de réaction de Mme Aubry sur Twitter. Et puis des centaines de policiers blessés: pas question d’en parler.
Je propose un autre titre pour le débat, si débat il y a: «Violence en politique, une menace grandissante pour le droit à manifester. La démocratie et ceux qui la défendent.»
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-03-15
Debate: Strengthening the EU Defence in the context of the war in Ukraine: speeding up production and deliveries to Ukraine of weapons and ammunitions (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Madam President, the problems that Mr Gahler and Ms Loiseau have indicated – a lack of ammunition that is there for the moment, the fact that some countries who make ammunition don’t want to send it to Ukraine, like Switzerland – this is all proof of the fact that we have an enormous problem in Europe, and that’s the lack of a European defence community. Without the help of the Americans, this war would be already over and in the wrong direction, with the wrong result. We don’t have a European defence community. And so, what I hope is that the Commission comes forward, as fast as possible, during the war, by the end of the war, with a strategic concept of creating a European defence community. It’s not because you buy together in the EPF some weapons that you have a European defence community. It’s a good measure, but it’s not enough. The training of soldiers, it is good that we do that. But that’s not a European defence community. A European defence community is putting together the EUR 250 billion we spend on defence. We spend 30% of the Americans on defence and can only do 10% of the operations of the American Army. Why? Duplication, duplication, duplication. One hundred and thirteen weapon systems – the problem in Ukraine today. Also in ammunition.
And so what the European Commission and the European institutions and the European Council have to do is, as fast as possible, before the end of the war, come up with a strategic concept for European defence – not in contradiction with NATO, but as the European pillar of NATO. That has to be the lesson of this brutal war and this invasion of Russia in Ukraine.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-03-13
Debate: Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Madam President, last night, the film of Aleksei Navalny won the Oscar for the best documentary. I think, personally – and I hope that everybody can agree – that it’s an important sign of recognition after we as Parliament – you remember that – honoured him with the Sakharov Prize. And again, I think that with this award, the world recognised that Russia and its autocratic regime is a threat to all who want to live in peace and stability and democracy and with human rights, whether they live in Russia or outside Russia. I think that Parliament, during this session, has to stand by them and to put back on the table the liberation of Aleksei Navalny and with them of all political prisoners, first of all of Belarus, like Ales Bialiatski, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, or, for example, political prisoners in Georgia, such as former President Mikheil Saakashvili, such as Russia’s Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is in prison, Aleksei Gorinov, and many others arrested for speaking out against the war in Ukraine. I can tell you that families and supporters of the last three are visiting the European Parliament this week, so let’s welcome these families with wholehearted support and put the entire weight of a democratic Europe behind their causes.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-02-02
Debate: Preparation of the EU-Ukraine Summit (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Madam President, it’s a pity that Mr Schirdewan is no longer in the room. After everything what he said he should go to Kramatorsk, maybe, where yesterday, again, an apartment block was brutally attacked and destroyed by Russia. The only way to end this war is a victory of Ukraine. That’s the way to end the war the fastest as possible.
And for that – I hope Mr Hahn that you are in direct contact with Ms von der Leyen, I suppose, on what she will do in Kyiv – my impression is that it is a weak proposal what you are bringing to Kyiv. On weapons, for example, I see no long—range missiles in the package. On sanctions, Mr Séjourné has said it, it’s already a year that we are asking to put the full backbone of the Russian Putin regime on the sanctions regime. And the Commission is not moving on that. The same on the assets, the frozen assets of the Russian central bank. It’s possible to seize them, to freeze them and to transfer them to Ukraine. That’s possible. There is the legal service of the Council, Mr Hahn, that’s something that cannot be disputed. And they have said that it is possible.
And finally, a fast—track membership to 2026. If I see what is happening on corruption in Hungary, I think, and I see the actions that are happening in Ukraine, Ukraine deserves a place in Europe.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2023-01-17
Debate: The EU’s response to the appalling attack against civilians in Dnipro : strengthening sanctions against the Putin regime and military support to Ukraine (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, there is a letter signed by nearly 120 colleagues of Parliament yesterday and today, with a message to the Council and to the Commission after the Dnipro massacre to say that sanctions have to be strengthened as fast as possible. 
You have to stop to think that with the progressive packages of sanctions, as we are doing already now for ten months, that we’re going to have success. The Council is saying it is going well with the sanctions. For me, the sanctions will only have a positive result when the Putin regime stops what is happening in Dnipro – that is a positive result of sanctions. Therefore, we don’t need progressive packages, as we have seen. I said it already to your colleague, Mr Borrell, nearly ten months ago: with a dictator, with an authoritarian regime, if do you do a package of sanctions they adapt themselves and everything goes on. So we are now preparing a tenth package. In total – as Mr Gahler has said – of the 6 700 people identified as the backbone of the Putin regime by the Navalny Foundation, the EU as the External Action Service – Mr Borrell and the whole Commission – has as yet been capable to issue personal sanctions to 1 400 of them, of the 6 700. And that list has existed for nearly ten months already and is on the table of the EEAS for ten months already. 
The second thing is secondary sanctions. There are still companies and individuals making deals and doing business in Russia. I ask you, as fast as possible, to declare secondary sanctions on this, because that’s the only possibility to stop it. 
The last point is the 320 billion that is frozen in Russian banks. Why not transfer that money directly? Russia is a terrorist state. So they do not need to have the reserves of their Russian central bank. That money could be mobilised immediately, even for buying arms. 
Finally – sorry but I’m speaking for 112 colleagues so you have to give me some additional room to do so – on arms, it’s clear what we need now. If Europe wants to do something positive on this, well then it’s long—range missiles next to tanks – then it is long—range missiles so that tragedies like Dnipro can no longer happen.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2022-12-14
Debate: Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15 December 2022 (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Mr President, dear colleagues, I have listened, Mr Bek, to the long list of items that you will discuss tomorrow and after tomorrow in the Council, but I have to tell you the most important items were not there. That is, in my opinion, the sanctions and the weapons that Ukraine needs to end this war the fastest as possible. 
You can all talk about price caps on oil and gas, but the best way to end the energy crisis is to end the war. For that, Ukraine needs to win the war. There, for the moment, what we see is that weak sanctions create weak results. It’s ten months and what we see is an escalation of brutality of Russia in Ukraine – rape, genocide, deportations of children in that country. 
So what I want and expect of the European Council is that, first of all, you start a decision to give more weapons. These discussions about Patriots, about Leopards, of the European governments is a scandal! You need to send them, to transfer them to Ukraine so that they can win the war. 
The second item is on sanctions – there are still, dear colleagues, 11 oligarchs of the most important oligarchs not on the list of sanctions in Europe. In total, after the ninth package – remember you are already on the ninth package – there will be 1 400, 1 500 or maybe 1 600 on the sanction list and, in total, there are 6 000, 7 000 people that need to be on the sanction list, because they are the real backbone. 
The same for Iran. Will you discuss, in fact now, sanctions for Iran? Can we still support Iranian diplomats on the territory of Europe, dear colleagues? We need to expel them the fastest as possible from Europe. That is what we need to do, and that is what I expect: sanctions and weapons for Ukraine and sanctions against Iran at the next European Council.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2022-12-14
Debate: Defending the European Union against the abuse of national vetoes (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, so it’s not only a question of, ‘Ah, finally we find a solution, even with the unanimity’, it’s the time we lose. That’s even a more important problem. So it’s not only a question of saying, ‘Yeah, but finally, in the European Union, after six months, nine months, one year, two years – the migration package is already seven years but OK, that’s only an exception maybe – we find the solution. No, it’s not about that. It’s also about the time you lose. How you manage Europe in the modern world if you need seven years to agree on a migration package. If you need six months to agree on some sanctions in the case of a war against Ukraine, that’s the problem.
And that, apparently, Mr Bek and the Czech Presidency and the whole Council doesn’t want to understand. Now they are saying, ‘Look, it’s going better because the last packages prove that it is working’. Some people are even waxing lyrical about the agreement that has been found in the beginning of this week. In fact, what is happening is that two evident files with no contestation – the 80 billion loan to Ukraine and a minimum tax on multinationals – are traded against two disputable concessions to Orbán: the approval of his recovery plan on the one hand, and then lowering the frozen amount from 6.3 to 5.8 billion. Well, I predict you something. I predict to you this at this moment that this is not the end, Mr President, of this file. What Orbán will do is to continue every new file in 2023 or to lower that amount, or to escape completely on the rule—of—law mechanism. This is not the end of the blackmail. It’s only the start of the blackmail, the agreement that you have found.
So, I think it’s high time to abolish vetoes. We have done, you have done, President Metsola has done a request based on Article 48. What I ask for is a little bit of respect of the Council towards the Parliament. If the Parliament – based on the Treaties, on Article 48 – is asking for a convention, at least that they have respect for the Parliament and answer that request, and are saying yes or no. For me it’s the same. Say no, say no against the citizens of the European Union, who in the Conference on the Future of Europe asked for such a convention and abolishing unanimity, but at least show respect for the only democratically chosen institution of this continent.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2022-12-14
Debate: Defending the European Union against the abuse of national vetoes (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew),  blue-card speech. – Mr President, I find the attitude of countries like Austria and the Netherlands, who are using their veto to block two countries who are fully fulfilling the conditions to enter Schengen, as deplorable as the attitude of a country like Hungary using their veto in that case. 
The only thing that you have to do, Mr Dzhambazki, is say ‘yes, I agree with you’!
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2022-12-12
Debate: Order of business

  Guy Verhofstadt,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, I think that it’s obvious why an additional point on Wednesday afternoon would be added on defending European Union against the abuse of national vetoes. Because everybody can see today what is happening with national vetoes, on every file. More and more of these files are blocked today. The last days, the last weeks: migration strategy, Schengen, electoral law, energy, price cap on gas, taxation policy, the minimum rate on multinationals, further sanctions and further financial aid to Ukraine, where we need to find now a solution with 26 instead of a solution inside the Union.
So it’s clear that, in my opinion, vetoes are an instrument for blackmailing the Union, and it is increasing for the moment. I know that we asked for a convention to seriously discuss this. And again, due to the lack of consensus, the Council is not in a position to respond to that request. So I know that we have a discussion on Wednesday with the European Council, but it’s only 2 hours. What we are going to discuss is Ukraine, and we’re going to discuss energy.
So I request that we need to urgently debate before the Council on Thursday, and my proposal will be to add that item Wednesday afternoon as the second point on the agenda.
Speaker: Guy VERHOFSTADT (Belgium — Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2022-10-18
Debate: Keep the bills down: social and economic consequences of the war in Ukraine and the introduction of a windfall tax (debate)

  Guy Verhofstadt (Renew).   – Mr President, Mr Commissioner, it has been eight months now since this energy crisis started. Eight months, and I have still not seen a coherent plan by the European Commission. I find it hugely disappointing because your job is not to come up with a fragment approach but with a global structural approach. And there isn’t one. You are talking about price caps, okay. You’re talking about windfall tax. But what is the whole picture? What will you do to tackle this energy crisis? 
I think you have to do three things. That is an energy purchase platform that is completely different to what you are doing now. You will buy together 15% in 2023 – it is the opposite of what you have to do, to buy together 85%. Where is the security fund for the investments that we absolutely need? And where is the energy assistance plan for households or companies, the same as we did with COVID-19? Why do we not repeat it now? 
You are right when you criticise in this op-ed the German approach with the 200 billion but it is not only necessary to criticise it, you have to also to come forward with an alternative. And we are going to do that with a number of MEPs. In a few moments, we are going to send you a letter about it, with these cross-party proposals.