unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Thijs Reuten
Political group: S-D
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, a good 200 days ago – the last day that Afghani teenage girls packed their bags and went to school – the Taliban erased half the population from public life. Today they are holding Afghanistan’s entire population hostage as 20 million Afghans face acute hunger. All they care about is repressing Afghans, brave women and girls for cynical political aims.  We must never recognise this totalitarian Taliban regime. Any practical engagement must be made conditional on the free participation of women and girls in all aspects of society. I applaud the Commission for helping vulnerable Afghans directly and for setting up the World Afghan Women Leaders Forum. But I call on the Member States to do more, much more: resettlement of the most endangered Afghans, more direct aid. Just like Ukrainians, just like us, Afghanistan’s people deserve freedom, democracy and the chance to simply live and pursue dreams and a dignified life. Let Afghan girls learn!
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Jadwiga Wiśniewska
Political group: ECR
Country: Poland
Language: PL

Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Przejęcie władzy przez talibów cofnęło prawa kobiet w Afganistanie o 20 lat. Dziewczyny i kobiety nie mogą uczestniczyć w życiu społecznym i gospodarczym, nie mają dostępu do edukacji. Dziewczynki powyżej 11. roku życia zmuszane są do przymusowych małżeństw, do przymusowej pracy, wykorzystywane są seksualnie. Niestety mają również ograniczony dostęp do ochrony zdrowia. W przestrzeni publicznej mogą poruszać się tylko z krewnym-mężczyzną. Narzucane im są rygory związane z ubiorem. I to wszystko przyczynia się do pogrążenia kobiet w ubóstwie.  Afganistan dziś boryka się z głodem. Ten głód szczególnie dotyka kobiety. Sytuacja wynikająca z wojny na Ukrainie jeszcze ten głód pogłębi. Potrzeba dedykowanych programów pomocowych. Kobiety w Afganistanie muszą wiedzieć, że Unia Europejska ich nie zostawi. Musimy zrewidować naszą politykę i zastanowić się, jak w realny sposób możemy pomóc.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Sandra Pereira
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: PT

Senhora Presidente, as mulheres e as raparigas são um alvo particular dos talibãs e do seu reacionarismo absoluto. A elas é negado o direito ao trabalho, à expressão individual, à autonomia, ao divórcio, e o direito à educação.  Os ataques às mulheres são um ataque estrutural ao desenvolvimento do Afeganistão, mas não começaram quando, em agosto do ano passado, os talibãs retomaram o poder do vazio deixado, depois de 40 anos de ingerência e agressão dos Estados Unidos da América e seus aliados, dos quais 20 anos de invasão e ocupação.  O caminho da igualdade das mulheres afegãs começou a ser negado quando, há cerca de 40 anos, os Estados Unidos e os seus aliados financiaram e armaram as forças mais retrógradas e obscurantistas para atacar a República Democrática do Afeganistão.  Daqui, expressamos a nossa solidariedade com o povo afegão na firme convicção de que cabe ao povo do Afeganistão, e, em específico, às mulheres afegãs resolver, sem interferência externa, os seus problemas e trilhar o seu desenvolvimento.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi
Political group: PPE
Country: Sweden
Language: EL

Κυρία Πρόεδρε, αγαπητοί συνάδελφοι, οι γυναίκες στο Αφγανιστάν, σε κλάσματα δευτερολέπτου, έχασαν δικαιώματα κατοχυρωμένα με επίπονες προσπάθειες 20 χρόνων, δικαιώματα κάθε ανθρώπου στον 21ο αιώνα, να μπορούν να εκφράζονται, να κοινωνικοποιούνται, να μιλούν ελεύθερα, να εργάζονται, να πολιτεύονται, να ζουν σε συνθήκες δημοκρατίας και κράτους δικαίου, να αγωνίζονται για την οικογένεια, τις φιλοδοξίες και τα όνειρά τους. Σε μία νύχτα όλα χάθηκαν. Δεν έχει χαθεί όμως η ελπίδα, η ανάγκη για δικαίωση και, κυρίως, η δύναμη για διεκδίκηση. Έχουμε ηθική υποχρέωση και καθήκον να σταθούμε δίπλα στις γυναίκες αυτές, με κάθε τρόπο. Κάθε κράτος μέλος ξεχωριστά και η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, ενωμένοι σαν γροθιά. Στον αφγανικό λαό και ειδικότερα στις γυναίκες που παλεύουν για ισότητα και δικαιοσύνη δεν αξίζει καθεστώς ανελευθερίας και κατάφωρη παραβίαση θεμελιωδών δικαιωμάτων. Είναι χρέος όλων μας να στηρίξουμε έμπρακτα τις νόμιμες αξιώσεις τους για δημοκρατία, τιμώντας τις ευρωπαϊκές αρχές και τον αξιακό κώδικα με τον οποίο πορευόμαστε εδώ και έξι δεκαετίες.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Billy Kelleher
Political group: Renew
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Madam President,  I ask the European Commission and world leaders in general to put pressure on the Taliban through their contacts, to insist that any humanitarian aid goes directly to those that need it most, rather than the Taliban itself, who certainly don’t deserve it.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Spain
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, Afghanistan quo vadis? Où vas-tu? Les femmes sont-elles victimes des talibans? Oui, car leur vie est devenue un enfer. Avec la fermeture des écoles pour les filles, les talibans ont fait un pas en avant dans la violation des droits des femmes, en leur confisquant leur droit à l’éducation et en tirant un trait sur leur avenir. Avec l’arrivée des talibans, les femmes ont été expulsées de leur travail. La flagellation des femmes a repris de plus belle. Il est à craindre que les mariages forcés et autres coutumes désuètes deviennent le lot de millions de femmes et que les mutilations génitales féminines reprennent sous le couvert fallacieux de la religion. Le quotidien des Afghanes est rythmé par des interdits. Or, le droit à l’éducation pour tous et pour toutes était l’une des conditions préalables de l’aide et de la reconnaissance du régime taliban. Aujourd’hui, les rêves d’une vie autonome se sont écroulés pour des millions d’Afghanes. Nous n’avons pas le droit de nous taire. Des millions de femmes en Afghanistan demandent notre soutien. Faisons preuve de solidarité, prenons nos responsabilités et exigeons des talibans le respect de leurs engagements.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Stanislav Polčák
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: CS

Paní předsedající, situace v Afghánistánu je pro ženy neskutečně děsivá. Zabíjení, mučení, naprosto nelidské zacházení, diskriminace, segregace. Připojuji se k volání všech svých kolegů a také k tomu, jaké hrůzy líčili ve svých projevech. A musím říci, že mě polil i stud v této místnosti poté, kdy jsem si vyslechl od jednoho z kolegů z frakce ID, že toto jednání náleží kulturnímu prostředí Afghánistánu a že ho máme tolerovat. Myslím si, že to je hanebné vyjádření, že zcela popírá základní lidská práva, která bychom všichni měli ctít. A tato základní lidská práva vyjádřená i v Chartě OSN jsou závazná nepochybně i pro Afghánistán. Není možné, aby ženy trpěly a nebyly respektovány jako svobodné bytosti se svými zaručenými právy. Opravdu se hluboce stydím.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Jutta Urpilainen
Language: EN

The European Union remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan, as was evident at the pledging event last week, where a total of almost EUR 2.2 billion was pledged, of which EUR 560 million from the EU and its Member States. I want to be very clear that the EU does not recognise the Taliban government and provides its support outside government channels. I think it’s really important to remember that we don’t work with the government. We will continue to facilitate women’s active and meaningful participation in the dialogue on the future of Afghanistan, and we will not accept that girls do not have access to quality education. International support should follow the human rights approach, ensuring equal opportunities for both boys and girls at all levels of education. Our reflections on future support will be based on these ideas. The commitment from the European Parliament in this regard is highly appreciated and necessary, so thank you for this excellent discussion.
Debate: Situation in Afghanistan, in particular the situation of women’s rights
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Dominique Bilde
Political group: ID
Country: Germany
Language: FR

Par ailleurs, n’en déplaise à la doxa officielle, les talibans seront incontournables pour la distribution de ce précieux soutien - avec les risques de détournement que l’on imagine. Et le chantage migratoire visant au rétablissement de l’aide au développement ne fera que redoubler, alors que les Afghans constituaient en août la première nationalité de demandeurs d’asile dans l’Union européenne. Bref, l’Occident se trouve encore pris au piège d’un marché de dupes, après des décennies d’un engagement militaire ruineux.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Eva Kaili
Country: France
Language: EN

The next item is the debate on the Council and Commission statements on the outcome of the EU—China Summit (1April 2022) ( I have to remind you that free seating is applied, with the exception of the first two rows, that are allocated to group leaders. You will also be able to request catch—the—eye and blue cards for statements or questions to the previous speakers via your voting machine – you have the instructions in front of you – after having inserted your voting card. I would also like to remind you that interventions in the Chamber will continue to be made from the central rostrum except for catch—the—eye, blue cards and points of order.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Iuliu Winkler
Political group: PPE
Country: Bulgaria
Language: EN

I welcome the assertiveness of our EU leaders in defending European values. This is a clear priority for the European People’s Party Group. We stand for human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet. We stand for democracy in Hong Kong. And we stand for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.  I must stress that the prolongation of current tensions comes to the detriment of both parties. Bilateral EU-China trade has further increased in 2021. This is precisely why we need to engage Beijing on tackling structural economic issues such as fair competition, market access and WTO.  As INTA standing rapporteur on China, I sincerely hope that the high-level trade and economic dialogue will soon reconvene and will deliver concrete results. This, of course, must include frank discussion on economic cohesion in Lithuania. It must also be stressed that the unacceptable Chinese sanctions against members of this House have to be lifted. With these political sanctions in place, that is no possibility for real progress in EU-China trade and investment relations.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Marek Belka
Political group: S-D
Country: Poland
Language: EN

We hope that safeguarding our enormous economic relations will be more important than the so-called ‘limitless friendship with Russia’, as they call it. We now stand corrected that much more has to be done to turn the tide in our relations. We wished to see China as a partner, but still remain with a potential rival. However, we should understand the Chinese leaders’ pleas for a more independent EU policy, even if what they have in mind is a policy independent of our transatlantic partners.  In fact, the development of a more autonomous and geopolitically—mindful EU external policy is exactly what Europe needs today. We should note that Chinese actions and inactions push us toward more assertive and strategically—driven EU policies. In the long run, we need a world where China is our partner and a stability factor. It is high time for the Chinese leadership to appreciate the benefits of such an approach.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Hilde Vautmans
Political group: Renew
Country: Romania
Language: EN

China is playing, if you ask me, a cynical game. It expects that both Europe and Russia will be weakened as a result of the war. Western sanctions will make Russia more dependent on China and the EU will have to deal with the refugee crisis, high fuel prices and economic decline. Let’s face the truth: China does not act like a partner; it acts like a rival. After the crackdown on Hong Kong and repression in Xinjiang, China is again placing itself on the wrong side of history. Xi’s end game is the end of the liberal rules—based world order. In our report, colleagues – and I see a lot of colleagues who worked on the report – we call for a more assertive strategy to become less dependent from China. We don’t want a full decoupling from China. Let us speed up this process and learn from our experiences with that other autocratic regime. The cynical truth is that by being so dependent on Russian gas, we are enabling this war. So let us not make this mistake again. I call on the Commission to come forward with an analysis of the sectors in which China can hurt us. And to propose a counterstrategy. Let us start to protect ourselves. If we care about our freedom, we had better prepare for the worst.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Reinhard Bütikofer
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Italy
Language: EN

I’m happy that the European side did raise all the hot button issues, as you said, High Representative. I want to thank you for that. I also want to thank you for the support that you have given to those sanctioned, wherever they are.  This online summit will, in hindsight, be seen as the one moment in which both EU and China dropped any illusion about win—win cooperation. No more ‘go along to get along’, no covering up the deep divisions. We clearly are in rivalry territory now.  It has been China’s behaviour vis—à—vis Russia’s aggression against Ukraine that finally laid bare how big the distance has grown. China has formed a revisionist axis with Putin to overturn the multilateral rules—based order. China objected, together with Russia, against the European security order. China, in the case of Lithuania, also dared attacking the Holy Grail of the European Union – namely the single market.  There is clearly a need for us to push back, and I like Mr Winkler’s language about the push—back, and there shouldn’t be any hesitancy. We should not just implicitly talk about possible sanctions if they support Russia, but explicitly.  Xi Jinping played hardball at the summit. He played a cynical game. He demonstrated that he does not respect the EU as a partner. They do not want to accept who we are. But when they call for more autonomy, they will get a real geopolitical player. We will have to realise that the tough summit was just the opening of an era in which tough is the new normal, and we need one common European China policy to master that.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Marco Campomenosi
Political group: ID
Country: Portugal
Language: IT

E noi dobbiamo prendere delle decisioni in questi mesi che sono importantissime per il nostro futuro. Parliamo tanto giustamente di autonomia strategica, parliamo tanto giustamente della necessità, finalmente, di svincolarsi dalla dipendenza dalla Russia, ma con proposte legislative che io in parte critico, che vorrei modificare in altro senso; sappiamo bene quanto ci sia anche una dipendenza dalla Cina, che non è solo sul manifatturiero ma che entra anche in tutto il pacchetto "Pronti per il 55%", perché abbiamo bisogno di reciprocità, lo ha detto anche lei, ma perché non dobbiamo neanche prendere decisioni politiche e geostrategiche facendo una scelta fra diverse dittature: il tema dello Xinjiang, la repressione sanguinaria delle proteste a Hong Kong, la continua violazione e minaccia nei confronti di Taiwan. Ecco, io non credo che la Cina sia affidabile: credo che la Cina voglia lavorare per dividerci, per dividere anche il fronte occidentale; credo che quello che sta facendo la Cina in Africa sia gravissimo e credo che noi siamo stati troppo spesso timidi, rispetto alla proposta a cui stiamo lavorando in Parlamento sulle acquisizioni ostili, su catene del valore che vanno modificate e rese meno problematiche. E magari dobbiamo ricordarci anche di chiedere che cosa è successo a Wuhan poco più di due anni fa. Quindi, io spero che questi mesi drammatici non ci spingano a fare delle scelte che diano alla Cina un ulteriore vantaggio competitivo. In questo senso la Commissione europea deve sapere che c'è una grande unità nel Parlamento europeo e che possiamo lavorare tutti insieme in questo senso.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Anna Fotyga
Political group: ECR
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Here in the European Parliament, we stand by the mature democracy of Taiwan. We support Uyghurs, and we monitor closely their fate in the PRC. We also stand by the activists and human rights defenders in Hong Kong, Tibet, and in other parts of the PRC. We are going to continue this advocacy. It is to be taken by EU leaders in general – not just in the remit of the human rights dialogue.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Helmut Scholz
Political group: The Left
Country: Luxembourg
Language: DE

Der Gipfel bot die Chance, Politik und Medien in China auch die mit dem Begriff der „offenen strategischen Autonomie“ umrissene Eigenständigkeit der europäischen Außenpolitik darzustellen. Zu ihr gehört als gemeinsamer Standpunkt des Rates seit Jahrzehnten auch die Ein-China-Politik. Und kurz vor der für Mai geplanten Reise der UNO-Hochkommissarin für Menschenrechte, Michelle Bachelet, nach China und auch Xinjiang ist es wichtig, die Dialogbereitschaft wiederherzustellen. Und es klang schon an: Hongkong, Tibet, Xinjiang und nicht zuletzt Taiwan sind quasi symbolisch Catchwörter geworden, die sehr unterschiedlich die jeweilige Perzeption gesellschaftlicher Werte von Menschenrechten und historischer Entwicklung widerspiegeln und gerade deshalb im bilateralen Zusammenarbeitsverhältnis einer Beratung und ehrlicher Aussprachen in Bezug auf die perspektivische Ausgestaltung des europäisch-chinesischen Verhältnisses bedürfen – zumindest. Es ist gut und wichtig, dass wir China als EU in seiner aktuellen Pandemiesituation mit mRNA-Impfstoffen helfen. Auch die Hilfsgüter, die China an die Ukraine und an die EU-Mitgliedstaaten mit hohem Flüchtlingsaufkommen geschickt hat, waren ein wichtiges Zeichen und sind ein wichtiges Zeichen. Wir brauchen einander auch im Kampf gegen den Klimawandel und für Artenvielfalt. Möge China sein neues Gewicht nun auch wahrnehmen, um sich international deutlich und klar für Frieden und ein sofortiges Einstellen der Kampfhandlungen in der Ukraine einzusetzen.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Tiziana Beghin
Political group: NI
Country: Italy
Language: IT

Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, il summit UE-Cina non ha prodotto i risultati sperati. Ma il tempo degli appelli e degli inviti è finito ed è arrivato il momento di utilizzare con maggiore incisività la leva della nostra forza commerciale, per esigere dalla Cina una netta posizione di condanna della guerra in Ucraina. Se la Cina vuole commerciare con l'Unione europea deve fare una precisa scelta di campo, perché il diritto internazionale, parafrasando il nostro compianto presidente Sassoli, non è un incidente della storia ma la bussola con la quale orientare le nostre relazioni. Fino a quando non cessa le ostilità, la Russia va isolata. Finora l'UE aveva sperato che scambiare sempre più beni e servizi bastasse a convincere i nostri partner a prendere la via della democrazia e del rispetto dei diritti umani: ma questo approccio purtroppo ha fallito con la Russia e non sta funzionando nemmeno con la Cina. Per noi la possibilità di commerciare va collegata con il pieno rispetto dei diritti umani. Dobbiamo pretendere che chiunque faccia affari con noi rispetti le persone, l'ambiente e il diritto internazionale. Solo così il commercio porterà cambiamento e pace.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Radosław Sikorski
Political group: PPE
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Madam President, I would like to put to the leaders of the People’s Republic that President Putin has made a disastrous mistake in invading China, but so have you. Because by all accounts, he gave you a warning that he would do that and you didn’t object. You should have. Because if this horrible war has done anything, it has certainly brought the free world together. I’m not sure this is what you intended.  Therefore, I’d like to tell you not to make another mistake, because globalisation has already suffered two huge blows. The first, the rise of populism in the West – and it’s partly a reaction to the fact that globalisation was good for poor people in poor countries, but bad for poor people in rich countries – but you have risen a billion people out of poverty in China, and we respect you for that.  The second one is the pandemic. We’ve discovered that we need some of those medicines and equipment nearer to home. If you were to supply President Putin with the lethal assistance that he needs to crush Ukraine, it’s not just what we would do, it’s what our consumers would be thinking about every time they consider buying a Chinese product. You really don’t want to go there. You don’t want that effect. You don’t want to deal globalisation a third blow that globalisation might not survive.
Debate: Outcome of the EU-China Summit
Date: TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2022
Speaker: Kathleen Van Brempt
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: NL

Voorzitter, hoge vertegenwoordiger, ja, de top kwam misschien op een juist moment, maar hij heeft vooral geleid tot een monoloog van twee kanten, denk ik. In een andere wereld met een andere Chinese leiding zou China een briljante rol kunnen spelen vandaag. Het zou misschien die partner kunnen zijn die een einde aan de oorlog maakt, die Rusland wijst op zijn verantwoordelijkheden en die werkt aan de wereldvrede. Maar dat is niet waar. We weten allemaal dat China een zeer ambigue rol speelt, mist spuit over zijn echte standpunt en tegelijkertijd thuis – in China – een campagne start om de bevolking aan te zetten om Poetin te steunen. En we weten ook allemaal dat er gewerkt wordt aan het vermijden van de sancties en op die manier ook aan steun voor Rusland.  Ja, er moet een dialoog zijn – en laat Europa die dialoog maar openhouden –, maar die moet gebaseerd zijn – zoals Europa heeft laten zien op deze top – op wat onze agenda is: op mensenrechten, op de Green Deal en op het beschermen van wat er straks misschien nog overblijft van de autonomie van Taiwan. Laat ook onze handelsagenda in die richting werken.